Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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Greater Joliet Area YMCA Set to Honor First Responders During 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is inviting members to stop by any Y location on Friday, September 11 for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, a tribute to the courage and sacrifice of our first responders and all those lost on September 11, 2001.

Participants will climb the equivalent of 110 stories, the height of the fallen World Trade Center towers, in remembrance, resilience, and unity. Members may challenge themselves any time during this day-long event.

110 Flights Equivalency:

Stair Climber – 2,200 steps
Treadmill – 3.5 miles
Stationary Bike – 10.5 miles
Lap Swimming – 2,250 yards

All current and retired first responders are welcome to join us at the Y on September 11 for this special challenge and to enjoy our amenities.

Please be sure to have your ID and first responder credentials available upon check-in.

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Let Your Talents Shine: JETS Swim Team Member Molly Howen’s Story

The YMCA’s JETS Swim Team provides kids opportunities to learn the importance of teamwork, sportsmanship and goal-setting while developing their competitive swimming skills. The JETS strive to build caring, honest, respectful, and responsible children and young adults – swimmers like eight-year old Molly Howen.

Molly, who will be beginning third grade this fall, got her first experience in YMCA aquatics programs through swim lessons and she would go on to join the JETS in the fall of 2025. She currently swims between seven and nine events at a given meet, including multiple relays. 

“I do all of the swimming strokes, but my favorites are breaststroke and freestyle,” she said.

Molly’s first year with the JETS coincided with the team’s first full season using the Morris Hospital YMCA as a practice location, where swimmers like Molly have opportunities to learn from an experienced coaching staff. 

“In practice, Coach Manny, Coach Daphne, and Coach Autumn help us with things like our dives. We do drills to help make sure our chin stays tucked in. It’s my favorite part of the race,” she said. 

Molly’s passion for swimming has led to accomplishments like qualifying for Y state as well as participating in a competition held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, giving her a new perspective on what is possible in the sport. 

“It was cool because the college pool was a long course pool. My goal one day is to beat a world record and to be like Michael Phelps,” she said. 

But the value of being a member of the JETS is not limited to accolades in the pool. The JETS roster comprises swimmers ranging from kindergarten to the college level, and the program takes pride in building strong team camaraderie and mentorship. For younger swimmers like Molly, it’s a chance to build friendships and learn from positive role models.

“I like to be with my friends. Some are my age and some are different ages. It’s cool to be with the older kids,” she said.

Molly also participates in YMCA programs, like summer day camp, maintaining the spirit of a true Y kid. 

“(The Y) is a cool place to be and even if you know how to swim you can get even better at doing it on the JETS,” Molly said. 

We are so proud to have Molly in our Y community and wish her all the best as she continues to grow her swimming skills as a member of the JETS.

If your child is interested in joining the JETS Swim Team, now is the perfect time to register for one of the team’s upcoming clinics. See details below.

Location: C.W. Avery Family YMCA
Dates: August 24-26
Times:
5-6 p.m. (Ages 6-10) – Currently waitlisted
6-7 p.m. (Ages 11-17)
REGISTER ONLINE

Location: Morris Hospital YMCA
Dates: August 25-27
Time: 5-6 p.m. (Ages 6-17)
REGISTER ONLINE]

Location: Village of Shorewood YMCA
Dates: August 31-September 2
Times
5-6 p.m. (Ages 6-10)
6-7 p.m. (Ages 11-17)
REGISTER ONLINE

Cost: $25

To learn more about the JETS, please contact Director of Competitive Aquatics Dave Hedden at [email protected].

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Greater Joliet Area YMCA President & CEO Katy Leclair Named 2026 Recipient of The ATHENA Award By Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry and its Council for Working Women

The Y is proud share that today the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry and its Council for Working Women named Greater Joliet Area YMCA President & CEO Katy Leclair as the 2026 recipient of the ATHENA Award. Leclair will be honored at the Chamber’s 39th ATHENA luncheon on Wednesday, September 23, 11:30 a.m., at the Jacob Henry Mansion Estate’s Victorian Ballroom.

Established in 1982, the ATHENA Award Program recognizes outstanding leaders—women and men—who embody professional excellence, dedicate their time and talents to enhancing the quality of life in their communities and actively support others, especially women, in reaching their full leadership potential.

