Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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ONEOK Donates $25,000 to Community Grows Here Capital Campaign

The Morris Hospital YMCA is the first ever full-service YMCA offered in Grundy County and represents the largest fundraising effort in county history. This project would not have been possible without the incredible support of local businesses like ONEOK, Inc., which provided a generous $25,000 gift to the Community Grows Here Capital Campaign.

“We are so grateful for ONEOK’s donation, which has helped make our dream a reality,” Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin said. “Every day, we are making a positive impact on the lives of the individuals and families that walk through the doors of the Y, doors that would not exist without the amazing contributions of our donors.”

The 60,000-square-foot facility, which opened in December, is now home to more than 6,000 facility members with expanded program offerings in the areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.

Features also include: 

  • An aquatics center featuring an eight-lane lap pool
  • An aquatics viewing area
  • A state-of-the-art wellness center
  • A gymnasium
  • Group exercise studios
  • A cycling room
  • A functional training area
  • Multi-purpose rooms
  • Engaging youth play spaces
  • A healthy eating kitchen
  • Gathering and meeting spaces
  • Pickleball courts
  • Indoor and outdoor walking tracks
  • Outdoor fields
  • An outdoor playground

For more information about the Morris Hospital YMCA, click here. To learn more about the Community Grows Here Capital Campaign, please contact Chief Development Officer Missy Durkin at [email protected]. 

Pictured above (left to right): ONEOK Illinois Area Operations Manager Don McCormick, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin, ONEOK Administrative Services Supervisor Barb Sorensen, ONEOK Community Relations Coordinator Heather Plum, and Morris Hospital YMCA Executive Director Jamie Heitman.

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Jason Clearwater Fund Donates $30,000 to Community Grows Here Capital Campaign

The Morris Community YMCA is excited to announce a generous $30,000 gift from the Jason Clearwater Fund in support of the Community Grows Here Capital Campaign. This donation will provide invaluable equipment and resources to sports programs at the future Morris Hospital YMCA, which is set to open in early 2025 at its location adjacent to Morris Grade School. 

The Y, in partnership with Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers, envisions a place where the community will come together to grow in spirit, mind, and body.

“We have been proud to offer YMCA sports programs to Grundy County and the surrounding communities for more than a decade,” Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin said. “And we know we will continue to build and improve these programs thanks to the incredible support from groups like the Jason Clearwater Fund. We can’t wait to welcome future athletes and their families.”

If you haven’t yet pledged your support for the Community Grows Here Capital Campaign, there is still time to make a gift and ensure your participation in one of the most transformative projects in Grundy County history. Donate today by clicking here or contact the Morris Community YMCA at (815) 513-8080 to learn more. 

Pictured above (left to right): JCF Board Member Karlie Vowell, JCF Board Member Todd Cade, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin, JCF Board Member Nate Olson, JCF Board Member Jeramy Sherwood

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COMMUNITY GROWS HERE: A Community Campaign to Build the New Morris Hospital YMCA

Since opening our downtown Morris location in 2015, we have continued to grow not only our facility and program offerings, but also the number of people we serve each year in Grundy County. To continue to serve our community and offer the types of programs and spaces our neighbors desire, it is time to grow again.

On 13.5 acres adjacent to Morris Grade School, the YMCA, in partnership with Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers, envisions a place where the community will come together to grow in spirit, mind, and body. FAMILY bonds will grow stronger. CHILDREN will grow in character and gain self-confidence. PEOPLE of all ages will grow healthier. OUR COMMUNITY WILL GROW HERE.

We know that many of you have already generously made a charitable gift in support of the new Morris Hospital YMCA. And for that, we will forever be grateful. If you haven’t yet pledged your support, there is still time to make a gift and ensure your participation in one of the most transformative projects in Grundy County history.

DONATE TODAY

You can view a series of videos below to meet our team and learn more about the expanded programs and services we will be offering to the community when the new Morris Hospital YMCA opens in early 2025. We also encourage you to watch for more information coming soon to your mailboxes, email accounts, and on our social media pages.

Thank you for your continued support of the YMCA.  We can’t wait to officially open our doors and welcome you to Grundy County’s very first full-facility YMCA!

INTRODUCTION

AQUATICS PROGRAMS

HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS

YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS

ADULT AND SENIOR PROGRAMS

YOUTH AND FAMILY PROGRAMS

YMCA MISSION STRONG FUND

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Aux Sable Donates $200,000 to Morris Community YMCA Capital Campaign

The Morris Community YMCA’s Capital Campaign, which is raising funds to develop a new 60,000-square-foot YMCA and healthcare center adjacent to Morris Grade School, is excited to announce a generous $200,000 gift from Aux Sable, which will be recognized in the future full facility. 

For more than a decade, the Morris Community YMCA has been serving residents in Grundy County by offering programs in the areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. In May, the Y broke ground on the future Morris Hospital YMCA, which will be built in partnership with Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers. While the YMCA hopes to open this new facility within the next several years, the size, scope, and timing will ultimately be determined by the generosity of the community in support of this project.

“With each passing day we are getting closer to fulfilling our vision for the Y in Morris and the surrounding communities in Grundy County,” Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin said. “The incredible support shown by local businesses like Aux Sable continues to inspire us, and we know this gift will have a meaningful impact on the future site.”

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.

Pictured above (left to right): Morris Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet Member and Corporate Committee Co-Chair John Sparrow, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin, Aux Sable Engineering Manager Dan Goode, Aux Sable General Manager Andy Schwerha, Aux Sable Community Engagement Advisor Rachele Clewes, Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair, Aux Sable Regulatory and Environmental Manager Scott Seibert, and Morris Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet Member and Corporate Committee Co-Chair Steve Barr.

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Financial Plus Credit Union Donates $100,000 to Morris Community YMCA Capital Campaign

The Morris Community YMCA’s Capital Campaign, which is raising funds to develop a new 60,000-square-foot YMCA and healthcare center adjacent to Morris Grade School, is excited to announce a generous $100,000 gift from Financial Plus Credit Union, which will be recognized in the future full facility. 

For more than a decade, the Morris Community YMCA has been serving residents in Grundy County by offering programs in the areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. In May, the Y broke ground on the future Morris Hospital YMCA, which will be built in partnership with Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers. While the YMCA hopes to open this new facility within the next several years, the size, scope, and timing will ultimately be determined by the generosity of the community in support of this project.

“We could not be more thankful for this incredible gift from Financial Plus Credit Union and the tremendous impact it will have on our future facility,” Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin said. “We continue to be inspired by the community’s passion for our YMCA.”

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.

Pictured above (left to right): Morris Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet Member and Corporate Committee Co-Chair Steve Barr, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin, Financial Plus Credit Union Morris Branch Manager Laurie Daniels, Financial Plus Credit Union President and CEO Peter Fauth , Financial Plus Credit Union Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Dianne Bangert, Morris Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet Member and Corporate Committee Co-Chair John Sparrow, and Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair. 

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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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