Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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Morris Community YMCA Set to Offer Youth Flag Football League This Fall

The Morris Community YMCA is excited to offer a youth flag football league this fall! Practices will be held on weekday evenings beginning the week of August 28. Games will be played on Saturday afternoons beginning the second weekend of September. Each participant receives a football jersey to wear for all games. Players signed up after August 7 will not be guaranteed a uniform by the first game.

Facility and community members from all Greater Joliet Area YMCA branches are eligible to participate.

League Divisions

  • Ages 5-6
  • Ages 7-8
  • Ages 9-11

2023 Registration Fees:

Prior to June 27 

  • $80 for Facility Members
  • $160 for Community Members

June 27-August 7

  • $90 for Facility Members
  • $180 for Community Members

August 8 and Beyond

  • $100 for Facility Members
  • $200 for Community Members

REGISTER TODAY

If you have any questions, please contact:
Chris Interial, Sports Director
[email protected]
(815) 267-8600, ext. 514

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Greater Joliet Area YMCA Hosts Groundbreaking Ceremony for New Facility in Grundy County

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA was excited to welcome the community to a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the future Morris Hospital YMCA on Wednesday, May 31. More than 300 people were in attendance to help the Y celebrate the construction of the new facility, which will be built in partnership with Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers on land adjacent to Morris Grade School.

Grundy County Chamber of Commerce & Industry President and CEO Christina Van Yperen opened the event by welcoming guests and introducing Morris Community YMCA employee Paula Lutz, who provided the afternoon’s invocation.

Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair then reflected on the Y’s journey in Grundy County, celebrating the amazing dedication of the YMCA volunteers who laid the groundwork for the new Morris Hospital YMCA more than 15 years ago. She also recognized the heroic contributions of the Capital Campaign Cabinet and Y staff, past and present, and thanked the Y’s Board of Directors for their unwavering commitment to the project. Leclair also praised the leadership team at Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers for their continued partnership.

“This is such a monumental day for our YMCA and the Grundy County community,” said Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair. “We owe so much gratitude to our amazing volunteers, our generous donors, our hardworking staff, and our wonderful partners at Morris Hospital. The new Morris Hospital YMCA will be a place where people of all ages, from all walks of life have the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. We are so excited to begin construction of this new facility and continue to serve the residents of Grundy County,” added Leclair.

Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers President and CEO Tom Dohm then stepped to the podium to share the vision for the continued partnership between the hospital and the YMCA.

“From the start, the partnership between Morris Hospital and the YMCA has been a perfect match,” Dohm said. “Like Morris Hospital, the YMCA has a strong family focus and serves all people, regardless of their ability to pay. Both the hospital and the YMCA are non-profit organizations dedicated to strengthening the community through healthy living. Partnering with the YMCA helps Morris Hospital further focus on preventive care. Our mission is all about improving the health of area residents. We are honored to carry the name of our community’s new YMCA, and we are so grateful to everyone who has had a part in making this vision a reality.”

Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin then addressed the crowd, thanking the elected officials, community partners, employees, and YMCA members who have provided support for the Y over the years and continue to serve as an inspiration for the project.

Morris Community YMCA Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet Co-Chair Kevin Olson then highlighted the incredible dedication of the volunteers that have championed this project over the years. Olson also celebrated the long-term contributions the new Y will have on Morris and Grundy County, and was excited to announce that the Y has expanded plans for the lap pool at the new facility from six lanes to eight lanes. 

Greater Joliet Area YMCA Board President and Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet Co-Chair Guy Christensen then stepped to the podium to thank the community on behalf of the Y’s Board of Directors and recognized the efforts of the project’s Building Task Force, architect, general contractor, and team of owner’s representatives, whose hard work will help to bring the future facility to life over the next 18 months.

Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet Co-Chair Jackie Wohlwend closed the program with an inspirational ‘Get it Built’ message, echoing the words of her late husband Ron, who we know will be with us every step of the way as we work tirelessly to complete this project and open the doors for the new Morris Hospital YMCA to the community.

Construction of the new Y will begin this summer. The facility is expected to open to the community in early 2025. To learn more about the Morris Community YMCA’s Capital Campaign, please contact Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin at (815) 513-8080 or visit www.jolietymca.org.

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YMCA Supporters Raise Nearly $74,000 During 2023 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign

Each summer, nearly half of the children who attend Greater Joliet Area YMCA summer camp programs receive assistance through the YMCA’s financial assistance program. This wouldn’t be possible without the incredible generosity of our Y community. Over the last several weeks, YMCA supporters joined together to raise nearly $74,000 to help send kids to YMCA camp this summer!

We want to thank everyone who made a donation, shared information about the Y’s mission on your social media networks, or invited friends or family members to learn more about the Y’s youth development work, as every contributions made a HUGE difference for kids in our community. Thanks to this overwhelming generosity, our 2023 Send A Kid to Camp Campaign raised enough funds to provide 1,639 days of camp for children in our community.

