YMCA

Press release:

The Genesee County YMCA was chosen as one of 151 Make a Splash Local Partner programs in the United States to receive grant funding from the USA Swimming Foundation in 2018. The awarded money will go toward Genesee County YMCA’s continued efforts to provide free or reduced cost swim lessons to underserved communities.

The USA Swimming Foundation awarded a total of $702,819 to programs across the country that will help provide swim lessons to an estimated 27,239 children, the most distributed since Make a Splash’s inception in 2007.  

 “We are excited and honored to be chosen for this grant,” said Aquatics coordinator Megan Boring. “The funding we received will be put toward our goal of reaching 50 new kids from within our community to have them be a part of the YMCA’s Learn to Swim Program.

"We are specifically reaching out to children in our community who may not be able to afford swim lessons, and therefore have not learned how to swim. We feel this is a great opportunity to introduce kids on how to be safe around water and learn the basics of swimming.”

The Genesee County YMCA will be working with the Genesee County Youth Bureau to identify participants who would most benefit from free or reduced-cost swim lessons.

The YMCA’s Learn to Swim Program has been around for more than 100 years. At the Genesee County YMCA, we offer swim lesson classes to all ages and abilities.

  The USA Swimming Foundation vetted more than 200 applications through a competitive annual review process and chose 151 programs to receive funding, many of whom are first time Make a Splash grant recipients.

“We are thrilled to be awarding this funding and so proud that it will be used to create a valuable swimming experience for thousands of children who may not have had the opportunity to learn how to swim,” USA Swimming Foundation Executive Director Debbie Hesse said.

“These exciting and lifesaving opportunities would not be possible without the support of our USA Swimming Foundation partners and donors, who continue to help us make a difference across this country.”

More than 850 Make a Splash Local Partners in all 50 states promote water safety education in their communities and provide scholarships and transportation for children to participate in their swim lesson programs.

For more information on the Make a Splash grants distributed, visit www.USASwimmingFoundation.org.

For more information on swim lessons at the GLOW YMCA contact the YMCA at 585-344-1664, or visit www.glowymca.org.

From the YMCA:

This is Charitie Bruning, the new childcare director at the YMCA in Batavia.

She has nine years of experience working at the Y, including: camp counselor/teen advisor at the Lockport YMCA; youth and teen director at West Suburban YMCA, and teen and family director at Southtowns YWCA.

Her Y duties at times overlapped, and she has also served as a staff member for preschool programs, children's activities, and child supervision, and once before spent two years as a childcare director.

Bruning has an associate degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences with a concentration in Education, and a Bachelor of Science degree from Springfield College in Youth Development with a concentration in YMCA Professional Studies.

"My favorite thing about the YMCA has always been about helping families grow," Bruning said. "I love being able to provide programs that help families go from where they are the first day that they walk in the door, to where they want to be.

"We see families develop skills and grow closer to each other and form communities within our walls and beyond."

When she's not at work, she likes to walk her dog, a Yorkie named Gizmo. Bruning also likes to paint, play the ukulele and be involved in community theater.

A quote that resonates with her is: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.” -- Dr. Seuss, "Oh, The Places You’ll Go!"

(Photo submitted by the YMCA.)

As the YMCA and UMMC have developed their plans for a new Healthy Living Center at Main and Bank streets they've found they could have available as much as 7,000 square feet to accommodate new space for the Genesee County Senior Center and the Office of the Aging.

County staff, led by County Manager Jay Gsell are working with the Y and UMMC on determining if such a merger of operations would be feasible.

Rob Walker (top photo), director of the Genesee Area YMCA in Batavia, and Dan Ireland, CEO of UMMC, brought the plan to members of the Legislature during the Human Services Committee meeting on Monday as part of a review of the progress on the Healthy Living Center plans.

"What we want to do is have a meaningful discussion with Jay and the team about what option does that present," Walker said. "How can that space be filled? How can it integrate with the community living area?"

The facility will be 85,000 square feet and contain community space, exercise space, a pool, a gym, meeting rooms and an interior walking/running track.

