Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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Keeping You Informed: Final Day of Operations for Galowich Family YMCA Set for Friday, April 24

As we prepare to welcome the community to the new Village of Shorewood YMCA on Monday, April 27, the Galowich Family YMCA facility will be retired and close its doors at 3 p.m. on Friday, April 24.

In preparation for the transition to the Village of Shorewood YMCA, several amenities at the the Galowich Family YMCA will close in advance of the facility’s final day of operations on April 24.

INNOVATION CENTER
Closed beginning Friday, April 3

KIDS CORNER
Closed beginning Thursday, April 16

GYM
Closed beginning Thursday, April 16

UPDATED – LOCKER CLEAN OUT
Additionally, we ask that all members please remove their personal belongings from Galowich Family YMCA lockers by 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22. Beginning Thursday, April 21, lockers will be cleaned out, and any unclaimed items will be donated or discarded.

We apologize for the inconvenience and look forward to welcoming the community to the new Village of Shorewood YMCA beginning on Monday, April 27!

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Teamwork Happens Here: Celebrating a Successful 2026 YBL Season

With the 2026 Youth Basketball League (YBL) season having drawn to a close, we’d like to send our sincere thanks to everyone who helped to make this winter such a memorable experience for young athletes in our community. With the support of our volunteer coaches, generous league sponsors, and community partners, we welcomed nearly 1,100 kids to basketball courts in Joliet, Plainfield, Morris, and Coal City this season.

At the Y, we know that our youth sports programs help to keep kids physically active. But, as we reflect on the past several months, we know that the impact YMCA programs can have on young athletes reaches way beyond what happens on the court during practices and games. In addition to staying active and healthy, kids who play sports develop higher self-esteem, perform better in school, and work better in groups. The YMCA’s YBL program teaches kids the fundamentals of the game of basketball while emphasizing the importance of learning to work together as a team. Most importantly, kids have a lot of fun!

YBL BY THE NUMBERS

1,089 – Athletes
108 – Teams
398 – Games Played
131 – Volunteer Coaches
More than 2,600 Volunteer Hours Served

We’d like to thank all of the athletes and their families, our volunteer coaches, and staff who participated in our YBL programs this year. We’d also like to thank our generous sponsors for helping to make this season possible: 

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

Associated Orthodontists, LTD
Backroads Burger & Bar
Exxon Mobil Refinery
E-Z Auto Sales
Fighting Irish
Filotto Roofing
Floor Coverings Int’l
Greg’s Body Shop
Hamilton & Antonsen, Ltd.
Krown Lux
Martin Mechanical
Mike Pfaff – Edward Jones
Old National Bank
Plainfield Rotary
Raising Cane’s
Ron Tirapelli Ford
Sovereign
State Farm Agent Jackson Anderson
Stockton Wealth Management
Titan Construction
Turk Furniture
VNA Health Care

Joliet Community YMCA

Associated Orthodontists LTD
Contractors Association of Will & Grundy Counties
Exxon Mobil Refinery
Gifted Elite Academy
Hoopers 4 Life
Minor-Morris Funeral Home
MulticulturReal Communications, Inc.
Old National Bank
Pam Grant Sports Club
PeopleFirst Bank
Postnet Graphic Design & Printing
Ron Tirapelli Ford
State Farm Agent Jacks Anderson
State Farm – Howard Wright
Turk Furniture
Venas Vein Center
VNA Health Care

Morris Hospital YMCA

Advantage Realty – Steve Barr
Associated Orthodontists, LTD
Automotive Performance
Brandt Excavating, Inc.
Busey Bank
Contractors Association of Will & Grundy Counties
Country Farmhouse Cafe
Cross Town Realtors – Dana Hathorn
D. Construction, Inc
Dibble Enterprises
E-Z Auto Sales
Edward Jones
Elliott Electric
Feeney’s
Filotto Roofing
Findlay Real Estate Group
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Gene May Heating & Cooling
Honest Abe’s
L. Surges Custom Woodwork
Martin & Associates
Martin Mechanical
McCarthy Building Co.
Old National Bank
Pursuit Wealth Group
Raising Cane’s
Risen Renovations
Rolando’s Furniture & Appliances
Roth Jorstad Insurance
Sherwood Waffle Cafe
SkyHigh Coasters, LLC
State Farm – Mike Lucas
That Perennial Place
The Cove Nutrition
Turk Furniture
UC Davis – Callahan FH
Vital Signs Solutions, Inc
Zabel & Associates, PC
Zig’s Fairway Auto Repair.

We can’t wait to see everyone on the court next season!

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Greater Joliet Area YMCA Sends Three Teams to Illinois YMCAs Statewide 2-Ball Tournament Finals

It’s bracket season and, as the fans across the nation make their picks, we want to give a special shoutout to an amazing group of YMCA hoopers that represented Greater Joliet Area YMCA branches at the Illinois YMCAs Statewide 2-Ball Tournament Finals over the past two weekends.

Now in its second season, the Illinois YMCAs Statewide 2-Ball Tournament is made possible thanks to a dynamic collaboration between Illinois State Alliance of YMCAs, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), and the Illinois Elementary School Association (IESA).* Teams of two were able to “Shoot for State” by competing in a qualifying round hosted by a local YMCA, with finalists getting a chance to show off their skills under the bright lights of the IHSA Girls and Boys Basketball State Championships held at Illinois State University in Normal and the University of Illinois in Champaign.

