Tag Archives: Strong Kids Campaign

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Team Makes a Splash For Strong Kids

It’s amazing what kids can accomplish when given an incentive. And when that incentive means they can help their fellow young people, do something they enjoy, and have a little fun with one of the adults in their lives? So much the better.

That’s what the novice swim team at the Birmingham Y did recently. Their coach, JD Prince, challenged them to raise $75 each for the Strong Kids Campaign. Anyone who did, he told them, could hit him and his fellow coaches in the face with a pie. If they raised $1,000 as a team,  they could have a pizza party.

Swimmers are not a group to shy away from a challenge, and this group of kids not only met the goal, they pretty much demolished it. All told, they raised $2,500 for the Strong Kids Campaign. And one swimmer, Kyra Beauregard, raised $800 all on her own.

The team raised the money by swimming laps; people could either pledge per lap or just give money to their swimmer. All of the team members are new to being on the swim team; many came from Y swimming lessons and joined the team to try out competitive swimming.

Aquatics director Robin Coapman says they’re still trying to figure out what reward to give the team for doing so well with their fundraising, but she’s proud of their hard work in helping other kids whose families might struggle to afford a membership to have all the benefits of joining the Y. Who knows, maybe next year one of those kids might be throwing a pie.

 

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Run To Honor Y Worker’s Memory

The community of people that gather at a YMCA is often referred to as “YMCA family,” because being part of the Y is so much more than just belonging to a place to work out, go to camp, or learn to swim. And sometimes, the Y truly is family.

When Breeana Dixit was killed in a car accident near Western Michigan University’s campus in February, it hit the Lakeshore Family YMCA very hard. She’d worked in the Y’s childcare facility in high school and early in her college career, and her mother, sister, aunt and cousin all work at the Y as well. She had an impact on just about everyone there, members and staff, and her loss was a huge blow to all who knew her or her family.

Bree (as she was known) was a recent WMU graduate, loved working with children, and also loved running. “It was an important part of her life, as well as working with kids,” says Rose Cesario, the school-age childcare director for the Lakeshore Y. To honor her memory, the staff at the Lakeshore Y, along with a group of Bree’s friends, have organized a 5K run in her honor which will be held on April 27, the Y’s Healthy Kids Day. The annual event will be dedicated to Bree this year. Proceeds from the run will benefit the Y’s Strong Kids Campaign and the Ted Lindsay Foundation for Autism.

A tree will be planted in memory of Bree at the event before the run. The tree planting is at 10:45 on April 27, and the race starts at 11:00. In order to allow more people to participate, the race will not be timed and is for everyone from beginning walkers to experienced runners. Field day activities will run from the start of the race until 1 p.m. as part of the Y’s Healthy Kids Day. There will be sack races, water relays, cone relays, and an exercise relay, among other fun events.

The “Bree’z Through the Shores” run is planned to become an annual event. Registration is $20 for children and $30 for adults and is ongoing at Active.com.

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Barracudas Excel In, Out Of The Pool

The Boll YMCA Barracudas Swim Team is tearing it up in the pool: they are swimming at national meets, including last week’s Black History swim meet in Washington, DC; they’re putting in the time at practice and seeing results like faster times, and they are doing all this while still performing well in school.

Swimmer Harisen Davis, for example, came to the Y for swim lessons and, after joining the team, quickly progressed to be one of the fastest swimmers for her age group,  Charisse Woods, the youngest swimmer on the team at age 7, has one of the largest spirits, according to her coach. Charisse placed 6th fastest in all four strokes for her age group, out of 62 swimmers, while in D.C. Both girls are on scholarship at the Y through the Strong Kids Campaign. Neither would be able to participate in this program that has allowed them to excel and grow without the generosity of those who give to the Strong Kids Campaign.

It’s not just the kids on the team who are benefitting from the Barracudas. Another amazing result is the teamwork among the parents of the kids on the team. Many of them face financial challenges — six out of the 17 students are on scholarship, and 12 came to the team through swim lessons taken on scholarship. But they have come together to make the program what they want for their children. Through tireless fundraising, they have financed all kinds of remarkable experiences for the team members. “They want uniforms and national meets and rewards and team equipment and team morale and team camaraderie; so, they decided to fundraise and dedicate themselves to serve on self-appointed committees,” says Boll Aquatics Director Mike Hamlett. “They are using their efforts and networking connections to help build their program into the thriving system that it is beginning to be.”