There will also be what Walker and Ireland called a "community living room" in the middle of the building with access from Main Street that will be open to all members of the community, without requiring a Y membership or the services of UMMC. The community living room will be a hub to access services at the facility or just meet with other community members.

The UMMC portion of the building will provide primary care, Ireland said, as well as a residency teaching program, behavioral health and crisis intervention, telemedicine, cancer prevention outreach services such as breast and colon cancer screenings, diabetes, cardiac conditions, dietary education, education services for team members and community.

The goal, Ireland said, is to increase the integration of services across the spectrum of needs for community members, and partnering with the Office of the Aging will help enhance that integration.

"A fully integrated network doesn’t just mean us getting other doctors or other specialists," Ireland said. "It means integrating services within the community. It’s integration with the YMCA and sharing resources and services to touch the community. It means integrating with the Senior Center and the Office of Aging."

Construction on the new YMCA portion should begin in 2019 and once the new Y portion of the building is open, the existing Y can be torn down and the UMMC portion of the building can be added.

If the county decides to integrate its senior, and perhaps its youth, programs, with the Healthy Living Center, it would be up to the county to decide what to do with the existing Senior Center building on Bank Street. Walker acknowledged it is a county asset.

Walker addressed the future of the building while answering questions about access to the new building for seniors using county services.

"Does the current building need to exist?" Walker said. "If it does, it does. But if it doesn't, that helps the flow of access."

The legislature is not being asked to take any action at this time and members were comfortable with letting Gsell and staff continue the discussions.

The YMCA is sponsoring a Kickball Tournament on Aug. 11 at the Batavia High School athletic fields to benefit the Healthy Children and Families Coalition.

Rain date is Sunday, Aug. 12.

Funds raised will assist the coalition in providing local families with the Y's Get Fit Program at no cost. 

There will be Family Teams of all ages playing, as well as Adult Teams for ages 16 and older.

Entry fee is $100 per team of eight to 10 players.

Deadline to register is Aug. 1.

Register by stopping by the YMCA at 209 E. Main St. in Batavia or by calling 344-1664.

On the day of the tournament, registration sign-in begins at 9 a.m. and kickoff is at 10. Batavia HS is located at 260 State St. in the City of Batavia.

Chicken BBQ will be available for $10, tickets presale or day of tournament. Buy presale tickets at the Batavia Youth Bureau, 12 MacArthur Drive, Batavia (Phone is 345-6470.).

Volunteers are wanted to help with setup, traffic control, food and cleanup at the upcoming GLOW Corporate Cup on Thursday, Aug. 2.

If interested, register at the front desk at GLOW YMCA Inc., located at 209 E. Main St. in Batavia.

Volunteers are needed for various times between 4:30 and 8 p.m. on race day Aug. 2. You must be at least 18 years old.

For questions, contact Rachel Hale, Community Development coordinator, at 344-1664 or email her at  Rhale@glowymca.org

Friday night, the YMCA hosted Healthy Kids Day and Easter Egg Hunt. This year, the hunt included not only eggs hidden around the building but an Easter egg hunt in the pool. There were also raffle prizes.

Photos by Rachel Hale.

• Kinder Camp is for children ages 3 to 5 and is ideal for families looking for safe, structured play this summer. Kinder Camp fosters social development, problem solving, teambuilding and self-esteem. With three options to choose from, 5-day, 3- day or a half-day program, we have something to fit the needs of all parents.
• Traditional Day Camp is for ages 6 – 12 and is the perfect place for children to have a fun and safe summer. Day Camp allows children to grow and thrive while working with peer groups and enjoying a variety of both indoor and outdoor games and activities. Each week is based around a special theme and we offer age appropriate activities like sports and games, arts and crafts, weekly fieldtrips, swimming and more.

​Our caring and nurturing staff are carefully selected based on their previous experience and schooling. This ensures that our staff is the perfect fit for making your families summer experience one you will never forget.

YMCA summer camps are certified by the New York State Health Department and we adhere to strict safety regulations. Register for one week or join us for all nine.

The YMCA offers flexible enrollment and payment plans to fit the needs of any family. The Y also provides scholarships to those who qualify which makes YMCA summer camp one of the most affordable options around.