We want to congratulate Morris YMCA Hospital YMCA members Ellie Porter and Remi Rickmon for sharing the 9U Girls Division title, as well as Morris Hospital YMCA members Andrew Wiley and Kaeden Martin (12U Boys Divsion) and C.W. Avery Family YMCA members Vinh Hasan and Mac Packard (10U Boys Division) for runners-up honors.

*Under the statewide theme, “The Dream Starts Here,” this collaboration brings together the resources and expertise of YMCAs across Illinois, the IHSA, and the IESA to inspire a new generation of leaders and athletes by promoting participation in youth sports statewide. Additionally, the initiative encourages young people to consider jobs and volunteer opportunities at the Y where they can gain valuable skills and hands-on experience to pursue career pathways in sports-related fields like coaching, officiating, and sports administration.

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Greater Joliet Area YMCA Invites Area High School Students to Participate in Summer Day Camp Volunteer Program

Are you looking to take an active role in bringing about meaningful, enduring change right in your own neighborhood? The YMCA’s summer day camp volunteer program is for you!

Area high school students, entering grades 9-12, can now sign up to volunteer at the following YMCA Summer Day Camp locations throughout Will and Grundy Counties:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
Morris Hospital YMCA
Village of Shorewood YMCA
Salvation Army Community Center
Messiah Lutheran Church

With flexible schedules, and a variety of volunteer roles available, you will be sure to find a volunteer opportunity that piques your interest and proves to be a rewarding experience.

At the Y, we strive to create a summer day camp experience like no other. And we are proud to say that volunteers play an important role in the success of these programs. By working together, we can ensure that all children will have the opportunity to benefit from an engaging and impactful camp experience. Students can apply online today by clicking below.

Volunteer Application

To learn more about becoming a YMCA Summer Camp Volunteer, please contact:

Dori Fugate, Volunteer and Special Events Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (815) 744-3939, ext.

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Save During the YMCA’s 2026 Spring Sports Leagues Sale

When kids play sports, they do more than just exercise. Besides being physically active, they develop higher self-esteem, perform better in school and work better in groups.  Youth sports programs at the YMCA teach kids the fundamentals of the game while emphasizing the importance of teamwork. Above all, kids who participate in YMCA youth sports have a lot of fun!

YMCA Spring Sports Leagues Sale
March 13-16

Families that register for a YMCA spring sports league during our four day sale will SAVE $10!

Use promo code: LEAGUES26 when registering online

PLEASE NOTE: Valid at all Greater Joliet Area YMCA locations. Limit one per member, per league. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Some restrictions may apply.

Learn more about spring sports leagues available at your local Y branch by clicking below:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
Offering NFL FLAG Football, T-Ball/Coach Pitch Baseball/Player Pitch Baseball, and Soccer
REGISTER ONLINE

Joliet Community YMCA
Offering NFL FLAG Football
REGISTER ONLINE

Morris Hospital YMCA
Offering NFL FLAG Football and T-Ball/Pinto Baseball/8U Softball
REGISTER ONLINE

If you have any questions, please contact:
Maria Freeh, Sports Director
C.W. Avery Family YMCA
[email protected]
(815) 267-8600, ext. 217

Zach Jarosz, Sports Director
Joliet Community YMCA
[email protected]
(815) 744-3939, ext. 317

Kaeli Ford, Sports Manager
Morris Hospital YMCA
[email protected]
(815) 513-8080, ext. 523

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Building a Healthier Community: Join the Y During our 2026 Spring Membership Sale

Spring Membership Sale
March 13-16, 2026

* Valid at any Greater Joliet Area YMCA location. Cannot be combined with any other offers. 

Start your spring off right by joining the Y during our Spring Membership Sale! During this sale, new and alumni members will pay a $0 Joiner’s Fee, a savings of up to $120! With our wide variety of classes and programs, you’ll be sure to find something at the Y for every member of your family.

LEARN MORE

OUR FACILITY MEMBERS ENJOY:

Access to Three Branches
Your membership gives you unlimited use of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s three YMCA locations, including:

  • Three indoor pools and our family aquatic center
  • Three wellness centers, all equipped with state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment.
  • Free fitness orientations and daily group exercise classes (programs vary by location).

Free Basic Access to the YMCA On the Go App
The On the Go App will provide Y members with access to the YMCA 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This new interactive tool is loaded with free workouts, on-demand videos, and nutrition tips.

Free Access to the My Y Rewards Program
Upon enrolling in the My Y Rewards Program, you’ll earn points each time you check-in, take a class, or refer a friend to the Y. In fact, you’ll earn your first 50 points for simply enrolling in the program. You can then redeem your points for fun Y swag and program and membership credits.

Quality Programming
In addition to our free group exercise classes, the Y offers year-round swimming lessons and personal training, among a slew of other options. You can check out a full list of our programming by taking a look at our Spring 2026 Program Session Schedules.

So Much More
A complete list of member benefits can be found here.

*Programs, classes, and amenities vary by location and are subject to change

THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Drive
Plainfield, IL 60544

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

Galowich Family YMCA*
749 Houbolt Road
Joliet IL 60431
*The future Village of Shorewood YMCA will open on April 27. Early Bird Memberships are on sale now! Learn more here.

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