Y Stories: Lacey Sapaugh

As an Albany native, the Mid-Willamette Family YMCA has long been an important presence in Lacey Sapaugh’s life. Sapaugh attended South Albany High School and grew up going to our old YMCA building. Today, she is the YMCA’s Membership Director, where she aims to foster a sense of belonging and community for everyone who utilizes our YMCA. 

Sapaugh’s earliest memories of visiting our YMCA date back to when she was a baby: she attended Mommy & Me swim lessons with her parents. Then, as a child, she frequented the Y with her great-grandmother, who brought her to the facility every week for open swim. As a cheerleader in high school, Sapaugh came to the Y before school and in the summers to train and work out. 

“I was here all the time,” Sapaugh said. “Mostly working on running, riding the bike–I played racquetball with my parents in the old racquetball courts. I kind of grew up around here.”

This lifelong connection eventually led her back to the Y in a new way: Sapaugh joined the YMCA staff in June 2023, initially working with the Sports department. Her return to the Y was deeply personal—for many years, Sapaugh avoided the YMCA campus following the death of her grandmother. But she was encouraged to apply when she saw the turf fields installed. 

“When my grandma passed away, I refused to come here for a while. I just couldn’t stomach the thought of there still being a Y, but not my grandma,” Sapaugh said. “But, when I decided to come back, I was really glad I did. There’s something about this place that just brings her up for me all of the time. It’s really cool. I feel a bit closer to her when I am here.”

Three months after she joined the Sports department, Sapaugh stepped into her current role as Membership Director, where she now oversees the Welcome Center staff, supports events and programs—including Middle School Dances and Craft Fairs—works closely with the YMCA’s registration software, trains staff in customer service, and helps ensure members feel seen and supported from the moment they walk through the doors. 

Sapaugh’s history at the Y has also helped her connect with members in meaningful ways. When she hears someone has been a member for many years—or someone is seeing the current facility for the first time—she often shares memories of the old facility with them, including the “hobbit doors” in the racquetball courts or the buckets in the gym to catch leaks.

“It’s always fun to reminisce a bit,” she said. “Then, I always try to bring it back—look where we’ve come from, and how far we’ve come.”

Sapaugh is a mother to three boys and understands the YMCA’s impact on the community through the lens of family. To her, the YMCA’s various offerings—the gyms and fields, strength and cardio room, fitness classes, pool, Before & After School, and Child Watch—are the aspects of the organization that make it unlike anything else in Albany.

“We offer so many things. I have three boys: one is an athlete in middle school, and my middle son is in fifth grade. He’s autistic. And then my youngest son is in kindergarten,” Sapaugh said. “What’s so cool is that there’s something for all of them here. I can bring my oldest son to work out and to swim, or whatever goals he’s working on as an athlete. My autistic son is going into private swim lessons, and that is here and is something so special for him, because he’s a water baby. And my youngest son—he can be in any of our after-school programs, or any of the other programs that are happening. He did Little Ballers recently, and it was so fun. There are things for me, there are things for my parents. I love that there is value really for anyone.”

The role of Membership Director, Sapaugh noted, has required flexibility, patience, and adaptability. She communicates with members and seeks ways to bring new people to our YMCA. Additionally, she takes pride in mentoring young employees, many of whom are students, and have dreams beyond the Y. Sapaugh said losing employees at the Welcome Center can be unfortunate, but she is glad to impart new skills and be a part of someone’s larger journey. 

“I’ve worked really hard to develop an attitude where I recognize that I am a part of their story. I have somebody [who works at the Welcome Center] who’s in school to be a surgeon. She’s not staying here, but how cool is it that I got to work with somebody who is in school to be a surgeon?” Sapaugh said. “She’s going to go crazy places that I can’t even imagine. I’m so thrilled just to be a part of her story.”

While customer service is an essential part of her work as the Membership Director, one value Sapaugh brings to her role at the Y—and one she tries to instill in all her staff members—is empathy. 

“When you’re dealing with the public, sometimes people are having a bad day, or they’re mad. Mad at someone that’s not even you,” Sapaugh said. “I try to emphasize having empathy and understanding that that person could be experiencing something. We try to meet them where they are, and to try to be helpful the best we can.”

Ultimately, Sapaugh hopes that every person who utilizes our YMCA finds exactly what they need—whether it’s fitness, sports, community, or connection. In her role, she strives to help people reach their goals, and she aims to ensure people feel valued as members of the YMCA community. However, one thing that makes her particularly passionate about her work at the Y is the ability to provide for people and families.

“I love getting people involved and learning about what their goals are, and what I can do to help them. I love it when someone comes in, and I can help them financially. If someone can’t afford it, I can help make membership attainable, and I often work with people to do that,” Sapaugh said. “So, I think what brought me here was my history. But what keeps me here is how amazing it feels to make memberships attainable, and to help people make the most of them.”