Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris, Smith

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All Together Better: Member Appreciation Week


BRING YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO THE Y
November 23-November 30

In appreciation of our fantastic members, the YMCA encourages you to invite your friends and family to join you at the Y for free during Thanksgiving week. This is the perfect opportunity for you to share the Y experience with the special people in your life.

Guests ages 18 and over must present a valid photo I.D., and sign in at the Membership Desk. Up to 6 guests are invited to join you per visit. Thanksgiving week guests will not count against members’ annual guest pass totals.

Please note: In celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday, all branches of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA will be closed on Thursday, November 28.

Changing Lives Through Giving

In today’s fast-paced world, it is so important to find time to slow down and enjoy the company of the people we are blessed to know and love. So often, we get caught in the hustle of our everyday lives, and before we know it, we are getting ready to turn the page on the calendar for the new year ahead. The holiday season is the perfect time for gratitude and reflection, and we want to thank everyone who plays a part in helping the Y serve our community.

At a time when many people are considering year-end gifts, we invite you to make a contribution to the YMCA. Your gift will support our BE THE GOOD Annual Campaign, which helps to ensure that no one is turned away from the Y due to the inability to pay. Please know that your gift this holiday season will help change the lives of people living right here in our community including:

  • Children learning to swim and feel safe around water, as well as building life-long friendships in summer camp and through our before and after school programs
  • Teens becoming equipped for life after high school while participating in college readiness and career training programs
  • Families finding time to connect and spend quality time together
  • Seniors becoming physically stronger and experiencing a sense of community

You can stop by your local Y to pledge your gift or submit a gift online. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, all gifts to the YMCA are tax-deductible.

In appreciation, anyone who makes a charitable gift of $50 or more from November 15 through December 31 will have a chance to win a free 6-month family membership for themselves along with a free 6-month family membership to gift to a friend.

Thank you for your careful consideration to support the Y and its mission. Donate to the Y today!

Believe in Yourself: Tips to Stay Healthy Throughout the Holidays

The holidays are the time of year most people lose sight of their everyday fitness routines. And, that’s easy to understand. At the Y, we know staying active can be difficult when the potlucks are plentiful, your schedule is busy, and the temperatures are dropping by the day. Yet, staying committed to your fitness routine during the holiday season is key to achieving your fitness goals.

If you are searching for some extra support this holiday season, here are some great tips to help keep you focused:

Eat Mindfully

Don’t skip meals during your holiday festivities to prepare for ‘the big one.’

While attending your holiday celebrations, try taking half of what you think you will eat and try skipping the hors d’oerurves if possible; most often your eyes are bigger than your stomach. And, be sure to eat your veggies and proteins first.

Also, make sure to take your time eating during meals. By eating slowly and engaging in conversation, your brain will be able to process how hungry you actually are.

Stay Active

If you can’t make it to the gym as much during the holiday season, don’t worry. Try taking 10-30 minutes a day to be active; even if it’s at home. There are many great ways to exercise without equipment, including a brisk walk with the family, a morning run, or a quick at-home interval workout. Just be sure to commit to at least ten minutes of physical activity each day.

For additional exercise ideas to try during your next visit to the Y or at home during the holidays, head over to the Y’s Pinterest page.

Be Easy on Yourself

If you happen to overindulge during holiday meals or miss a workout—it’s okay! Tomorrow is another day. The key is making realistic, healthy decisions and committing to them. By planning your days around healthy choices, you are more likely to achieve your fitness goals.

And, most importantly, be sure to stay positive. Enjoy your time with loved ones and friends this holiday season.

To learn more about staying healthy during the holidays, check out this great article, courtesy of Best Health Magazine.

If you have questions about achieving your health and wellness goals during the holiday season, be sure to speak with a member of our wellness team during your next visit.

Kristen Derengowski

Tips to Stay Healthy Throughout the Holidays was written by Health, Wellness and Dance Director Kristen Derengowski.  Derengowski has been a dedicated YMCA staff member for more than 10 years and has more than 17 years of fitness training experience.

Building a Healthy Future: Rori Griffin’s Story


At the Y, we are dedicated to helping individuals reach their fitness goals. And for Rori Griffin, a senior at Morris High School, working out at the Y has helped her lose over 70 pounds. 

Rori said she has been a Y member for over a year but didn’t fully commit to a healthier lifestyle until this past summer when she honed in on what she wanted to do for a career.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the military or in law enforcement. In both of those fields you have to be physically fit. I was willing to make the change for myself,” Griffin said. “At first I felt I couldn’t do it but decided that I might as well try. When I tried, I got into the gym and realized how much I love it.”

