Plans for the Butler YMCA's 67th Annual Good Friday Breakfast April 14 are nearly complete.

“This is the 67th annual Good Friday Breakfast, and we want to keep with our tradition and heritage but with a 2017 feeling,” said Robert Law, membership director at the Butler YMCA, who serves as host and who organized the breakfast committee.

“The Good Friday Breakfast is truly a volunteer-led program with a fantastic committee comprised of current board members, previous board members, YMCA members and community members that donate their time to the YMCA and this program,” he said.

The Good Friday Breakfast is nondenominational and faith-based.

“The YMCA mission is 'To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all,'” said Law.

“We will have live background music until the event starts at 7 a.m. The event will feature a buffet-style breakfast provided by The Chop Shop, prayer, hymns, Scripture reading and of course our guest speaker,” said Law.

Speakers over the years have included priests, doctors, attorneys, judges, bishops, community leaders and celebrities.

This year the keynote speaker is Wendy Bell, an Emmy Award-winning journalist. She is known for her many years anchoring Pittsburgh television news broadcasts. Bell is currently suing WTAE-TV for firing her in March 2016 over comments she made on Facebook.

John Gibson, a breakfast committee member, was the first to mention having Bell as guest speaker.

Having been familiar with Bell's work as a journalist and a follower of her Facebook page, Law agreed with his proposal and it went to the selection committee.

“It was decided at our first committee meeting of the year that she was the correct person for this year's Good Friday Breakfast,” he said.

After 24 years on TV and winning 21 Emmys, Bell is excited to travel in a new direction, focusing on the good in our communities.

Bell is launching a website called PositivelyWendyBell.com in June that will change the focus of “news,” by offering stories of inspiration.

“There are amazing people making big differences walking among us. It is their stories I wish to tell,” explained Bell.

For years Bell worked for TV stations and pitched stories that were positive and uplifting. Often she was allowed to tell those stories, but the trend in news recently was more focused on the negative.

“On every corner there exists some magic in the midst of the mess. Stories of hope and of triumph over challenges, be they physical, emotional or spiritual. Stories of overcoming obstacles are worthy of being told. They need to be told,” she said. “The goal is to tell real stories about real people in real time.”

Followers of Bell's Facebook page and her Video Thursdays have seen encouraging stories about physically challenged athletes and musicians, people who are reaching their community with the power to heal through giving their time and their love.

Inspiring stories about life has been what Bell is dishing out and what she plans to bring to Butler on Good Friday.

Bell offers a message about coming out of the darkness and into the light.

“Those of us who don't grab hold of that ability and do something positive with it will look back on a life unfulfilled,” said Bell.

Using her gift of storytelling, Bell will present a message to encourage others about their purpose.

“I want people to believe with every fiber of their soul that they have a purpose … and that God has given us every tool needed to fix not only our problems … but those of people suffering around us,” explained Bell.

WHAT: 67th Annual YMCA Good Friday BreakfastWHEN: 7 a.m. (doors open at 6:30) April 14WHERE: Butler YMCA gymnasium, 339 N. Washington St.TICKETS: Available at the YMCA. Seating is not reserved.