2 win Y’s Youth of the Year Awards

The Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges and its seven branches are recognizing youth members for their distinguished participation in the Y and demonstration of the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.

The Metro YMCA presented them with the Russell Colgate Youth of the Year Awards at the Y’s Annual Campaign Celebration and Awards Dinner in April.

Locally, Austin Cummings was recognized for the Sussex County YMCA and Kevin Drache for Fairview Lake YMCA Camps. Both live in Vernon.

Cummings volunteered the entire summer with the day camp programs, helping to ensure that the children were taken care of.

He is looking forward to another summer at YMCA camp this year.

He plays for Vernon Little League and enjoys swimming, basketball, playing games on his computer and chatting with his friends.

Next year, he will start high school and is excited to learn computer science.

Drache has been a member of the YMCA since he was in preschool, learning to swim at the Y and attending Blue Mountain Day Camp.

He transitioned from camper to counselor-in-training, exhibiting natural leadership and a friendly demeanor that bridged the gap between campers and counselors, camp directors said.

He plays the French horn in three bands at Vernon Township High School, maintains Honor Roll status, plays basketball, holds a black belt in martial arts and serves as a youth director at his church.