Beyond the weight loss, Rori believes her overall fitness levels have improved significantly. 

“It’s not just about losing weight, it’s about learning to breathe better or stretch properly. I’ve never been a good runner and I’ve been able to challenge myself on the treadmill,” she said.

Like many who experience positive changes at the Y, Rori said the cultural environment is what sets it apart from other facilities. 

“Not many people look at the Y like it’s an average workout center. They look at it as a place where they can be in a community,” she said. “It’s family friendly and I love that feeling. Everybody here is so helpful and caring, even the people you might not know personally.“

The end result has been relishing every opportunity to stop by the Y. 

“It’s like my escape. I can turn a bad day into a good day. It boosts my mood. When I get a good workout in that’s when I feel I’m at my highest point,” she said.

Rori is undecided about her college choice but she is focused on attending a school where she can join the Reserve Officer Training Corps. 

“The next few months are going to be busy, being a senior can be stressful, but I plan to find time for myself to go to the gym and use a Y facility close to wherever I go to school,” she said. “You can never really prepare for basic training but you can try. This is going to help me.”

She feels maintaining a relationship with the Y is important because it is a community willing to help anyone succeed.    

“There have been times where I wanted to stop working out because I thought I wasn’t seeing results,” she said. “But other people saw them in me and that kept me motivated. When you walk into the Y you feel like you belong. And everybody belongs here.”

If you are interested in becoming a member, stop by your local Y or register online.

C.W. Avery Family YMCA Celebrates Fall Fest


Everyone who walks through the doors of a YMCA becomes an integral piece of a strong community. These connections are built across multiple generations, with a great example coming from this afternoon’s Fall Fest at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA. Now in its third year, this annual event brings together members of our Fab 50 program with children in our Pint-Size Pupils youth enrichment program for a day of games, arts and crafts and other fun activities. 

“It’s so nice to have the interaction between the Fab 50 group and the preschool kids. We’re not strangers to them. They’ve come in to sing songs during Halloween and a few of us go in and volunteer at preschool during parts of the day,” Fab 50 member Beverly Webb said. 

Webb, a former school teacher, is one of the event organizers and said that the day reflects a commitment to a lifetime of learning. 

“This is the first time I’ve worked with kids this young because I taught second and third grade. They’ve helped me learn to explain things further and to think in their terms,” she said. “Pinterest in my friend. That’s where I get a lot of the ideas and then I get my husband to help me put them together.”

For Fab 50 members like Joe Miraglia (76) and Leon Mowrer (96) helping children develop social skills and stay active is a treasured experience. 

“The way they react to you, they end up looking up to you. It’s fun to see them and later walk by because they’ll go ‘Hey Mr. Joe!’. They are kind of our replacement grandchildren,” Miraglia said.

“I can’t really even describe what this does for me. I just love the kids,” Mowrer said. “I wish I could do more but I’m a little older now. All my grandkids are grown up already so when I can do things with the kids here it’s a big thrill. They make my day.”

A corresponding Spring Fest is scheduled for next April. Webb said every event provides new and exciting memories. 

“I enjoy being with these little ones.  You never know what they’ll say or do. They’re wonderfully unpredictable,” she said. 

For more information on Fab 50 or Pint-Size Pupils, contact Youth and Family Director Shannon Stawikowski at (815) 267-8600 ext. 212 or [email protected]

Eating Right: Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Healthy Butternut Squash Soup

A Healthy Recipe from Our Partners at Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups fat-free, plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 butternut squash, about 2 ½ lbs
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups Vidalia onion (peeled, chopped)
  • 2 fresh garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (chopped)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1-quart water
  • 1 pinch nutmeg
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F convection.
  2. Cut squash lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Season both squash halves with 1 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil and ½ tsp. salt. Wrap in foil and place in baking tray or dish.
  3. Roast squash halves for 1 hour or until fork-tender. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle. Remove skin from the squash and set aside.
  4. Place the remaining 2 tsp. of extra virgin olive oil, onion, carrots, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and 1 tsp. of salt in a pot on medium heat. Cook, stirring regularly until onions are translucent and carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Add 1 quart of vegetable stock and roasted squash, and cook on a low simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on. Remove bay leaf from soup. Place soup mixture into a blender with remaining 1 tsp. of salt, nutmeg, black pepper, and ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt. Blend on high until smooth, about 1 minute. Portion into 6 bowls, divide 1 cup of yogurt into dollops on top of each soup and serve immediately. This Heart-Check Certified recipe is brought to you by Chobani.
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