The Henderson Family YMCA is accepting applications now through Apr. 19 for the Willard Irvin Haithcock Membership Scholarship, which was established in memory of a man who truly enjoyed the Y.
The scholarship, set up to provide one family membership and one individual membership, honors Haithcock’s legacy of kindness and commitment to wellness.
YMCA members probably remember seeing Haithcock at the Y – he liked to stick to a routine and that included making time for daily visits.
His son, Heath, said his father wasn’t really into exercise and fitness, but those visits to the Y gave him a way to reduce stress and remain physically active as he transitioned to retirement.
When he died in 2021, his family wanted a way to keep their Dad’s joy for the Y alive, so they created the scholarship.
In an interview with WIZS in 2025, his son, Heath, said his father had instilled in him to treat others the way he wanted to be treated. Willard treated everybody equally, his son said. “That’s what the Y does,” Heath said. “The YMCA is all about inclusion.”
Find the application at www.hendersonymca.org.
