MOULTRIE — The Moultrie YMCA announced an increase in membership and in income in 2004 at its board of directors meeting Thursday.

Treasurer Clifton Yates said the YMCA had a total operating income of $1,916,910 in 2004. That is an increase of over $222,000, or 13 percent, of their fiscal year 2003 income.

The YMCA also received $272,779 from federal and state government programs and restricted foundation grants, Yates said.

Those grants provided improvements to the Childcare Center and the Day Camp program. The Capital Campaign also received $286,343.34 in 2004, bringing the four-year total to $1,322,736.

President Chuck Bannister said 5,385 full-facility members were registered at the Moultrie YMCA in 2004. The YMCA was able to retain 71 percent of its members and gain 805 new members, a 27 percent increase from membership in 2003.

In addition to the increase in membership, Bannister said the YMCA set a record for income from membership dues in 2004. The total membership income was $612,117, an increase of $181,359, or 42 percent, from its previous record.

Program Vice President Kenneth Hannon said the YMCA also had strong increases in its programs.

The aerobics classes, for example, had a total of 7,625 visits for an average monthly attendance of 635 people, three times their 2003 visits. New member orientations also tripled from 2003.

The YMCA’s Childcare Center had an average of 79 children, with a maximum capacity of 88 children, Hannon said.

Nine children in the childcare were awarded YMCA scholarships, totaling $15,109, in 2004, and 39 children received Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS) subsidies, totaling $61,972.

Southwest Georgia Technical College and DFCS also held clinical and work-study programs through the Childcare Center, Hannon said.

The center also started three new programs successfully, including the “Stars and Stripes Beauty Pageant,” in July.

The YMCA gymnastics programs held successful fund-raisers, and Hannon said gymnasts from the YMCA were able to complete nationally. The annual “flip-a-thon” held in April raised $10,000 for the third year in a row, and a YMCA state meet hosted by Moultrie turned a $1,982 profit.

Hannon said Moultrie YMCA gymnast Devin Corgan was the first gymnast from Moultrie to compete in the USA Gymnastics Easterns meet, held in Norfolk, Va. A total of 14 gymnasts from Moultrie, including Corgan, competed in the YMCA National Meet in Hataboro, Pa.

A gymnastics outreach done through the YMCA at six county elementary schools in 2004 had 542 students participating, Hannon said.

The Primetime and Summer Day Camp school-age programs were able to continue their success from 2003, Hannon said. All 10 Site Directors returned for 2004, and Primetime served 549 different children during the 2004 school year.

There were 63 YMCA scholarships awarded to Primetime participants, totaling $21,765, and Hannon said 159 participants in Primetime and Day Camp were awarded a total of $93,957 in subsidies from DFCS.

Hannon said the youth and adult sports programs at the YMCA had strong numbers, and pool visits were also increased. A total of 3,525 visits were made to the YMCA pool in 2004, an 18 percent increase from 2003. Group swim lessons and water aerobics classes also had at least a 30 percent increase in participation from 2003.

The increases are significant because the pool was closed in October for renovations, Hannon said. It is planned to be re-opened with a new roof and new paint Feb. 1.