C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris
November 20-21
The C.W. Avery Family YMCA is excited to share that we will be completing renovations on the Membership Desk. During this time, all members and guests will be asked to enter the building through the south entrance, located near the Multi-Purpose Rooms. We thank you in advance for your cooperation as we work with our vendor to complete prep work and installation in a timely manner.
This project was made possible thanks to a generous donation from Home Depot-Shorewood.
If you’re looking for a little friendly competition, the Morris Hospital YMCA has got you covered! Registration is underway the Y’s Adult Volleyball League!
League Details:
-Season will run from January 7-March 4.
-Open to ages 17 and older.
-Games will be played at the Morris Hospital YMCA on Wednesday evenings from 7-9 p.m.
-Each team can register a roster with a maximum of 12 players.
-A minimum of two women will be required to be on the court at all times during game play. Matches will consist of three games.
-Rosters are due by the first game.
Rates:
Facility Member: $450 per team*
Community Member: $550 per team
*Team members qualify for member pricing if at least one member of the team has a Facility Membership at the YMCA.
Space is limited to eight teams, so don’t miss your chance to sign up!
For more information, please contact:
Sports Director Chris Interial
Phone: (815) 513-8080, ext. 514
Email: [email protected]
The 2026 YMCA Gala, generously presented by Midland States Bank, will be held on Saturday, February 28, at the Bolingbrook Golf Club.
Funds raised from this year’s event will benefit the YMCA Mission Strong Fund, helping to ensure that no one is turned away from the Y due to the inability to pay. Cash raffle and toast of the town raffle tickets are now available!
This year’s Cash Raffle is generously sponsored by Grundy Bank. Only 500 tickets will be sold!
Cost: $25
3 amazing prizes are available: $2,000, $1,000 and $500
You can deposit ticket stubs by:
In honor of the Y’s Centennial Anniversary, we’re raising a glass with our Toast of the Town Raffle! One lucky winner will receive a custom bar and a remarkable bourbon collection, including three coveted bottles of Pappy Van Winkle.
This year’s Toast of the Town Raffle is generously sponsored by Ron Tirapelli Ford. Only 200 tickets will be sold! Digital purchases only.
Cost: $100
PURCHASE TOAST OF THE TOWN RAFFLE TICKETS
The winning tickets will be drawn during the YMCA Gala on February 28.
Winners are responsible for all applicable income taxes and must be at least 18 years old to enter. Prize must be claimed within 30 days of notification. Winners are subject to all raffle procedures, rules, regulations, directives, and state and local laws. Winner agrees by entering the raffle to authorize the release of his or her name and likeness for promotional purposes. According to the IRS, a raffle ticket is not tax deductible. Check with your financial advisor for additional information.
Limited sponsorship opportunities remain. Don’t miss out on your chance to support this amazing event!
If you have questions about the 2026 YMCA Gala, please contact:
EVENT INFORMATION
Dori Fugate
Volunteer and Special Events Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (815) 782-0502
SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
Donnie Chestnutt
Mission Advancement Director
Email: dchestnutt@jolietymca.
Phone: (815) 782-0800
At the Y, we believe that even the smallest act of kindness can blossom into a lasting connection to the community and create a true sense of belonging for everyone who enters our doors. For Morris Hospital YMCA member Merlyn Raber, supporting the Y became a heartfelt way to honor the memory of his late wife, Rebecca, who passed away in 2024.
After conversations with his good friends and fellow Y members Jim and Ann Wright, Merlyn chose to make a generous contribution to the Morris YMCA Capital Campaign in memory of Rebecca. Like many others, he got his first look at the new facility during last December’s Legacy Night celebration.
“At the time, the Y was ‘an unknown’ to me. Then I came to the open house with Jim and Ann. Several people that I knew were there, and I was so proud to be a part of it. Knowing my wife’s name will be here for generations to come has given me a special tie to the Y,” he said.
Becoming an active member of the Y was not in Merlyn’s original plans. But, following a round of wellness testing in the spring, his doctor recommended he get more exercise. Merlyn knew exactly where he could go to find the support he needed to begin exercising more often.
“The first thought was to go to the Y,” he said.
After some initial trepidation, Merlyn found the Y to be the perfect place to build a healthy lifestyle.
“When I first walked in and saw all the machines in the wellness center, I had no idea what any of them did. But I watched other people work out and I kind of learned from observation. A couple times I would ask someone to show me how to use a machine and they were happy to help out. After several weeks of doing that, and getting comfortable with my routine, it dawned on me that if I kept going to the Y I could get the strength to waterski.”
Merlyn and his family used to waterski regularly, but he hadn’t taken part in the activity for more than 30 years.
“Three years ago, I tried to get up on waterskis and I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have enough body strength to pull myself out of the water,” Merlyn said. “This September, after exercising at the Y, I was successful. The first time I tried, I was standing up on those skis. It was the most exhilarating thing.”
Merlyn said the benefits of the experience went beyond being in the water again.
“The biggest reward I got was talking to my son who lives in Minneapolis. I had a video of me waterskiing and I sent it to him. He told me he went to work the next day and was talking to all the guys he worked with about what his dad had done. He said ‘I knew if anyone could do it, you could do it.’ That compliment, coming from my son, it felt like he was 10 years old again telling everyone ‘My dad is the greatest dad in the world.’ I had that same feeling.”