THERE’S STILL TIME TO BE A YMCA HERO 

Although this year’s Send a Kid to Camp Campaign has come to an end, you can still pledge your support for the YMCA’s mission by visiting your local branch, making a tax-deductible donation online, or by texting YMCACAMP to 243725. Message and data rates may apply.

DONATE TODAY

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all gifts to the Greater Joliet Area YMCA are tax-deductible.

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Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage at the YMCA

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, a time to celebrate our diverse Asian Pacific Islander communities and elevate the Y’s continuing journey to foster greater inclusion for all. Learn more about the Y’s connection to Asian American and Pacific Islander history below.

Did you know that the first Chinese American YMCA was founded in San Francisco in 1911? The Y held lectures on health, education, classes in English and Mandarin and even had a machine shop! To this day, the Chinatown YMCA plays a pivotal role in the community.

 

 

Duke Kahanamoku was a gold medal Olympic swimmer who trained at the Central Y in Honolulu, setting world records for the 400 and 500 relay races in 1916. Following his Olympic career retirement, Kahanamoku traveled and conducted swimming exhibitions—it was during this time that he popularized the sport of surfing in the United States, which previously had only been known in Hawaii.

 

Born in 1914, Fred Hoshiyama worked for the YMCA full time for 39 years—from 1941 through 1980—except for his time in a government internment camp during WWII. While in this camp, Hoshiyama created YMCA-based programs to help address the social, educational and recreational needs of the Japanese Americans held in the camp. He was also instrumental in revitalizing the YMCA student movement in the 1970s, and a scholarship in his name provides professional development for Y staff of Asian Pacific Islander heritage to this day.

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Try New Things: Summer Membership Opportunities Available

At the Y, we exist to strengthen community. With a mission centered on balance, the Y brings families closer together, encourages good health and fosters connections through fitness, sports, fun and shared interests. As a result, millions of people, just like you, are receiving the support they need to engage in healthy and active lifestyles.

BEAT THE HEAT AND SPEND A FANTASTIC SUMMER AT THE Y!

  • Affordable prices
  • Family, Adult, Teen and Youth Membership options
  • Full-Member rates for YMCA programs
  • Opportunities to connect with family, friends and neighbors
  • Access to three Greater Joliet Area YMCA branches and amenities
  • Free Child Watch Services for Family Memberships (program availability varies by branch)

Your membership also gives you opportunities to save on YMCA programs like summer camps, youth sports and preschool programs, and access to our wellness centers and free fitness classes.

Summer memberships expire after 90 days or on August 31, 2023, whichever comes first.

Join Today

Summer Membership Rates

TypeDescriptionC.W. Avery Family YMCAVillage of Shorewood YMCAMorris Hospital YMCA
Family Plus3 Adults & Their Dependents$440$405$375
Family2 Adults & Their Dependents$350$325$300
One Adult Family1 Adult & Their Dependents$315$290$270
Two Adult2 Adults in Same Household$305$280$260
AdultAge 26 and older$225$205$185
Young AdultAges 19-25$160$145$135
YouthAges 0-18$135$120$110
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Morris Community YMCA Selects General Contractor for New Full-Facility YMCA in Grundy County

The Morris Community YMCA announced today that it has selected Narvick Bros. as the general contractor for its new full-facility YMCA in Grundy County. Construction of the new Y, which will be built in partnership with Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers on land adjacent to Morris Grade School, will begin this summer. A groundbreaking ceremony for the new Morris Hospital YMCA will be held from 3:30-5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31.

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA Board of Directors, acting on recommendations from the Morris Capital Campaign Building Task Force and the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s Facility Committee, unanimously approved the hiring of Morris-based Narvick Bros. as the project’s general contractor at a meeting earlier this year.

“We are very excited to announce the hiring of Narvick Bros. as the general contractor for the new Morris Hospital YMCA,” said Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and Chief Executive Officer Katy Leclair. “As we prepare to celebrate the groundbreaking for this new facility later this month, it is wonderful to know that we have selected a trusted and very capable partner in Narvick Bros. to build Grundy County’s very first full-facility YMCA.”

About the Y
As one of the nation’s leading nonprofit charities, the YMCA is committed to strengthening local communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. A branch of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, the Morris Community YMCA brings families closer together, encourages good health, and fosters connections through fitness, sports, fun and shared interests. Through its financial assistance and scholarship program, the YMCA works to fulfill its mission of ensuring that its programs are available to everyone and no one is turned away due to the inability to pay. 

About Narvick Bros.
Founded in 1933, Narvick Bros. is a general contracting and construction company that specializes in carpentry, masonry, concrete, design/build, and construction management. Based in Morris, Illinois, Narvick Bros. is family-owned and operated and is committed to providing superior, creative, and distinct construction services.

To learn more about the Morris Community YMCA’s Capital Campaign, please contact Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin at (815) 513-8080 or visit www.jolietymca.org.

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