Charter One Recommits Support

Charter One Bank has awarded a second grant to advance YMCA Community Schools. The $100,000 grant provides much-needed support for the 2009-10 academic year and continues Charter One’s role as the program’s lead corporate partner, bringing their support to more than $300,000.

YMCA Community Schools collaborate with Chicago Public Schools and other organizations to help children in underserved neighborhoods improve their academic performance, reduce absenteeism and drop-out rates, and benefit from youth wellness programs. More than 2,100 lower-income Chicago youth benefit from 9 YMCA Community Schools across the city. 

“As one of the oldest and largest social service agencies in Chicago, the YMCA has been a leader in providing family and child services for more than 150 years,” said Stacey Sather, senior vice president and director of public affairs for Charter One.  “Charter One is proud to support YMCA Community Schools which improve the educational opportunity of children.”

The YMCA is pleased to have Trish Kelly, Executive VP Commercial Real Estate for Charter One, serving on the Board of Managers and to have bank employees volunteer with the program.

For more information, please contact Mark McKelvey, Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations.

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Volunteering Across the Association

Junior and Senior High Volunteers Spend Time in YMCA Child Care Programs

In August, 21 teen volunteers and adult chaperones affiliated with the Chicago Center for Student Missions contributed 170 hours of volunteer service to our city child care programs. The volunteers interacted with the children by playing games, helping them with craft projects and participating in other fun activities. Also, they assisted the staff with cleaning and organizing tasks. 

Corporate Volunteers Make a Huge Impact on Our YMCA Programs and Facilities

We welcomed more than 270 volunteers from nine companies and organizations in August.  Thirty Anderson University Chicago-area alumni volunteered at the Kelly Hall YMCA Produce Day, where they unloaded the Greater Chicago Food Depository truck and sorted and distributed food to hundreds of disadvantaged area residents.  A few days later, 30 YMCA of the USA colleagues assisted with unloading, sorting, and distributing fresh produce and other food items to more than 300 adults and families at the McCormick Tribune YMCA Produce Day.  Our third Produce Day in August, hosted by the YMCA Community Schools program at the Libby Elementary School in Washington Park, welcomed 12 volunteers from the Wrigley Company to help unload, sort, and distribute fresh produce and other food items to several hundred disadvantaged residents of that community.

Four different groups of Northern Trust volunteers participated in service projects at the Wabash and Kelly Hall YMCAs and at the Fred C. Matthews III YMCA Senior Housing Center. One group of volunteers painted the fence at the Kelly Hall YMCA. The other two groups spent several Tuesday mornings with the Wabash school-age child care program, serving breakfast to the children and playing games and other fun activities with them.  The fourth group visited the residents at the Fred C. Matthews III YMCA Senior Housing Center and enjoyed Bingo and refreshments with them.

Four groups of freshman students at Chicago Kent School of Law volunteered at the High Ridge, McCormick Tribune, Rauner Family and South Side YMCAs. They took on a variety of assignments, including painting, landscaping, cleaning, organizing and interacting with the children in the child care programs. This is our sixth year partnering with the Kent School of Law as part of their freshman orientation program.

A group of Lockton Company volunteers helped paint the gymnasium and the emergency exit stairwell at the McCormick Tribune YMCA, and a group of volunteers from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management took on a variety of cleaning, painting and landscaping assignments at the High Ridge YMCA.

Groups from two Chicagoland Target Stores also volunteered in August. Twenty employees from the Morgan Park store brought prizes and refreshments to the South Chicago YMCA. They had a great time getting to know the residents while playing Bingo and handing out prizes to the winners. Employees from the Niles store spent a Saturday morning creating raffle prize gift bags filled with items from their store and Target gift cards. The gift bags were a great surprise for the participants at the August Family Night event.

A group of Allstate employees spent a day with the Leaning Tower YMCA summer day campers and hosted a “Carnival Day and Cookout.” Allstate contributed to the funding for the carnival games, prizes and food. Everyone had a wonderful time!

For more information about group volunteer projects, please contact Linda Dean, Director of Volunteerism.

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Foglia YMCA Happenings

The Foglia YMCA participated in the 12th Annual Long Grove Heritage Run & Walk on Sept. 12.  Many members and a few staff signed up for the event, sponsored by the Long Grove Rotary Club.  It was a great opportunity for the Foglia Y to share the YMCA mission with the community.

America on the Move Week will be a busy one at the Foglia YMCA.  Posture analysis, mini massages, power walks, and open rock climbing are just a few of the events on the calendar for the week of Sept. 21. The week will end with the National YMCA Day of Play on Sept. 26, which will include a fitness boot camp and fun and games for the kids.

For more information, please contact Chris Berman, Foglia Administrative Assistant.

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Dance the Night Away Fundraiser

On Sept. 10, the South Chicago YMCA hosted its first Dance the Night Away fundraiser to support the Strong Kids Campaign. The event was held at Excalibur nightclub in downtown Chicago. More than 100 YMCA members and community supporters joined the staff and board in celebrating the successes of the South Chicago YMCA.

For more information, please contact Shelly Butler, Executive Director.

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High Ridge Hosts Doggie Dip, Open House

The High Ridge YMCA will have a open house Sept. 20, noon – 3 p.m. to celebrate its new pool renovations. There will be an inflatable playhouse, and the day will also host a swim team reunion afterwards.