It all speaks to the higher purpose of the YMCA; beyond teaching some children to swim and giving them a chance to excel through hard work and support, the Barracudas (like so many other Y programs) have built a stronger community. As Mike wrote of the team, “By our actions at the Boll Family YMCA, we have initiated change. Change within ourselves and change within other people. When we do for those who can’t do for themselves, we are serving a much higher purpose than just punching in on a clock and earning a paycheck. We are planting seeds; seeds of respect, honesty, caring, and responsibility into our youth development. As we water and fertilize those seeds, they will develop and grow into socially responsible people; and possibly be able to give back to their communities through the healthy living that they received from us here at the Boll Family YMCA.”

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Y Throws Caregiver A Lifeline

When a spouse faces health issues, it’s extremely hard on the “well” spouse who is thrust into the role of caregiver. Not only do they face worries about their loved one’s well-being, and the fear of potentially losing them, but there are often financial concerns if the caregiver has to cut back hours or quit outright in order to meet responsibilities at home. The stress, strain and hard work means the person caring for their spouse can suffer their own serious health problems, because they either don’t notice or don’t feel they should take the time to care for themselves.

That was the situation facing Vassel Lewis. He had been caring for his wife Judy for four years, through eight major surgeries. He had to quit work to care for her, so money was tight. And both were facing major weight gain and other health issues.

They spoke with Tasha, the membership director at the Boll Family YMCA, where they had previously been members, and she worked with them on a scholarship plan so they could rejoin. It was an investment in their well-being mentally and physically, and it’s one that’s paid off. “I believe we are obligated to do everything in our power to utilize this great opportunity to regain our health back and since we have joined the center we have been committed to this task,” Vassel wrote in a note thanking the Y staff.

And have they ever jumped on the opportunity. Vassel keeps track of the time he spends exercising, calories he’s burned, and miles he’s walked. In just one month he worked out for 1,829 minutes, burned 17,673 calories, and walked just short of 100 miles. That’s in addition to water and land Zumba classes and weight training. And it’s paid off; Vassel has lost 45 pounds since joining and Judy has lost 17.

Their connection to the Y goes far beyond simple exercise, however. They know they are part of a community where people care about them and want them to thrive despite their challenges. “The consideration given by the front desk staff and the constant friendliness my wife and I both experience each and every time we visit the center truly a especial moment that make us feel like the Y is for our life,” Vassel says.

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13 Reasons to Support the Y in 2013

Most people know the Y as a place for “gym and swim,” and fostering healthy living is a core part of the Y’s mission. But the Y does much more than that in the community and for the community. Over the last year we’ve shared some of those stories of how the people at the Y — members and staff — go above and beyond to do everything from ensuring everyone has a place at the Y to fostering future Olympians to raising student performance in school. Here’s a look at some of those stories….and we look forward to bringing you even more in 2013!

1. Everyone belongs at the Y. If there’s one thing that defines the Y more than anything else, that’s it. From people with disabilities to seniors to single parents and everyone in between, the Y, through the Strong Kids Campaign, ensures everyone who could benefit can be a part of the Y. More than that, though, the welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff make people feel like valued members of the Y family.

2. The Y provides access to the arts to people who might not otherwise have a path discover their creative spark. The Detroit Creativity Project, supported by a group of successful Detroit-expatriate actors and comedians now mostly living in Los Angeles, has provided more than 100 high school students with improvisation classes taught by local professionals. Y-Arts instructors are prominent in their fields in addition to teaching kids the fundamentals of visual arts, hip-hop, acting and more. And the lobby gallery of the Boll Family YMCA provides a space for the community to see the work of well-respected artists in all media.

3. The Metro Youth YMCA, or MY-Y, encourages youth to achieve their dreams — and beyond. From showing them a path to college to actually driving them to out-of-state scholarship interviews, MY-Y impacts at-risk young people’s lives for the better.

4. More than 700 Detroit school kids learned to swim for free through the Detroit Swims program. African-American and Hispanic youth are at much higher risk of drowning than Caucasian children; teaching them to swim will reverse that tragic toll. The eventual goal is to have every child in the city of Detroit able to use basic survival skills in the water.

5. More than 800 girls learn life lessons through running with the Girls on The Run program. Not only do they develop themselves as runners — a physical activity they can enjoy for a lifetime — they learn lessons about self-esteem, peer pressure, and stress management, among other themes. One group even got a visit from the reigning Miss Michigan, Angela Venditti. The Girls on the Run philosophy is to teach girls to Honor Their Bodies, Celebrate their Voices, Embrace their Gifts and Activate Their Power.

