Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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Morris Hospital YMCA Set to Host Fitness ‘Dance-a-Thon’ Luau

The Morris Hospital YMCA is hosting a dance party and you are invited! Led by our fantastic instructors, Crystal, Jes, and Dina, this high-energy 75-minute “Dance-a-Thon” will challenge participants to complete Pound Fitness, Hip Hop Fit, and SHiNE Dance Fitness classes back-to-back-to-back!

As a special treat, the gym will be decked out with tropical decorations and all participants arriving in luau-themed attire will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win fun prizes!

Date: Friday, October 10 
Time: 7-8:15 p.m.
Location: Morris Hospital YMCA Gymnasium 

Open to ages 13 and Up 

Cost: 
$5 for Facility Members
$10 for Community Members

REGISTER TODAY

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Feel Healthier, Be Stronger: Beth Yakich’s Y Story

The Y is a welcoming place for individuals looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, providing the resources and support needed to help everyone reach their goals. For Galowich Family YMCA Member Beth Yakich, joining the Y this summer was a way to support rejuvenation and recovery. 

“I’ve had surgery on my left hip and I’m currently working on rehabbing my right hip. I completed physical therapy, but I had become very sedentary and I knew I had to change something. I needed to do something more.”

On her first visit, Beth learned right away that friendly faces are always here to greet you at the Y. 

“I’m standing at the desk on the day I joined and almost immediately I recognized two women I go to church with. They said ‘You’ve got to come to water Zumba tonight’. So I took a class the first day I joined and I’ve been coming in three days a week since then.”

In addition to group fitness classes, Beth said the Y’s Fit4U program has played a key role in helping her develop a healthier lifestyle. During the free 4-week introductory program, which is free for Facility Members, Beth learned more about machines in the Wellness Center and Y amenities that could help her get started with new exercises.

“I had a few questions about (Fit4U) when I joined and they got me set up with Sabrina from the health and wellness team,” she said. “My only experience with equipment was in physical therapy and that was just three machines – an arm bike, a stationary bike, and a leg press. With the help of Sabrina, I became more confident using all the machines in the wellness center, focusing on rotating through the ones that would help me meet my goals. I wasn’t interested in lifting weights, but now I realize how each piece of equipment can strengthen the muscles around joints.”

Beth also credited exercising at the Y for a :23 second improvement on cardiovascular stress testing at a recent doctor’s visit.

“Overall, I’m feeling healthier. I know it’s going to take time to be where I want to be, but I’m impressed with how short of time it has taken for me to feel stronger,” she said. 

And after struggling to stay committed to a health and wellness routine, Beth said being at the Y keeps her motivated. 

“When I was at home, it was always a case of ‘Well, I’ll work out tomorrow.’ When I walk through these doors, I’m working today.”

We are so proud to have Beth in our Y community and we wish her the very best as she strives to reach her health and wellness goals.

If you are interested in learning more about the YMCA’s Fit4U program, please click here. You can also view our current group fitness schedules by clicking here or by using the YMCA On the Go App.  

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Ignite Your Passion: Jeannie Howell’s Y Story

At the YMCA, we are always proud to support members as they strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reach their goals. This includes individuals like Jeannie Howell, who says she has experienced life changing health and wellness results since joining the Galowich Family YMCA in 2008.

“In 2007, a nurse that I worked with helped me make a New Year’s resolution. She said ‘Let’s exercise for at least an hour once or twice a week.’ At that point in time, I weighed 287 pounds and my knees would pop when I would go up and down the stairs. Since then, I’ve lost more than 100 pounds and I’m now off 2 diabetic medicines that I had taken for 30 years,” she said. 

Jeannie says her Y journey began with water aerobics classes and that she eventually found opportunities to explore one of her life’s passions – dance. 

“When I joined the Y, I thought to myself ‘If I start working out here it’s possible for me to become the dancer that I always aspired to be.’ It was step classes, it was line dancing, it was Zumba, it was everything. I was so winded at first because I couldn’t keep up, but my love for dance allowed me to keep going.”

Jeannie said the process of losing weight was slow and measured, but with each step she gained more confidence, eventually participating in local dance competitions.

“I saw changes along the way that gave me confidence. I was able to stay on the dance floor longer and longer. That’s when I knew everything was working,” she said. 

In addition to improving her health, being at the Y allowed Jeannie to build lasting friendships. 

