The Mike and Heather Hills family of Boothbay, who have been synonymous with the Boothbay Region YMCA Dolphin swim team for a decade, has been chosen to chair the Y’s 2023 Annual Fund fundraising campaign.

Mike and Heather have been volunteers for the Dolphins since their daughter, Hannah, 16, began swimming with the team at age 6. Their son, Byran, 12, also joined the Dolphins at age 6.

Heather is also a former Dolphin who swam for the team nine years before leaving the region to attend high school in Massachusetts. When Hannah joined the team, Heather volunteered to help the team by labeling the meet ribbons for two years. She was then asked by then Y Aquatics Director Shane Pennington to be a volunteer assistant coach. She was a volunteer head coach for one year and has been a volunteer assistant coach since her coaching career began in 2014. Mike became an assistant coach in 2015.

“I needed someone on deck to help during the season I was head coach since our volunteer coaches wouldn't go to meets,” said Heather. “So Mike became our volunteer bus driver and assistant coach.”

Hannah, a rising junior at Boothbay Region High School who is the reigning member of the team in years of participation, is also a student representative on the Y’s board of trustees (along with Colby Allen, a rising BRHS senior).

The Hills family, along with Colby Allen and others, participated in the July 10 kick-off event for the campaign in the YMCA pool during the morning aqua aerobics class – with giant beach balls, inflatable dolphins, and "under the sea" headbands and masks being distributed to the class for some fun in the water. A reception was held after the class in the members’ lounge.

When asked what the Y looks for in choosing a campaign chair individual, couple, or family, Y Executive Director Andy Hamblett said, “We look for someone who has strong connections with the Y. Not only does the Hills family volunteer to coach but they are involved with the kids otherwise. They have given a lot of themselves. They are the anchor of the swim team, and as we have gone through several coaching changes, they have continued to keep the program alive and consistent, like others who volunteer and have made the Y what it is. Hannah is a young leader, as a youth board member with Colby and represents our core values of Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility.”

“We are humbled and honored to be chosen as this year’s Annual Fund fundraising chairs,” said Heather.

“We want to make a change,” said Hannah. She and Allen hold meetings during the school year and seek out fellow students’ questions and comments about the Y, then they bring the ideas and suggestions to the trustees.

When asked what the Y means to them, Heather said “community,” Hannah said “family,” Byran said “hanging out,” and Mike said “giving and learning.”

“I am surprised no one said swimming,” said Hamblett with a laugh during the sit-down interview, which was also attended by the Y’s Director of Development Allyson Goodwin.

“(The Hillses) work full time, volunteer as swim coaches and now they have an added role as annual fund chairs,” said Goodwin. “They bridge the gap by dealing with a cross-section of the community through their jobs and Y connections.”

The 2023 campaign theme is “Make A Splash, Make An Impact,” which is an apt connection with the Hills family, said Hamblett.

Heather has worked for Balmy Days Cruises for 28 seasons and earned her captain’s license after graduating from college in 2001.

Hannah has worked full-time for the Boothbay Harbor excursion boat company for two years. She has also been sailing on teams since sixth grade – middle school then high school – and has been swimming on the BRHS varsity team the past two years. She practices twice a day five days a week during swim season.

Byran recently spent a week participating in the adventure camp at the Y’s Baldwin Center and will spend another week in August at the camp in the aqua adventure program.

Mike works for the Boothbay Harbor Sewer Department. He is from central New York and he and Heather met in college.

“Their connections with the community and visitors outside of the Y makes them good ambassadors,” said Hamblett. “They provide the ‘ripple effect’ for the support of the Y.”

The Annual Fund fundraising brochure states: “We are inviting you to join us by making a big splash and giving back to our Y this year. Your support of the 2023 Annual Fund directly helps others in our community and it is one of the ways you can partner with the Y to foster a collective positive impact.”

Donations to the Annual Fund, the ongoing “A Greater Impact” Capital Campaign – or both – can be done by mail (Boothbay Region YMCA, P.O. Box 500, 261 Townsend Avenue, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538), by phone, 207-633-2855 x 290, or online at boothbayregionymca.org