GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

As we prepare to join the nation in celebrating Veterans Day on November 11, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA is proud to honor those who have served our country by sharing their stories. Today we shine the spotlight on Village of Shorewood YMCA Advisory Council member and Army veteran Tiffany Allen-Smith. You can learn more about her in the Q&A below:

Q: Why did you join the armed forces and can you describe your service experience?

I grew up in the inner city, west side of Chicago. I did not have a lot of resources or support. I went to college out of state and, though I had scholarships, I couldn’t afford everything else. I came back home and was devastated. I needed to do something radically different. When I joined the military I was 20. It changed the rest of my life. I ended up serving 15 years in the Army from 2001-2015, working as a chief warrant officer focused on the supply chain and logistics.

Q: What life lessons did you learn from your time in the service?

When you grow up in the inner city you don’t always see what’s going on in the rest of the world. It gave me exposure to other cultures, other people, other places, other things. I was blown away. The second thing that it gave me was confidence in myself. It made me desire more for myself and gave me the confidence to believe I could attain more. It wasn’t just a dream.

Q: Did the Y have an impact on your military career?

Yes. In fact, when I was preparing to go into the military I needed a consistent place to train to build up my endurance to pass the physical tests. I went to the Y in Humboldt Park and, though I didn’t have the income, they let me train on the indoor track. That moment is what keeps me coming back to the Y. I feel like if I had not been prepared to join, I wouldn’t have done it.

Q. Why do you feel a commitment to volunteerism at an organization like the YMCA?

I think that representation and diversity matters. Just because we’re in the suburbs does not mean that everyone has the means to afford everything.  People need to know that there is someone out there that can relate to their circumstances and that those circumstances won’t define them. I’m grateful for institutions that see people that are trying to accomplish something, and don’t turn them away because they don’t have the means to pay.

Q: How would you describe the Y as a community environment?

It is transformational. Whether it be through fitness, sports, socialization, or any number of areas, it can transform someone’s life. I see that when I drop off my son to play basketball with other kids. I see the potential to shape him, to give him the opportunity to do something great, and I want the Y to have a part in that. And overall I feel comfortable here. There are so many servant leaders who get behind the Y and I see myself in them. I feel like I’m a part of a village that consists of people like me. I love the leadership and I love the direction the Y is going.

Q: How can members of the Y community help support veterans?

While there are so many stigmas with veterans, we’re still people. So don’t be afraid to say hi. Just give grace because you don’t know what they have been through. They may have seen things trying to serve and protect this country that everyday people do not see. And we know there are veterans out there struggling to buy groceries, struggling to stay active because they have disabilities, so don’t be afraid to help local charitable organizations if you have the means to pledge your support.

On behalf of the YMCA, we would like to thank Tiffany for her service to our country and contributions to the YMCA community.

As we prepare to join the nation in celebrating Veterans Day on November 11, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA is proud to honor those who have served our country by sharing their stories. Today we shine the spotlight on YMCA volunteer and army veteran Nick Macris. Nick became a YMCA board member in 2012 and served as board chair between 2020-2021. You can learn more about him in the Q&A below: 

Q: Why did you join the armed forces and can you describe your service experience?

It was really the influence of having military experience in my family that motivated me. My father retired from the U.S. Navy and my brother served in the navy. I ended up becoming an Army ROTC cadet at Joliet West and continued as an ROTC cadet for four years at the University of Illinois. I began my four years of active service duty in 1975 and then when I moved back to Joliet in 1979 to work for ComEd I joined the reserves. I completed 16 years in the reserves and ended up retiring from the United States Army in 1995 as a Lieutenant Colonel with the corps of engineers.

Q: What life lessons did you learn from your time in the service?

What I took away from the experiences I had over the 20 years of service were things I learned about sound leadership. I think I may have started out thinking that a good leader was the kind of person that rode around on a proverbial white horse. It’s more about learning the needs and the qualities of the people that you lead to inform your leadership. I have always tried to do the best with all of that to become the kind of leader that people want to follow.

Q: Did those life lessons influence your commitment to volunteerism?

Yes. After I retired from ComEd in 2002 that’s when I decided that the most productive use of my time would be to support non-profits and agencies in the community that were near and dear to my heart. This included things like Project Acclaim, Kiwanis Club, and the All Saints Greek Orthodox Church. I also happened upon the YMCA which was one of the biggest blessings I could receive. My experiences in the years I’ve spent with the Y have been among the most enriching years of my life. The Y is such an amazing organization. There is great staff leadership. There is great volunteer participation. And I truly commend the Y for wanting to go the extra step to commemorate Veteran’s Day. 

Q: What does Veteran’s Day mean to you and how can members of the Y community help support veterans?

It’s the sacrifices of veterans that have made such a huge contribution to the success of this country. There’s no way we could ever show them appreciation enough, and we need to do what we can to support them. The key issues that many of our veterans are facing today are things like mental health, suicide prevention, homelessness, and service related injuries. Organizations like Military Outreach USA, Tunnel to Towers, and Wound Warriors help with these issues, as do our local veteran’s affairs facilities in Joliet. Showing your support for those causes can make an impact.

On behalf of the YMCA, we would like to thank Nick for his service to our country and contributions to the YMCA community.