On Aug 23, the High Ridge YMCA hosted 13 dogs for its first Doggie Dip event. Dog Splash and Bark Place Chicago donated a variety of dog treats to the event. Judith Rae Swanson, a holistic veterinarian, was on hand for questions, and a great time was had by all.

The High Ridge YMCA also raffled off 36 tickets to the Britney Spears concert at the Allstate Arena which took place Sept. 9.

For more information, please contact LaVerne Mayomi, Membership & Marketing Director.

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White Sox Host YMCA Seniors

Residents of YMCA senior housing recently enjoyed a Chicago White Sox baseball game at U.S. Cellular Field.  Nineteen seniors from the Emil Jones, Jr. and Fred C. Matthews, III Senior Housing Centers in Roseland and Bronzeville celebrated a 6 to 2 Sox win over the Los Angeles Angels.  Many of the seniors are lifelong Sox fans, and for some it was their first visit to Cellular Field.  Jesse Graves and Cherese Ledet coordinated the outing.

For more information, please contact Mark McKelvey, Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations.

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Elmhurst Active Adults Shopping Trip

The Elmhurst YMCA Active Adults made a shopping visit to the Downtown Downers Grove Market, an Indian Boundary YMCA sponsored event. By the time they left, their baskets were full of produce, flowers, jams and bakery items. It was a successful event for both the sponsors and the shoppers.

For more information, please contact Karen Keenley, Fitness Director.

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Buehler YMCA 5K Hero Run

The Buehler YMCA held its 5K Hero Run and 200 Yard Kids Sprint on Aug. 16. Almost 100 runners participated in the run, and more than 40 kids ran in the Kids 200 Yard Sprint. The event went off without a hitch thanks to generous sponsorships from Schneider Electric, Northwest Community Hospital, Whole Foods Market Palatine, Elements Therapeutic Massage, Our Family Magazine, Road ID and Signs Today.

The overall winner crossed the finish line with a blazing time of 19:14. The Buehler YMCA's very own Aaron Drescher, from the housekeeping department, came in a close second with a time of 20:15. Aaron, who competes in Special Olympic events throughout the country, is an incredible athlete as well as a dedicated Buehler YMCA employee.

For more information, please contact Bill Kelly, Member Relations Director.

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Lattof YMCA Thanks Kelly Giese
The Lattof YMCA staff and members thank Kelly Giese for all his hard work during the last two weeks of August to improve the YMCA facility. Kelly and his team worked hard to ensure the Lattof YMCA facility was updated and could better serve members. During the two weeks, the cardio and strength wellness area was painted; all six locker rooms were power cleaned; and the lockers were scrubbed. Carpets were cleaned in all program areas; the seven racquetball courts were painted; steam rooms were re-grouted; and much more. The YMCA did not shut its doors during those weeks, and Kelly made it all happen with minimal interrupsions to members.

For more information, please contact Erika Wood, Associate Executive Director.

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Grayslake 2009 Summer Days Parade

The Grayslake YMCA participated in the Grayslake Summer Days Parade for the first time this August. Led by the "Y Guy," staff marched through the center of town, and Annette Tarchala proudly carried and twirled the Grayslake YMCA flag. Candy was distributed throughout the parade route along with flyers highlighting a fundraiser at the local Culver's in support of the YMCA's Strong Kids Campaign.

For more information, please contact Angie Flesch, Operations Director.

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Syncronized Swimming and McDonalds’s Kids Triathlon
On Aug. 21 and 22, the Lattof YMCA Annual Synchronized Swimming show took place with the Aquasprites. More than 30 girls put on a fabulous show, which had the theme “Time Machine." Some of the highlights included a performance by Faith Moreno, Kara Gorman, Oliva Hepko, and Samantha Jankusky to the “Flinestones” theme song; and Desi Stamatova did a solo performance to “Carmen.” Hats go off to head coach Nan Zak for an amazing performance.

On Aug. 29, five Lattof YMCA Neptune Swimmers took to the waters of Lake Michigan and participated in the McDonald’s Kids Triathlon. Coaches Mark Hineman and Nicole Smokowicz trained the youth throughout the summer for this triathlon.  We are proud of the swimmers who participated: Nick Partipilo (33rd M9-10), Ellie Meyer (9th F11-12), Audrey Magnoni (10th F11-12), Gina Johnson (2nd F11-14), and Brianna Pollina. Congratulations to our Neptune swimmers and the coaches that made it happen.

For more information, please contact Erika Wood, Associate Executive Director.

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YMCA Member Spends Time with Future Navy Seals
A Lattof YMCA member and World War II veteran spoke with future Navy Seals about his experiences as a veteran and a survivor of the Battle of the Bulge. He took time to share his insights and inspire these young men as they move forward in serving our country. 

For more information, please contact Erika Wood, Associate Executive Director.

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BAHA Achievers Certification Course

Interested in becoming a certified director of the Black and Hispanic Achievers program? If so, the national director of the Black and Hispanic Achievers will be offering the Achievers Certification Course on Sept. 30 from 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. This course is designed for staff members and volunteers looking to get engaged in BAHA and will help participants get a historical overview, become acquainted with the current models used to present the program, learn more about the benefits of sponsoring the program, and learn more about best practices. The cost of the training is $45.

For more information, please contact LaDawn Norwood, Director of Youth Development.

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