C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Y wants to help by encouraging our community to wear pink during the week of October 21-27!
Members who wear pink to the Y will earn an entry into a raffle to win special Y swag. (Max. 7 entries.) Daily raffles will be held at each branch.
STOP BY THE Y AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT!
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA hosted its 2024 Heritage Club Dinner at Mistwood Golf Club on Thursday, October 10. Held annually, this evening celebrates charitable giving at the YMCA and recognizes those donors who have chosen to make a legacy gift to the Y.
Heritage Club membership is granted to those individuals who have included a gift for the YMCA in their will or estate plans. Many Heritage Club members have also generously established a named endowment fund or supported the YMCA’s Mission Strong Fund, which helps to ensure that no one is turned away from the Y due to the inability to pay.
Message of Thanks
The evening began with Greater Joliet Area YMCA Endowment Committee Chair Susan Lee welcoming those in attendance and thanking them for their continued support of the Y’s mission. Lee also thanked the Salvation Army Band for providing the evening’s entertainment and previewed the stories of impact that would be shared throughout the night. Lee then invited Endowment Development Committee Volunteer Jackie Bersano to offer an invocation.
Celebration of Charitable Giving
Following dinner, Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair reflected on the incredible support the Y continues to receive from the community. She recognized the Y’s past donors, volunteers, and employees whose foresight and vision laid the groundwork to shape what the organization has become today.
Leclair then introduced Galowich Family Y member Yesenia Dominguez and her daughter Fernanda, who spoke about the impact YMCA programs have had on their family over the years. Yesenia described how her children have had wonderful experiences in the Y’s Summer Day Camp, Before and After School Kid Zone, and Teen REACH programs, and Fernanda shared that one of her future goals is to become a YMCA volunteer. Leclair presented Yesenia and Fernanda with gifts of appreciation and thanked them for sharing their story with all those in attendance.
The evening continued with a celebration of YMCA member, volunteer, and donor Bill Lauer. Lauer, who first visited the Y at the age of 8, is the longest active member at the Greater Joliet Area YMCA and was invited to share stories from his more than 80 years of experience in the Y community. Endowment Committee Volunteer Donna Zanzola was then welcomed to the podium to speak about Lauer’s impact as a volunteer.
Leclair concluded the evening by thanking Lauer for his incredible impact on YMCA staff members and his lifelong commitment to the Y’s mission and our community. She presented him with a gift in anticipation of his 90th birthday, and invited the room to sing happy birthday to celebrate.
An Invitation for Impact
The YMCA’s doors continue to expand with open arms and it is through gifts like those provided by Heritage Club members that make this possible.
To learn more about Heritage Club membership and the Y’s endowment fund, please visit:
Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge Starting November 11Our 8-week Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge will help you get in shape and keep the weight off during the holiday season. We have a great plan to help you adopt healthy eating and exercise habits while saying ‘No’ to those tempting holiday cravings.
Are you up for the challenge?
If you can maintain your weight within 2 pounds for 8 weeks, you will receive a $20 YMCA credit that can be used towards any fitness program, including personal training. If you gain more than 2 pounds during this eight-week challenge, your fee will be donated in your name to the Y’s Mission Strong Fund.
There will be two mandatory weigh-ins:
Week 1 (some time between November 11 and November 22)
Week 8 (some time between January 2 and January 9)
There will also be optional weigh-in:
Week 4 (some time between December 2 and December 8)
As part of this fun-filled Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge, you will receive:
Let’s have a little fun this holiday season. Together, we will help you celebrate the holiday season happy and healthy!
Registration is now open. Select your branch below and sign up today!
Cost: $30
PLEASE NOTE: Registration closes on November 16.
BENEFITTING TOYS FOR TOTSThe Greater Joliet Area YMCA is teaming up with the United Parcel Service (UPS) and Star 96.7 to host a Christmas Toy Collection Drive to ensure every kid in our community has a toy to open this holiday season!
