C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris
We had more than 50 campers attend our Fishing Camp this past week. What an amazing turnout! Throughout the week, kids caught plenty of fish, while special guests like Morris Mayor Richard Kopczick and Joliet YMCA President and CEO Jim Watts stopped for some fun, too. One thing’s for sure—we’re already looking forward to next year! See highlights by watching the video below.
Update: Steve Rogers of the Morris Daily Herald wrote an excellent column about our Fishing Camp.
On Friday, June 20, tens of thousands of participants from hundreds of locations around the globe, teamed up for the World’s Largest Swim Lesson (WLSL). In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of swim lessons, the C.W. Avery Family YMCA, the Galowich Family YMCA and the Smith Family YMCA served as official Host Location Facilities for the WLSL 2014 event, which aimed to set a new Guinness World Record for largest swimming lesson ever conducted.
All in all, more than 200 YMCA campers and staff took part in the initiative.
Tragically, drowning remains the leading cause of unintended, injury related death for children ages 1-5, and the second leading cause of accidental death for children under 14. Research shows participation in formal swimming lessons can reduce the risk of drowning by 88 percent among children aged 1 to 4, yet many kids do not receive formal swimming or water safety training.
Summer has fallen upon us, and ushered in the year’s best eats. The warm, sunny days take us out of hibernation mode and our bodies welcome lighter, fresher fare. The produce department overflows with exciting fruits and vegetables we haven’t seen fresh versions of in months (like corn!) or ever (what’s a plumcot?).
Gone are the months of rich creamy comfort food, replaced by grilled meats and lots of fresh salads. It seems like clean eating should be a walk in the park during the summer, and yet people often bemoan the difficulties. Because while grilled meats and fresh salads can be amazingly nutritious and satisfying, there are plenty of less nutrition choices to be made.
To help navigate the summer barbecue season healthfully, check out these great tips:
Decide what’s important
Everyone has their non-negotiable summer treats. Do you love a cold beer on a hot night? Do you crave ice cream? Or s’mores? Identify what really matters to you, and go ahead and enjoy it. But not every day! Watch your portions and make it good. For example, have a small bowl of premium ice cream and savor every bite, instead of noshing on some cheap and unsatisfying version. The flip side of this, however, is that if a food or beverage isn’t especially important to you, there’s no need to bother consuming it!
Make smart choices
Grilling is one of the healthiest cooking methods, but the food you put on top of the grates matters. Whole foods like chicken, steak, chops, and fish are going to be better choices than hot dogs, sausages, and packaged hamburger patties. As for sides, make good use of all the fresh vegetables and herbs available in stores and gardens. Choose light, crisp, oil- and vinegar-based salads rather than carby pasta or potato salads coated in mayonnaise.
Ditch the bread
There is nothing as controversial in the nutrition world these days as bread, with one side saying you need your “healthy whole grains” and the other crying that gluten is poison. One thing that’s not debated, though, is that white bread offers few nutritional benefits, and all breads offer up tons of calories. That hearty bun may add another 250 calories to your burger or brat! Skip the bread and grab a knife and fork instead.
Hydrate the right way
You may be craving a nice piña colada, but fruity tropical drinks are full of sugar and calories. Same goes for slushies, sodas, juices, beers, and many other summery drinks. Instead, toss a few slices of fruit into some cold sparkling water for a crisp and fresh drink. You can even go beyond the lemon! Try cucumber, peach or apple slices, or even herbs like basil or mint.
Go for natural sweets
Summer’s fruits are full of natural and healthy sugars. Choose ripe, juicy fruits for your sweet tooth instead of cookies, cakes and ice cream. Get excited about all the different choices you have and try something new. Try “ice cream” made from frozen bananas—just slice up a frozen banana or two and puree it in a food processor until it’s smooth and creamy. You can puree it with any other frozen fruits, or stir fresh fruit, peanut butter, or even shaved dark chocolate into the “ice cream”.
