YMCA of McHenry County, located at 701 Manor Road, blamed increased competition, pending lawsuits, higher insurance costs, and a decline in membership for forcing it to seek bankruptcy protection. The group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Wednesday in the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago.
YMCA of McHenry County is named as a defendant in two lawsuits from the Camp Algonquin drowning deaths.
Jimmy Avant, 18; Melvin Choice Jr., 17; and Adrian Jones, 16, all of Chicago, died Nov. 14, 2008, after sneaking out of their cabins at Camp Algonquin and taking paddle boats onto the Fox River. The paddle boats' drain plugs had been removed for the winter, and they sank, investigators said.
Choice's mother, Virginia Choice, later filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court accusing retreat organizer VisionQuest Association, the YMCA of McHenry County, and the victims' school, North Lawndale College Prep High School, of negligence. The lawsuit sought more than $800,000 in damages. Avant's family filed a similar lawsuit.
Thomas Pakenas, a Chicago attorney who a represents Virginia Choice, said the bankruptcy filing shouldn't affect his client's lawsuit.
Click on the following for more details: Northwest Herald | YMCA seeks bankruptcy protection
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