Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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Always Here For You: New Membership Opportunity Now Available to YouthCare Families

The Illinois State Alliance of YMCAs is partnering with YouthCare to provide free YMCA memberships for children, teens, and young adults, up to age 21, in our community. Designed to support the overall physical and mental well-being of YouthCare members and their foster families, this new partnership will provide youth in care and former youth in care with access to Y programs and facilities.

With a YMCA membership, YouthCare members have access to:

  • YMCA Facilities
  • Summer Camp Programs
  • Before and After School Programs
  • Swim Lessons

*Some restrictions apply.

To determine eligibility and to learn more about this opportunity, please contact YouthCare at (844) 289-2264 or YMCA Membership Operations Director Michele Claysen at [email protected]

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Morris Hospital YMCA Set to Launch Prenatal Exercise Class in September

The YMCA is excited to partner with Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers for a special Prenatal Exercise Class! This class, designed for expecting moms, is taught by a Morris Hospital certified pre-and post-natal coach.

According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, regular exercise during pregnancy benefits both mom and baby in these key ways:

• Reduces back pain

• Eases constipation

• May decrease your risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean delivery

• Promotes healthy weight gain during pregnancy

• Improves your overall general fitness and strengthens your heart and blood vessels

• Helps create positive lifestyle habits to continue after baby is born

CLASS TIME (Starting September 3)
Wednesdays, 4-4:45 p.m.
Community Room B

LOCATION
Morris Hospital YMCA
2200 W. Dupont Avenue
Morris, IL 60450

COST
Free and open to the community

No registration is required. Check-in at the YMCA front desk up to 90 minutes prior to the start of class. Class size limited to 20 individuals.

To learn more, please contact Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers at 815-705-7358.

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YMCA Staff Profile: Meet Aquatics Director Coni Schram

The Morris Hospital YMCA is proud to welcome Coni Schram as our new Aquatics Director! Coni brings more than 20 years of aquatics experience to the Y, and we know she will do an amazing job leading programs in our lap pool. You can learn more about Coni in the Q&A below. 

Q: Where are you from and what is your background in aquatics? 

I live in New Lenox where I was an Aquatics Supervisor at Lincoln-Way High School for 24 years. 

Q: Why were you interested in joining the Y team? 

The culture. Right from the start, I have been welcomed with open arms and embraced with a supportive environment by the staff team and members.  

Q: What do you find most rewarding/inspiring about working in aquatics? 

I love to see the progression of a person who is learning to swim. It is very rewarding to see the advancement in skill and watch confidence grow. 

Q: How can members of the community benefit from YMCA aquatics programs? 

There are a lot of programs our members can benefit from. We offer group swim lessons, private swim lessons, and adaptive swim lessons. We also offer multiple water exercise classes that have numerous advantages: enhancing cardiovascular health, improving strength and flexibility, and aiding in stress management, all while being low-impact on joints and muscles. 

]You don’t have to be an expert swimmer to enjoy the programs and benefits of our pool.

Q: What do you like to do in your free time? 

I love being outside. I enjoy sports, travel and spending time with my family.

We are so excited to have Coni leading the Y’s aquatics team in Morris! If you would like to join the Y team as a lifeguard or swim instructor, apply online today. To learn more about YMCA aquatics programs, click here.

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Working Together to Make Your Y Better: Summer Spruce Up 2025

August 10-24

Each summer, we take time to thoroughly clean and enhance our facilities so that our members can have an enjoyable experience throughout the year. As always, you are welcome to use any of our three YMCA facilities during Summer Spruce Up.

When visiting any of our YMCA branches during Summer Spruce Up, please remember to bring your Membership Card/Tag. Please be sure to call ahead to verify hours and to ensure the amenities you would like to use will be open during your visit.

Please be sure to check out Spruce Up Group Exercise Schedules here or in the YMCA On the Go App.

We very much appreciate your continued patience as we work to spruce up your Y!

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

The C.W. Avery Family YMCA will be closed on Sunday, August 17 while the floors in the lobby are cleaned and waxed. We apologize for the inconvenience.

FAMILY POOL
Closed beginning on Sunday, August 10
Reopening on Monday, August 25

The Family Pool will be drained and receive a deep cleaning. Additional repairs will also be completed.

LAP POOL
Closed beginning on Monday, August 11
Reopening on Monday, August 25

The Lap Pool will be drained and receive a deep cleaning. Additional repairs will also be completed.

STEAM ROOM
Closed beginning on Monday, August 11
Reopening on Monday, August 25

The Steam Room will be renovated and receive a deep cleaning.

MULTI-PURPOSE ROOMS
Closed beginning on Monday, August 11
Reopening on Tuesday, August 19

The Multi-Purpose Rooms will be cleaned and the floors will be refinished.

FITNESS STUDIO #2
Closed beginning on Thursday, August 14
Reopening on Monday, August 18

The Fitness Studio will be cleaned and the floors will be refinished.

ACTIVITY CENTER
Closed beginning on Thursday, August 14
Reopening on Saturday, August 16

The Activity Center will be treated to a deep cleaning.

KIDS CORNER
Closed beginning on Thursday, August 14
Reopening on Saturday, August 16

Kids Corner will be treated to a deep cleaning and all toys will be sanitized.

GYMNASIUM AND INDOOR TRACK
Monday, August 18- Friday, August 22
Closed daily from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Gym will be treated to a deep cleaning.