For more information on the YMCA’s summer camp programs or to register, contact the YMCA at 585-344-1664 today.

Press release:

Part of the Y’s charitable mission is the philosophy that we never turn away someone with an inability to pay for membership or programs. To that end, we raise funds annually through the Strong Communities Campaign to help subsidize scholarships for youths, teens, adults, families and seniors in our community.

• This year’s campaign runs from Feb. 1^st  – March 31^st; 
• Our goal is to raise $45,000;
• We want to positively impact at least 800 people’s lives in the Greater Genesee Community;
• Reaching our goal will insure that children and families regardless of their socioeconomic status will have the chance to benefit from the important lessons of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility through YMCA programs and services.

We need your help! Please consider a gift to support us in achieving this goal and making our community stronger for all.

To make a gift, contact Jeff Townsend, executive director, at (585) 344-1664 or online at www.glowymca.org under the “giving” tab.

The YMCA received a new electric "stim" bike for people with limited mobility to use to get some exercise.

The bike allows a person in a wheelchair to roll up to the bike, put their feet on the pedals and pedal just like any other stationary bike.

The units cost $13,500 and the new unit at the Y was paid for through funds from the Ricky Palermo Foundation and an anonymous donor.

The Y already had one similar bike in its wellness center, but CEO Rob Walker said the demand for use during peak hours has been greater than the availability. The new bike will help solve this problem.

Batavia is the first Y in the nation to get this particular model.

"The feedback I got yesterday is that there are four benefits," Walker said. "It helps vascular health, which we all know is important. It reduces muscle spasms, which helps them sleeps. It helps with joint flexibility and it helps with muscle tone.

"The indirect benefit, to be honest, is getting them out," Walker said. "Watching them use it, for lack of a better word, it helps with their state of mind."

Photos submitted by Rob Walker.

YMCA Gift Cards can be purchased now through Dec. 23rd, 2017 at the Genesee County YMCA, allowing people the opportunity to give a YMCA membership or program as a gift to loved ones or friends. A gift from the YMCA entitles a friend or family member to become part of an organization that believes in and promotes active and healthy lifestyles, progressive skills development, fair play, family, and character development.

The Genesee County YMCA offers a wide array of programs and services to meet the interests and needs of the entire family from memberships for youth, college students, families and seniors to swimming lessons, childcare, sports and summer camping, there is truly something for everyone at the Genesee County YMCA.

For more information on membership or programs offered at the Genesee County YMCA, please call (585-344-1664) or log on to our website at www.glowymca.org.

Families in Alexander have been participating in a special fitness program sponsored by the YMCA, UMMC, County Health Department, and the school district.

The sessions are on Wednesday nights from 6:15 to 7:45 at the school. They started Sept. 27.

"The goal is to keep people moving is the best way to describe the program," said Rob Walker, CEO of the GLOW YMCA.

Photos submitted by the YMCA.

Press release:

The fifth annual GLOW Corporate Cup was a great success again this year as close to 900 runners and walkers participated in this 5K event. The goal of this event was for local businesses to form racing teams, compete in a fun atmosphere, and crown a winner of the Corporate Cup.

The race brought in more than $22,000 in support of the GLOW YMCA. This event would not be possible without the support of the premiere sponsor, Merrill Lynch. The money provides support to the YMCA’s scholarship program. At the Y, no one is turned away due to the inability to pay. Last year the Y provided more than $200,000 in scholarships to youth, families, and seniors in need of support to better benefit their lifestyles through health and wellness.

Part of the GLOW Corporate Cup race is for local businesses to design T-shirts to show their creativity. The first place T-shirt winner receives a $500 donation to the charity of their choice. Sharpe Training LLC won the T-shirt contest and owner Holly Sharpe graciously donated the $500 back to the YMCA.

The YMCA would like to extend its deepest gratitude to both Merrill Lynch and Holly Sharpe for their donations and dedication to the Y scholarship program.

Pictured above are Chris White, Holly Sharpe, Rob Walker and Olivia Rogers.