With a bit of planning and awareness, you will get the most out of your summer menus without adding unnecessary calories or unhealthy processed foods. Choosing fresh, whole foods and preparing them simply will keep you full of energy to enjoy the lovely sunny days ahead.
Nourishing Thoughts is written by Julie Miller, an expert on nutrition and fitness instructor at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA. She is awesome.
On July 12, Pat Sullivan will bring his famous one-day basketball clinic to the Smith Family YMCA in his hometown of Joliet. Sullivan is a Hall of Famer and former University of St. Francis basketball coach who has more than 500 victories under his belt. We recently had a chance to catch up with Sully and ask him a few things about his camp:
The Y: This is your first time teaching camp at the Y. Are you as excited as we are for this opportunity?
Coach Sullivan: Absolutely. I’ve done camps throughout our county, and in Belgium, Greece and Austria. I have lots of experience doing these camps and hope to provide the kids at the Y with a great clinic.
Tell us a little bit about the clinic. What kind of things do you teach?
We’re totally focused on fundamentals. I’ve always felt that in the camps, the most important thing to give the kids is the fundamental skills. We begin with balance—starting, stopping, and pivoting. I believe it’s the lost art of basketball. Dribbling, passing, shooting—all of these skills emanate from balance and footwork. For each skill, we teach for 10 to 15 minutes and then drill for 10 to 15 minutes.
What will kids benefit from the most in your camp?
Without question, it’s the fundamentals. We feel it’s our obligation to teach the fundamentals. You’d be amazed how many coaches don’t teach balance and footwork.
Have you ever had any well-known players or coaches attend camp?
Of course. [Current LA Clippers head coach] Doc Rivers came to camp. Jerome Whitehead, who played at Marquette University. We’ve been blessed to have some very good players in our camps over the years. [Former Utah Jazz head coach] Jerry Sloan. These guys would come and teach. Some great people as well as outstanding players.
Designed for kids, grades 3-8, Pat Sullivan’s co-ed basketball clinic will cost $65 for community members, $20 for YMCA Program Members and $10 for YMCA Full Members.
More than a century ago, Sonora Louis Smart Dodd aspired to create a holiday to honor fathers. Dodd, the daughter of a single father and Civil War veteran, was inspired by a Mother’s Day sermon and wondered why there was no holiday for fathers. After securing support from ministers in Spokane, Wash., her idea came to fruition with the first Father’s Day celebration at the Spokane YMCA on June 19, 1910.
On Sunday, June 15, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA joins the nation in celebrating Father’s Day and recognizing the impact fathers and adult male role models make in children’s lives. Nationally, one out of three children lives in a home without their biological father, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
And, societal factors such as unemployment, work-life balance or a lack of resources can affect fathers’ ability to seek support in strengthening their parenting skills and more fully engaging in the lives of their children. A leading nonprofit in fostering positive youth development, the Y remains dedicated to providing resources and opportunities for fathers to further involve themselves in the well-being and development of their children.
June 6 marks the 170th anniversary of the Y—a global organization that began with a simple but powerful idea: a strong, supportive community can help people build healthier, happier lives. Since it’s founding, the Y has grown into one of the world’s largest volunteer organizations and become renowned for its commitment to helping people of every background reach their potential.
From its humble beginnings on June 6, 1844 in London by George Williams and 11 friends, the Y saw to and met the practical and spiritual needs of young men flocking to London during the Industrial Revolution. Since then, the Y has grown and changed, meeting the needs of children, families and adults in 10,000 communities in the U.S. and 119 countries around the globe. Along the way, the Y is responsible for a number of innovations that influenced history and are part of our daily lives.
For instance:
• Basketball and volleyball were both invented at the Y.
• Night school and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes began at the Y.
• The world’s first indoor pool was at a Y, and the concept of group swim lessons started at the Y.
• The United Service Organizations (USO) was created with help from the Y, and the Peace Corps was patterned after a Y program.
• Father’s Day was created at a Y.
For 86 years, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA has been a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening our community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. We’ve been able to help thousands of community members by providing swim lessons, before and after school care, fitness programs and much more.
