Special education students tour YMCA

Dec 3, 2015

Brendan Goss said he never would have thought of volunteering at the Gleason Family YMCA 11 years ago, had it not been for a friend who encouraged him to join.

“Tracy Cunningham asked me … to get a job here as a volunteer,” Goss said.

Today, the Mattapoisett resident works at the Y’s front desk four days a week, acting, Goss told special education students on a tour of the Y Thursday morning, as the branch’s unofficial “mayor.” Goss is also differently-abled.

“I have a lot of friends here,” Goss said. “I’m like the mayor to everybody.”

The four students who visited from Attleboro-based Amego, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals along the autism spectrum, had a few questions for Goss, including what he does at the Y.

Amego staff member and former Fall River YMCA staffer Brandy Bergeron said she remembers coming to the Wareham Y when it first opened 11 years ago, and seeing Goss at the front desk.

Bergeron said she thought the tour helped the students, who are all at the high school level.

“We are looking at different volunteer opportunities,” Bergeron said. “I just thought it would be so great for our kids to be able to see other people in the community that are good role models for volunteering and having different careers.”

Goss said he enjoyed seeing the students so excited about the facility.

“Jared was excited about the facility,” Goss said. “He was curious.”