Merlyn is also grateful for the positive feedback he experiences every time he visits the Y.
“To me, it’s a home away from home. I feel so comfortable being here. When I finish my workout, I go to the gym and walk for 15 minutes. Then, before I leave, I sit in the lobby and wind down enjoying the environment. I’m just so proud to have the Y in the community. Not only for me, but for everyone. I tell people how beautiful it is here and how everything is first class. We have something here in our community that a lot of communities don’t have.”
And, as he looks toward the future, Merlyn has a clear goal in mind.
“I’m 80 years old and you know the old adage that you’re only as old as you feel, well I feel 10 years younger thanks to the Y. But my mission is not completed yet. I’m going to continue to work out and improve on what I’ve developed. Next year, I’ll turn 81 years old and, God willing, I want to waterski with my family.”
We are so proud to have Merlyn in our Y community and wish him well on his continued health and wellness journey.
If you are interested in joining the Y, now is the perfect time! Our Thankful for You Membership Sale is underway and runs November 13! Learn more and join online by clicking here.
YMCA youth sports programs teach kids the fundamentals of the game while emphasizing the importance of teamwork. At the Y, we know these programs would not be possible without the generosity and dedication of our volunteer coaches. As we prepare for the upcoming Youth Basketball League (YBL) season, we’d like to shine the spotlight on Morris Hospital YMCA volunteer Tyler Mann. Tyler has spent multiple seasons coaching his sons, Axel and Atlas. You can learn more about him in the Q&A below.
Q: What inspired you to become a volunteer coach?
Even before there was a full-facility Y in Morris, there was a footprint of a Y here, and I officiated YMCA basketball for (former Sports Director) Ken Iverson for five or six years. Once I got a full-time job, it wasn’t feasible for me to continue officiating, so I took a break. Now that I have my own children, I’ve been lucky to come back as a coach for three flag football seasons and one basketball season.
Q: What makes Y programs so special?
The Y is so good for the community because it brings people together. We live in Seneca, but Morris is in my roots, it’s where I’m from, and it’s nice to see opportunities that weren’t here when I was a kid. My sons have made so many friends through YMCA sports programs.
Q: What kind of support do YMCA coaches receive during the season?
There is always somebody from the Y here to help if need be. This year, I know I had an incident where I had to rush my dog to the ER vet. I was on the way home from work and I told Sports Director Chris Interial. He told me not to worry because somebody would be there for practice. It helps to know that in an emergency you’re not going to let your players down by canceling practice. They all want to learn and we all want to help teach them.
Q: What are your favorite aspects of being a volunteer coach for the Y?
My favorite part about being a volunteer is looking at the difference in the kids from day one to the final day of leagues – seeing their growth and knowing it can ignite a passion. I know for my oldest son, he wouldn’t have thought about football until there was a flag program here. Now I can’t get him to stop talking about it. He always wants to play catch or kick the football in the yard.
Q: What is your favorite memory from your Y volunteer experience?
My first year of coaching flag football was with the pre-K group and it was with kids who really didn’t understand football yet. We were trying to run a reverse all season and get them to understand misdirection. The first time that we had a clean snap, clean handoff to the running back, and a clean handoff on the reverse, I could see them recognizing the defense going the other way and understanding why it happened. It was so cool. Not every person on the field had the ball, but every person had an important role.
Q: What advice do you have for individuals who are interested in signing up to be a YMCA volunteer coach
It’s not always easy to structure your life around something you’re volunteering for, but in the end it’s always so rewarding. Every player is different, so I always try to make a connection with the children and see what they need most. Sometimes that’s as simple as gaining confidence. Sometimes improving work ethic. If I can identify their needs, I try to work with them to the best of my abilities.
We are so proud to have Tyler as a volunteer and thank him for his efforts to support youth development in our community. If you are interested in serving as a volunteer basketball coach this winter, you can sign up by clicking here.
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA has been awarded a 2025 Top Workplaces honor by the Chicago Tribune. An eight-time Top Workplace honoree, the YMCA has been providing much-needed programs and services for children, families, and adults living in Will and Grundy Counties for nearly 100 years.
The annual Top Workplaces list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. This confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute, just to name a few.
“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.”
“Being recognized by the Chicago Tribune as a Top Workplace for the eighth time is an extraordinary honor for our YMCA,” said President and CEO Katy Leclair. “Our employees are at the heart of everything we do. Their dedication to serving our community and advancing the Y’s mission is truly inspiring, and I feel grateful every day to work alongside such a remarkable team. As we look ahead to our Centennial Anniversary in 2026, this recognition is a wonderful way to celebrate the individuals who bring our programs to life and make a difference in the lives of those we serve,” Leclair added.
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations, strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. A 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA has more than 800 full and part-time employees who work at its three facilities and more than 50 program sites across Will and Grundy Counties. Driven by its mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all, the Y brings families closer together, encourages good health, and fosters connections through fitness, sports, fun, and shared interests. But, most importantly, its doors are open to everyone, regardless of age, income, or background. At the Y, no one is ever turned away due to the inability to pay.