“I’ve made so many connections at the Y. I’m still friends with everyone I met in the first water aerobics classes from 2008. And when I meet up with friends from Zumba classes, sometimes we end up doing the dances right in the bar when music comes on,” she said.

When offering advice to others seeking to improve their health, Jeannie emphasizes that patience has been the most important factor in her health and wellness journey.

“You can’t be in a hurry and you can never quit. Bad habits die hard and it’s never easy. You have to find something you enjoy. So try some of everything and find something that you like. It takes time but it becomes a lifestyle,” she said. 

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Visit the C.W. Avery Family YMCA During Balance Awareness Week

SEPTEMBER 23-28
Get ready to celebrate National Balance Awareness Week at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA! Facility Members who attend mind/body group fitness classes between September 23-28 will earn an entry into a raffle for a special prize! Classes eligible for the raffle include:

Monday, September 23
Pilates, 8:45-9:30 a.m.
Barre, 10:15-11 a.m.
Hatha Yoga, 7:10-8:20 p.m.

Tuesday, September 24
Breathing and Meditation, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Circl Mobility, 6-6:45 p.m.

Wednesday, September 25
Vinyasa Yoga, 9:15-10:15 a.m.

Thursday, September 26
Pilates Fusion, 8:10-8:55 a.m.
Barre, 9:15-10 a.m.
Breathing and Meditation, 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Hatha Yoga, 6:15-7:20 p.m.

Friday, September 27
Gentle Vinyasa Yoga, 7-8 a.m.
Yoga, 9:15-10:15 a.m.

Saturday, September 28
Pilates, 8:35-9:20 a.m.

Facility Members can reserve a spot in group fitness classes by using the YMCA On the Go App! Learn how to download the app today by clicking here.

If you have any questions, please contact Health, Wellness, and Dance Director Kristen Derengowski at (815) 267-8600, ext. 224 or via email at [email protected].

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Challenge Yourself: Triathlon 101 Class at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA Begins on February 19

Are you looking for a way to kickstart your health and wellness routine and explore your competitive side? Try the Y’s new Triathlon 101 class! Instructed by Mary Tobiason, an elite triathlete who has completed 17 Ironman triathlons, this class will take you through basic training on all three phases of the sport. You’ll build a solid foundation of swimming, biking, and running skills, all while having a great time!

Dates: February 19-April 17*
Time: Mondays and Wednesdays, 6-7:30 a.m.
*No classes the week of March 25

What you’ll need to participate:
-Swim suit
-Goggles
-Swim cap
-Fins and paddles (optional)
-Running shoes
-Bike attire
-Bike shoes (optional)
-Run attire

Cost:
$240 for Facility Members
$360 for Community Members

Open to all ages.

REGISTER TODAY

If you have any questions about Triathlon 101, please contact Health, Wellness and Dance Director Kristen Derengowksi at [email protected] or (815) 267-8600, ext. 224. 

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YMCA Member Spotlight: Stephen Blount

The Y is proud to provide resources and programs that support members as they work to live their best lives. Each day, we are inspired by the passion and endless energy our members exhibit as they strive to embrace a healthy lifestyle. For C.W. Avery Family YMCA member Stephen Blount, the joy and positive energy he feels when around the Y comes naturally.  

“Health and wellness has always been a part of my life, and it’s always been a YMCA. I grew up in Palatine and spent most of my time playing basketball at that Y,” Stephen said. “Now I’ve been an Avery member since it opened in 2006.”

Stephen is among the early risers who loyally attends the Y’s 5:30 a.m. Boot Camp fitness class. He said sharing the Y experience with others is one of the most rewarding things about being a member. 

“I started getting plugged into the Boot Camp class in 2007. We’ve become a family. Everyone respects one another. We care about each other whether it’s happy times or tragic times. You come to the Y for health and wellness, but what keeps you coming back is the people.”

Stephen also takes part in cycle classes and said he has been happy to see the Y’s health and safety guidelines adapt to meet the needs of members during the current public health crisis.

“I think the Y has been doing a phenomenal job. It’s been really good to see everyone work so hard to take safety precautions into account. Everything has been upfront and we’ve been able to keep everyone spaced out,” he said.

And as the new year approaches, Stephen said the Y will remain a big part of his life. 

“It’s always been a safe place for me and my family. It really is an amazing thing that we have here. Other gyms just aren’t the same,” he said. 

Stephen, from everyone at the YMCA, we are so glad to have you as a member of our Y family.

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