Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign Raises More than $93,000

Over the last several weeks, Y supporters generously joined together to raise more than $93,000 to help send kids to YMCA camp this summer!

As we prepare to officially kick-off summer camp season at the YMCA, we’d like to thank everyone who pledged their support, shared information about our 2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign on their social media networks, and invited their friends and family members to learn more about the Y’s youth development work. Thanks to the overwhelming support of our generous donors, we are excited to share that our 2025 Send A Kid to Camp Campaign raised enough funds to provide more than 1,850 days of camp for children in our community.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT TODAY

Although our 2025 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 YMCA branch or making a charitable gift online.

DONATE TODAY

Thank you for your careful consideration and commitment to making a difference for the kids in our community.

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

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Sponsorships For The 2025 YMCA Mission Strong Golf Classic On Sale Now

Sponsorship opportunities for the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s fourth annual Mission Strong Golf Classic, which will be held on Wednesday, September 17 at ‘The Creek’ at Morris Country Club, are now available. Proceeds from this year’s golf outing, which is generously presented by Midland States Bank, will benefit the Y’s Mission Strong Fund, helping to ensure that no one is turned away from the YMCA due to the inability to pay.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, the success of all YMCA fundraising events rely heavily upon the generosity of area businesses and individuals through sponsorships. Exciting sponsorship opportunities, ranging from $250 to $5,000, with corresponding benefits are available. Presenting, leading, titanium, and graphite level sponsors are invited to purchase additional foursomes for this year’s outing before they go on sale to the general public on July 15, 2025. Dinner tickets for the 2025 Mission Strong Golf Classic are also available for $50.

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

JOIN US

Fourth Annual YMCA Mission Strong Golf Classic
Wednesday, September 17

Lunch – 11 a.m.
Shotgun Start – Noon

‘The Creek’ at Morris Country Club
Morris, IL

Your day will include:

  • 18 holes of golf with a cart
  • Lunch and complimentary beverages on the course
  • A cocktail reception, dinner, and awards
  • A welcome gift, course games, prizes, raffles, and more

Cost: $700 per foursome, $50 for dinner reception only

*Foursomes and dinner tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15.

To learn more about the 2025 Mission Strong Golf Classic, please contact:

SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
Donnie Chestnutt
Mission Advancement Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (815) 782-0800

EVENT INFORMATION
Dori Fugate
Volunteer and Special Events Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (815) 782-0502

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SMILES ALL AROUND: Make a Donation to the 2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign Today

Summertime at the YMCA is truly a magical time of year and a wonderful opportunity to see our mission at work throughout our community. Each summer, we have the absolute privilege of welcoming kids from across our community to YMCA summer day camp locations in Joliet, Plainfield, Morris, Romeoville, and Bolingbrook. At YMCA summer camp, kids of all ages learn new skills, build self-confidence, create lasting memories, and develop life-long friendships.

At the Y, we remain dedicated to providing a fun, safe, and memorable camp experience for all children, but we can’t do it alone. Last summer, more than half of the children who attended our summer camp program did so with the help of the YMCA’s financial assistance program. This was made possible thanks to precious funds donated to the YMCA by generous donors like you. To ensure that the Y’s mission will continue to thrive and help those children in our community who need it most, we need your support once again.

DONATE NOW

We invite you to invest in the kids in our community by making a charitable contribution to the YMCA’s 2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign. Your gift, in any amount, will help to ensure that every child has the opportunity to benefit from an engaging and impactful summer camp experience at the Y. Please know that a donation to the YMCA will help to change the lives of families living right here in our community- your friends and neighbors.

Donate today by visiting your local YMCA branch or making a charitable donation online.

DONATE NOW

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, all gifts to the YMCA are tax-deductible.

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YMCA Announces CN as Official Summer Day Camp Sponsor

YMCA summer day camp programs create opportunities for kids to learn new skills, be creative, build self-confidence, and gain independence in a safe, fun, and nurturing environment. Each summer, hundreds of area children attend summer day camp at the Y, developing new friendships while building a healthy spirit, mind, and body. 

And, as a nonprofit, community-based organization, the Y relies on the generous support of its members, volunteers, donors, and corporate partners to provide these programs for children living in our community.

That is why the Greater Joliet Area YMCA is proud to announce that CN will return as the official sponsor of YMCA Summer Day Camp in 2025 as part of a new three-year partnership. 

“We are incredibly excited to have CN’s continued support as our YMCA Summer Day Camp sponsor,” YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair said. “Summer day camp is one of our largest youth development programs, serving nearly 1,500 kids in our community each year. CN’s generosity will help to ensure that campers throughout Will and Grundy Counties have the opportunity to make memories, go on new adventures, and learn, grow, and thrive at YMCA camp this summer and beyond.”