6. Y staff believe in the mission; their work goes far beyond just a paycheck. Lifeguard Chelsea Cheek, a college student working two jobs, donates a substantial percent of her paycheck from lifeguard duty at the Macomb YMCA to the Strong Kids Campaign and has raised money through community events. Staff at South Oakland have donated time to teach classes, help with a Mom-To-Mom sale, and more to raise money for Strong Kids scholarships. And even the youngest members step up with creative ways to fundraise.

7. The Y encourages fathers to bond with their kids. The Adventure Guides program, which will be expanding to more branches in 2013, sends fathers and daughters off on adventures from ice skating to camping, creating bonds that last a lifetime.

8. The Y rallies behind its staff and members in tough times. Health worries, job losses, sudden disability, even unimaginable tragedy — the Y steps up.

9. Even people who never fit the fitness-enthusiast mold learn to enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle at the Y. Alexis Sumner went from weighing 400 pounds to doing sprint triathlons, and new mom Dani Keith-Marchment finished her first 5K when she never thought that was possible thanks to the help of her trainer.

10. Providing quality education and improving skills is a key part of the Y’s impact. The Y runs two schools locally, Detroit Leadership Academy and Detroit Innovation Academy, both of which have received gorgeous playgrounds through the hard work of volunteers. And the Y’s summer program for at-risk students, Camp Phoenix, serves students’ entire families and has a measurable impact on academic performance.

11. Day camp at all branches provides children, from toddlers through teens, with a high-quality and fun experience, and parents with peace of mind that their children are in a safe, caring environment.

12. Middle-school age youth throughout the Detroit Metro Area learn about the importance of making smart decisions about sexual activity — and that staying abstinent is the healthiest choice for them — through the Y SWIFT (Sexual Wellness Information for Teens) program.

13. The Y launches future Olympians. Three-time Olympic medalist Peter Vanderkaay began swimming at the Y at age 7, and continues to give back through helping raise awareness of the Detroit Swims program.

 

 

 

 

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South Oakland YMCA Gets New Leader

It’s a long way from Texas to Michigan, but Kyle Anderson has made the journey twice…and this time, he intends to stay, chilly winters aside. Kyle is the new executive director of the South Oakland branch of the YMCA.

He’s worked for the Y for 10 years, starting his career in Houston, and previously was with the Macomb and Lakeshore branches before returning to Houston again. Personal reasons as well as professional ones drew him back to Michigan. His wife’s family is in the area, and with three young boys (his sons are 6, 4 and 2) the family wanted to set down roots here. They’re an outdoorsy family who loves to fish, hunt, camp and hike and Michigan’s amazing outdoor recreation activities were a big draw.

His goals for the South Oakland branch are to update the interior, and to make a positive impact on the eight communities the South Oakland branch serves, he says. “I want to see what programs we can offer for families’ sports needs, for their fitness needs — we don’t want you to have to drive to get those needs met,” Kyle says.

He’s aware of the deep tradition the South Oakland Y embodies in the community, and points to the Strong Kids Campaign as evidence of those close ties. More than $200,000 goes back into the community in the form of scholarships through the Strong Kids Campaign.

That’s one of the things that set the Y apart, he says. Another is the caring staff. “You’re more than just a membership number to our staff, you’re an actual person,” he says. “Our goal is to make sure when you come here it’s the best part of your day.”

Welcome, Kyle!

 

 

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Y Is the Place for Mom and Daughters

It’s not always easy to get an exercise program started, but it’s easier with a friend or loved one–and it’s much easier in an environment where you feel accepted and cared for. That’s what  Gloria Fauer discovered when she joined the Birmingham YMCA with her daughters, Chamra and Corie.

Both Chamra and Corie have lost a significant amount of weight — 43 pounds for Chamra and 39 for Corie. Both go to aerobic swim once a week, and hit the Wellness Center at least twice a week more, using the bikes, treadmills or rowing machine. They even got a medal for participating in a 5K swim in their aerobic swim class.

“The coach is fantastic, and all the women who take the class have just accepted the girls,” Gloria says. And the acceptance is important, because both Chamra and Corie have Down syndrome. Gloria adopted them when they were newborns.

Gloria herself has been able to control her high blood pressure because of the exercise they do at the Y, she says.

Their family receives a Y scholarship so they could belong to the Y and participate in programs, something that’s very important to Gloria. The welcome they have received at the Y has been very meaningful to their family and has provided them a real sense of belonging. Her daughters have become much more excited about their exercise programs over the time they have belonged at the Y, Gloria says. “In the beginning they griped and complained,” she says with a laugh. “Now they can’t wait.”

They also have changed their eating at home, with fast food maybe once month or less, and pizza, pop and ice cream limited to a Friday night treat.  But it’s the Y that has made the biggest difference in their new healthy lifestyle. “Everyone here is so nice,” Gloria says. “They’re all encouraging them to do what they can accomplish.”