LOCKER ROOMS, PRIVATE CHANGING ROOMS, AND SAUNA
The Locker Rooms, Private Changing Rooms, and Sauna will be closed intermittently during Spruce Up to allow ample time for deep cleaning, painting, and repairs. Closings will be posted in the building and on our Facebook page.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
In addition to the improvements listed above, all areas of the building will be treated to a deep cleaning.

Galowich Family YMCA

The Galowich Family YMCA will be closed on Saturday, August 23 while the floors in the lobby are cleaned and waxed. We apologize for the inconvenience.

MEN’S LOCKER ROOM- SAUNA
Closed on Wednesday, August 20

The Sauna in the Men’s Locker Room will receive a deep cleaning and repairs will be completed.

ADDITIONAL CLOSURES
All areas of the building will be treated to a deep cleaning. Certain areas of the facility may be closed intermittently during this time to allow ample time for cleaning and repairs. Closings will be posted in the building and on our Facebook page. We apologize in advance for the inconvenience.

Morris Hospital YMCA

LAP POOL
Closed beginning on Monday, August 11
Reopening on Monday, August 25

The Pool will be drained and receive a deep cleaning. Additional repairs will also be completed.

ACTIVITY CENTER
Closed beginning on Thursday, August 14
Reopening on Saturday, August 16

The Activity Center will be treated to a deep cleaning.

KIDS CORNER
Closed beginning on Thursday, August 14
Reopening on Saturday, August 16

Kids Corner will be treated to a deep cleaning and all toys will be sanitized.

GYMNASIUM AND INDOOR TRACK
Closed from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Friday, August 15

The Gym will be treated to a deep cleaning.

WELLNESS CENTER
Closed from Noon-9 p.m. on Friday, August 22

The Cardio and Strength Machine areas in the Wellness Center will be temporarily closed for carpet cleaning.

LOCKER ROOMS AND PRIVATE CHANGING ROOMS
The Locker Rooms and Private Changing Rooms will be closed intermittently during Spruce Up to allow ample time for deep cleaning, painting, and repairs. Closings will be posted in the building and on our Facebook page.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
In addition to the improvements listed above, all areas of the building will be treated to a deep cleaning.

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Family Fun Starts at the Y: Meet Matt, Stacey, Luke and Nathan Baker

At the Y, we take pride in creating welcoming spaces by offering programs and services that have a positive impact on families. Families like Morris Hospital YMCA members Stacey and Matt Baker and their sons Luke (age 7) and Nathan (age 5). 

The Baker Family’s YMCA experience first began when Luke played t-ball at the Y. It soon expanded to the Y’s before and after school Kid Zone program, eventually leading to Facility Membership at the Y’s original location in downtown Morris. 

“I joined to be able to get out of the house and stay active. Now we all probably come in three or four times a week in the summer. The facility here is top notch,” Stacey said.  

Matt said the entire family has been amazed by the expanded offerings at the new location, which opened last December.  

“I think it’s noteworthy how often we end up with both family cars here because we’ve arrived at separate times doing different things. There’s something here for all of us,” Matt said. “The wellness center is probably what both Stacey and I use most, but what really stuck out was the gymnasium. Having access to the two-lane track is a big deal. And the new Y has been really good for the boys. There’s so much space and new resources they get to use in the Activity Center and Kids Corner.”

Stacey said the youth spaces help build a sense of community for kids.  

“Luke and Nathan get to be around kids that they know. We’ll see families from school or from sports teams here all the time. And there’s a lot of crossover with staff, so counselors from Kid Zone will greet the boys by name when they come into the Activity Center. They make every kid feel so welcome, which in turns makes us want to bring them back,” she said. 

Regular visits to the Y have also opened the door to new activities. 

“The session-based programs allow them to explore and do a lot of different things. They are always asking ‘Mom, can I try that?’ Luke did a cooking class this winter which is something he had never gotten an opportunity to do,” she said. 

And new opportunities aren’t limited to youth programs. Stacey said she has enjoyed the expanded group fitness class options. 

“I started doing a cycling class in the last few months which I had never done before,” she said. “There is always a variety of ages and abilities and everyone is welcomed. It doesn’t feel exclusive or that you can’t be the new person in the room. The instructors are always there to help you. You start to see familiar faces and it gives you accountability. It’s a fun community.”

We would like to thank the Baker family for their support of the Y! 

If you are interested in joining the Y community, now is the perfect time! Our Summer Membership Sale is underway and continues through August 11. Learn more here. And don’t forget, registration for fall programming is underway for Facility Members! View our program guides to learn more or register online by clicking here. 

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CN Brings Railroad Safety Education to YMCA Summer Camp Sites

YMCA summer day camp is an enriching experience for kids not only because they meet new friends and play fun games, but also because they participate in important educational opportunities throughout the summer.

One such opportunity was recently made possible thanks to our generous camp sponsor, CN. Special Agent Tyler McKinney from the CN Police Service made stops this summer in Joliet, Morris, and Plainfield to teach campers about railroad safety. Presentations focused on the importance of staying alert near railroad crossings, avoiding the use of electronic devices when approaching rail lines, and understanding what to expect from trains, vehicles, and pedestrians in the vicinity during a crossing.

“Whether children are onsite at the Y or at public spaces throughout our community, we want them to have all the tools and knowledge they need to stay as safe as possible in their daily lives,” Greater Joliet Area YMCA Youth Development Operations Director Shannon Stawikowski said. “With many of our campers living near railway lines in Will and Grundy Counties, we’re incredibly thankful to our partners at CN for taking the time to share this vital safety information with them.”

The Y would like to thank Special Agent McKinney for visiting Y camp this summer, and CN for their continued support of the YMCA. For additional rail safety education resources, please click here. 

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United Way