Visitors to the Gleason Family YMCA on Tuesday got a look at what will soon be expanded facilities -- right now enclosed spaces with dirt floors, a chalk line dividing the new men's and women's locker rooms, and little signs pointing out the future sites of steam and sauna rooms.

They also got to check out a new video, produced to help raise the remaining $1.2 million toward the $4.2 million expansion. Stars of the video are Y members and program participants -- kids playing basketball, a woman working out following weight-loss surgery, and "Nana" Sylvia preparing to celebrate her 100th birthday. (See video below.)

The first two phases of the project were completed earlier this year: an expansion of the gymnasium to double its size and add a second-level running track, and an outdoor swimming pool. Still in progress are new adults-only men's and women's locker rooms and a multi-purpose room. The multi-purpose room will allow the Y to offer more classes and additional types of classes, such as kettlebell and spinning.

In talking about the addition, Gleason Executive Director Laura Prisco and YMCA Southcoast CEO Gary Schuyler stress the value of the totally enclosed multi-purpose room for the majority of the population that is "ready to be fit" -- but can be intimidated by a weight room with glass walls and super-fit people doing their daily workouts.

In Schuyler's estimation, something like 20% of the population is already fit and active, 20% are "certified couch potatoes" with little inclination to change, and 50-60% are people who are "ready to be fit" if presented with the right opportunity.

"It's the middle group. They want to (get in shape), but they don't know where to start," Prisco said.

She and Schuyler believe the new facilities could become that place to start.

Already, the Gleason Family Y's more than 8,000 members represent about 15% of the households within a 12-minute drive of the Y -- a "penetration" figure that probably puts it in the top 10% of all Y's in the country, Schuyler said.

He praised the community, those who led the drive to fund and build the facility and its expandsion, and particularly benefactor Dr. Charles "Sherm" Gleason, "a pretty effective committee of one."