We had an absolute blast celebrating a true Lansing legacy at the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing’s Legacy of Magic Gala!
Rathbun Insurance was proud to serve as an All-Star Advocate Sponsor of this incredible evening honoring Earvin “Magic” Johnson and the Johnson Family and celebrating their lasting impact on Greater Lansing.
This event was especially meaningful to the Rathbun team because our own Producer, Heather Cooper-Kim, serves as Chair of the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing Board of Directors. Heather and her family have been actively involved with the YMCA for more than 20 years, and we are incredibly proud of the time, leadership and heart she continues to give to an organization that means so much to her family and our community.
On Saturday, August 22, 2026, the community gathered at the Breslin Center in East Lansing to celebrate the remarkable connection between Magic Johnson, the Johnson Family and the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing.
Long before Magic became a basketball legend, accomplished business leader and global icon, the YMCA was part of his story. It was a place where he and his family found community, belonging, mentorship and opportunity. The Legacy of Magic Gala celebrated that meaningful history while looking ahead to the generations who will benefit from that same sense of connection and possibility.
One of the most exciting moments of the evening was the announcement of the next chapter for the YMCA’s former Westside location: the Earvin “Magic” Johnson YMCA.
Plans for the newly named facility include a two-acre expansion featuring two additional sports courts, two new turf fields, an acre of green space for expanded youth programming and a new pavilion creating even more opportunities for Lansing youth and families to connect, grow and thrive.
The exterior of the facility will also feature a mural honoring Magic Johnson and the Johnson Family created by local artist Dustin Hunt of Muralmatics. Site work is expected to begin this fall, with the Johnson Family mural anticipated to be completed in June 2027.
The impact will extend well beyond the facility itself. A sustaining legacy fund is also being established in the Johnson Family’s name to provide scholarship opportunities for Lansing youth for generations to come.
At Rathbun Insurance, we believe being part of a community means showing up for it. Supporting the Legacy of Magic Gala as an All-Star Advocate Sponsor was an opportunity to celebrate an organization that has been creating opportunities, building connections and strengthening families in Greater Lansing for generations.
It was also incredibly special to celebrate alongside Heather and recognize the leadership she brings to the YMCA through more than two decades of involvement by her and her family.
Congratulations to the YMCA of Metropolitan Lansing, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the Johnson Family and everyone who helped make the Legacy of Magic Gala such a memorable evening.
We were proud to be there, proud to support it and excited to see this legacy continue to grow right here in Lansing.
Learn more about the Earvin “Magic” Johnson YMCA project and opportunities to support its future through the YMCA’s Legacy of Magic website.