The Y is set to offer day camp at seven different sites across Will and Grundy Counties this summer. Registration is underway and financial assistance is available. To learn more about YMCA Summer Day Camp, please click here. 

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2025 YMCA GALA Nets More Than $295,000 For Mission Strong Fund

It was truly a night to remember as a sold out crowd of more than 500 supporters helped the Greater Joliet Area YMCA raise more than $295,000 at its 2025 Gala on Saturday, February 22, at the Bolingbrook Golf Club. Guests enjoyed an elegant evening that included dinner, entertainment, and the opportunity to bid on exciting silent and live auction items. Funds raised from this year’s record-setting Gala 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. 

Generously presented by Midland States Bank, the 2025 YMCA Gala celebrated charitable giving at the YMCA by showcasing the Y’s impact throughout the community and the generous donors who make its mission come to life each and every day. Now in its 17th year, the Y’s signature fundraising event has raised more than $2 million to provide financial assistance for children, adults, and families living in our community. 

At this year’s Gala, the Y presented the C.W. and J.L. Avery Philanthropic Award to Jackie Wohlwend in recognition of her family’s generous support of the Morris Hospital YMCA, which officially opened its doors to serve the community in December 2024. 

During the “Raise the Paddle” portion of the evening, the Y’s mission was brought to life by showcasing a YMCA story of impact. Guests generously raised their paddles in an auction-style format with individual contributions ranging from $50-$5,000. In total, “Raise the Paddle” contributions eclipsed 83,000 in support of the YMCA’s Mission Strong Fund.

Erick Deshaun Dorris served as the evening’s volunteer auctioneer with assistance from Sounds Abound DJ Tony Ho. Nine exciting packages were sold during the live auction. Items included a weekend trip to New York City, donated by the Greater Joliet Area YMCA Board of Directors and Friends of the YMCA; a four-day getaway to a beautiful vacation home in Minocqua, Wisconsin, generously donated by Judy Avery; and a one-week stay at a waterfront home on Lake Michigan, generously donated by Michael and Susan Lee. The top-grossing items of the night were an in-home, six-course dinner party, generously donated by Tom Grotovsky and a weekend trip to Las Vegas to see Kenny Chesney in concert at The Sphere, generously donated by the Greater Joliet Area YMCA Board of Directors and Friends of the YMCA. 

This year’s Gala volunteer planning committee members included: Madi Brown, Erica Garvey, Maria Macris, Kristin Orban, Kari Ramirez, Whitney Valdivia, and Barb Ziegner. Donnie Chestnutt, Dori Fugate, Carolyn Hamilton, Eileen Scotchlas, and Sarah Slomka provided staff support. 

Sponsors Included:

Presenting Sponsor
-Midland States Bank

Diamond Sponsor
-DIAGEO
-J. Russ and Company, Inc.
-Narvick Bros. General Contractors & Construction Managers

Ruby Sponsors
-Canadian National
-Old National Bank
-Pursuit Wealth Group
-Stockton Wealth Management

Emerald Sponsors
-Aux Sable Liquid Products/Pembina
-Blue Ribbon Products/Constellation Brands
-C. and J. Avery Family Foundation
-D’Arcy Buick GMC
-Edward Jones
-ExxonMobil
-Grundy Bank
-Guy and Jane Christensen
-Hometown National Bank
-Joliet Bank & Trust, A Wintrust Community Bank
-Joliet Junior College
-PFG Therapy
-Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol, LLC
-Rod Baker Ford
-Rousonelos Lean Pork
-TR Miller Heating, Cooling & Plumbing

Sapphire Sponsors
-L DeGeus & Associates
-Lori Bonarek Realty
-Plainfield Shorewood Area Chamber of Commerce
-Ron Tirapelli Ford
-Village Flower Shop
-The Ziegner-Orban Family

Pearl Sponsors
-Ascension Saint Joseph-Joliet
-Baish Excavating, Inc.
-Busey Bank
-ComED
-“D” Construction
-Dr. Theresa Rouse
-Joliet Bank & Trust, A Wintrust Community Bank
-R.L. Sohol General Contractor, Inc.
-Turk Furniture
-W Financial Services

Opal Sponsors
-ComEd
-Cuttin Edge Lawn to Landscaping, LLC
-Law Offices of John F. Argoudelis, LLC
-VNA Health Care

In-Kind Support
-Graphic Promotions, Inc.

Save the date and make your plans to join us for the next YMCA Gala, which will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026. We also invite you to participate in the 2025 YMCA Mission Strong Golf Classic, which will be held on Wednesday, September 17. Foursomes for the YMCA’s fourth annual outing will go on sale this summer.

If you supported this year’s Gala and would like to expand the impact of your charitable contribution, we encourage you to explore a potential matching gift from your employer. To make a tax-deductible donation in support of the YMCA Mission Strong Fund, please click here.

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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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