Help us make the holiday season a little brighter for families in need in our community by donating a new, unwrapped toy for a child, ages 17 and younger. We will also be collecting donations of gift wrap and bows.
This festive morning will include a special appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Star 96.7’s Midday Host Jillian Bass will be at the YMCA broadcasting live from 10 a.m.-Noon. Members of the Plainfield Fire Department, Plainfield Police Department, and United States Marine Corps will also be onsite to support this event. 
Make your plans to join us!
Date: Saturday, November 2
Time: 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.
Location:
C.W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Drive
Plainfield, IL 60544
For more information about Toys For Tots in our area, click here.
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is proud to announce that Erin Lightbody has been named Executive Director of the C.W. Avery Family YMCA. Lightbody, who has worked for the Y since 2003, started her new role this month and we are excited to have her leading operations at our Plainfield location.
A seasoned YMCA professional with more than 20 years of experience, Lightbody began her YMCA career as a counselor/site-coordinator in the Y’s Before and After School Kid Zone program and was named the C.W. Avery Family YMCA’s Youth and Family Director in 2004. After leading youth development programming for 14 years in Plainfield, she became the YMCA’s Youth Operations Director in 2018, and has been instrumental in shaping youth programs across the association. Through her leadership, the YMCA has created and implemented policies and procedures that ensure the nearly 1,300 children who participate in Y programs each day have a safe, engaging, and enriching experience.
During her tenure at the Y, Lightbody not only helped the Y navigate the challenges of providing childcare services during the COVID pandemic, she also became a certified Praesidium Guardian, an award given to leaders who help ensure that an organization is following the highest industry standards for child abuse prevention. As a part of her certification, Lightbody completed an impact project designed to improve applicant screening for childcare positions in the Y’s summer day camp and before and after school programs.
“Taking the Praesidium Guardian class helped me take a look at the entire interview and training process for employees in our childcare programs and identify ways we can continue to improve hiring and onboarding candidates. Everything from start to finish has been made more robust. I look forward to continuing to support families in my new role, as well as all those that walk through the doors of the Y,” Lightbody said.
Lightbody also played a key role in supporting the expansion of YMCA child care programs into the Valley View School District, and she plans to continue to drive the YMCA’s mission forward by fostering a culture of excellence, community, and inclusion at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA.
“Erin brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to our organization,” Director of Branch & Program Operations Lisa Behounek said. “Throughout a remarkable YMCA career spanning more than two decades, Erin has consistently demonstrated her passion, leadership, and dedication to our mission. Her vision, attention to detail, and ability to connect with staff, children, and families alike make her the perfect fit for this role. We are excited to see her lead the C.W. Avery Family YMCA into the future.”
Lightbody has a degree in Business Administration/Sports Management from Aquinas College. She resides in Plainfield with her family.
New and alumni members who join the Y anytime between October 4-7 will pay a $0 Joiner’s Fee – a savings of up to $120.
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:
Quality Programming
In addition to our free group exercise classes, the Y offers year-round swim lessons, sports programs and personal training, among a slew of other options.
Child Care
If you have a Family Membership, you can drop your child(ren) off at our supervised playroom while you exercise.
Free Basic Access to the YMCA On the Go App
The YMCA On the Go App provides 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, from October 4-7, you’ll earn your first 150 points for simply enrolling in the program. You can then redeem your points for fun Y swag and program and membership credits.
So Much More
A complete list of member benefits can be found here.
THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS
C.W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Dr, Plainfield, IL 60544
Galowich Family YMCA
749 Houbolt Road, Joliet IL 60431
Morris Community YMCA*
320 Wauponsee St, Morris, IL 60450
*The future Morris Hospital YMCA will open on December 16. Early Bird Memberships are on sale now! Learn more here.
Families can also save when registering for the upcoming YBL season between October 4-7! Use promo code YBLSALE2024 when registering online and save $10 per player.
To learn more about YBL in your area, or to register online, please click below.
