VERNON HILLS, Ill. (CBS) – In north suburban Vernon Hills, members of the Central Lake County Family YMCA jammed a conference room at the Y Wednesday night to hear the latest on the effort to save it from being shut down on Halloween.

Some were indignant, asking why they weren’t warned three to six months ago, so they could begin fundraising without such an imminent threat. One woman asked for an annual report. Another said members will quit without quantifiable reason for hope.

Waukegan Mayor Robert Sabonjian is all in, and has been making personal calls on the Y’s behalf. One person suggested to board member Dave Wille a Barack Obama-style Web campaign seeking five or ten dollars a person.

“This is their chance,” he said. “We’re reaching broadly and I would say certainly to Lake County. Beyond that I’ll leave it to our marketing experts.”

And the Web site will feature testimonials from members such as 11-year-old Miguel Fabian-Sauceda, who said the YMCA saved his folks’ marriage when they hit a rough patch.

Wille said board members are in frequent contact during the day, and said staff are working 18-hour days looking for the needed donors.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio’s Bob Roberts Reports