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Birmingham Comedy Night Aids Strong Kids

Who doesn’t enjoy a good laugh? And when that comes attached to a chance to help a good cause, so much the better. That’s what the Birmingham Family YMCA is doing Friday with their third annual Comedy Slam.

Tony Pecoraro, director of the Birmingham branch, says the idea started when he came to the branch two years ago. His brother-in-law, Joe Nipote, is a successful actor and comic in Los Angeles, and Tony asked him to gather some of his friends and colleagues for a show here to benefit the Birmingham Y.

The first one was so successful, raising more than $30,000 for the Strong Kids Campaign, that it’s become an annual can’t-miss comedy event.

Besides Joe Nipote, stand-up comics Rocky LaPorte, Don Friesen, Mike Green and Jason Carr (from FOX 2 News) will perform.

The evening kicks off at the Southfield Westin Hotel with a 6:30 p.m. cocktail reception, followed by music from the Dan Rafferty Band at 7 and the show at 7:30. Tickets are $50, or $75 for a VIP ticket which includes reserved seating and an afterglow meet-and-greet with the comedians.

For tickets, call the Birmingham Y at 248-644-9036 or stop by the branch at 400 Lincoln St. in Birmingham.

 

 

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Friends Come Together to Help Y

About a year ago, Bryan Smith approached an acquaintance, Erik Meier. Both were young, active, ambitious entrepreneurs who had been introduced by a mutual friend. Bryan wanted to gather a group of like minded people to have an impact in the community and help each other out in their business lives as well.

“I just wanted to have a little more community impact and have a group of tight-knit individuals who could work together to accomplish something outside of our day-to-day jobs,” Bryan says. “We didn’t have a specific agenda or fundraising project in mind, and when we came together everyone had an idea or connection that made us realize we could accomplish some things.”

That meeting ended up being very fortuitous for the South Oakland YMCA. It resulted in a group of about eight young men who called themselves The Detroit Initiative. Through fundraising events, they have raised about $4,000 for the Strong Kids Campaign, and have promised to up that to $5,000 through a golf outing they are holding in September.

Erik was already on the board of the Strong Kids Campaign for the South Oakland Y, and as the group formed he made the case for its deserving the group’s support.

Scott Hankins, another Y board member, and Erik were already planning a charity event with the NFL Players Association, who raised funds for the Strong Kids Campaign; the group also pooled their resources for a “Get To Know the Y” night at the popular Black Finn bar in Royal Oak. Members who worked for bigger companies also asked that Strong Kids be included in their companies’ charitable giving.

All of the members of the group are in their late 20s or early 30s, which means a lot of youthful energy for the Y and also a chance for the Y to spread the word about all the good work they do among a segment of the community that may not be aware of the breadth and depth of the Y’s mission. Erik admits that even he didn’t realize the extent of what the Y did before he joined the board.

And now, thanks to the efforts of the Detroit Initiative, more people can go to camp, take classes, and be part of the Y community. The group plans to expand its reach to other causes while continuing to support the Strong Kids Campaign.

Joining Bryan and Erik are Jeff Glover, Rocelious Goodson, Mike Brown, Dario Chiarini, Trevor Weston, Rob Vogelei, Dr. Brandon Gordon and Tracy Parent-Morse.

 

 

 

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Mom Puts Trust in Y

Jessica Mukavetz is a mom of four whose family has had its share of challenges in the last few years. First, their daughter Aubrey was diagnosed with epilepsy; then, Jessica herself was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.

Jessica says she has found great peace of mind through their membership at the Carls Family YMCA in Milford. Rather than excluding Aubrey from activities because of her condition, Y staff looked for ways to get her involved. Everyone on the staff knows Aubrey and is aware of what to do if she has a seizure. “I worry less here than I do when she goes to school,” Jessica says. “I have a lot of faith in the people she’s with.”

All of her children have done activities at the Y, and she has even been able to exercise, feeling safe that her kids are well cared for.

Aubrey’s coach for both gymnastics and swimming is very attuned to her well-being, so much so that she’ll tell Jessica if Aubrey seems a little off so that Jessica knows to keep an eye out for impending seizures or other problems. “I feel that they are invested in her safety and her health,” Jessica says.

With both her diagnosis and Aubrey’s, the family has faced some steep medical bills; her husband’s income as a contractor also suffered from the recession. Thanks to the Strong Kids Campaign, though, her family has been able to continue their membership in the Y community that has embraced them.

“The Y has been a blessing,” Jessica says.