Katy Leclair has spent more than two decades building a career rooted in leadership, community service and creating opportunities for others to grow and thrive. As President & CEO of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, she has helped lead an organization that has tripled in size while expanding access to health and wellness, youth development, childcare and community-based programming throughout Will and Grundy counties.

Under Leclair’s leadership, the YMCA has achieved several significant milestones. The organization raised more than $21 million through its Community Grows Here Capital Campaign, leading to the opening of the 60,000-square-foot Morris Hospital YMCA in December 2025. In April 2026, the YMCA also celebrated the opening of the new 60,000-square-foot Village of Shorewood YMCA, which serves as the organization’s Regional Office and provides programs and services to the growing community.

Leclair has also helped expand the YMCA’s impact beyond traditional facilities. In 2025, the organization announced the creation of the Joliet Community YMCA, bringing year-round youth development, sports and family programming into neighborhood locations through partnerships with Joliet Junior College, the Salvation Army, Messiah Lutheran Church and Joliet School Districts 86 and 204.

Her leadership and the work of the teams she supports have earned numerous recognitions, including multiple Chicago Tribune Top Workplace honors, the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s 2024 Social Service Organization of the Year Award and the 2024 Zonta Club Woman of the Year Award.

A longtime advocate for the advancement of women, Leclair has made it a priority throughout her career to create opportunities for women and girls. In 2013, she was selected to serve on the YMCA of the USA’s National Women’s Leadership Network Steering Committee, where she helped identify strategies to support the professional development of women at YMCAs across the country. Through this work, the group established a national book club for female leaders, launched local resource groups and expanded access to leadership development opportunities.

Leclair also works to foster a culture of growth and opportunity within the Greater Joliet Area YMCA. Today, the organization employs more than 1,200 people and has been recognized by the Chicago Tribune as a Top Workplace for four consecutive years. The effort is led by a collaborative team of six women in leadership.

(Information compiled by Sarah Rees from the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce was used in this post.)
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Nicor Gas Foundation Pledges $5,000 in Support of YMCA Mission Strong Fund

Every day the Greater Joliet Area YMCA affirms its commitment to making a positive impact in the community. Y programs open opportunities to all generations, ensuring that every individual feels a sense of belonging. And as a non-profit, community-based organization, the YMCA relies on the generosity of its members and the support of charitable giving to offer these services and programs for children, adults and families living in our community.

That is why the YMCA would like to thank the Nicor Gas Foundation, which recently provided a $5,000 donation in support of the YMCA Mission Strong Fund.

“Fulfilling the Y mission is not possible without the kindness of organizations like Nicor,” said Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair. “We are so proud to have Nicor as a strong advocate for YMCA initiatives, and we are inspired by their dedication to our community. This gift will make a significant impact on the lives of the children and families we serve, helping to ensure that nobody is turned away from the Y due to the inability to pay,” added Leclair.

To learn more about the YMCA’s Mission Strong Fund, please click here. To show your support by making a donation, please click here.

Pictured in top photo (left to right):  Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair, Nicor Gas Community Affairs Manager Cheryl Denton, Nicor Gas Community Relations Manager Ashley Bennett, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Mission Advancement Director Donnie Chestnutt, and Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin. 

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Joliet Community YMCA Teen REACH Program Receives Generous $5,000 Donation from Jackson Generation

At the Y, we believe the values and skills learned early on are vital building blocks for life. As a result of the YMCA’s Teen REACH Program, which offers after school care and summer day camp activities for middle school students in Joliet District 86, youth in our community take a greater interest in learning, develop an understanding of positive behaviors, explore their unique talents and interests, and make smarter life choices to help them realize their potential. That makes for confident kids today and contributing and engaged adults tomorrow.

But we can’t do it alone. As a non-profit, community-based organization, the YMCA relies on the generosity of its members and the support of charitable giving to provide services and financial assistance for children and families living in our community.

That is why the YMCA would like to thank Jackson Generation, which recently provided a $5,000 donation to support of Teen REACH.

“Jackson Generation shares the Y’s commitment to service and we know the support of local businesses is what allows Y programs to thrive,” Joliet Community YMCA Executive Director Brooke Hall said. “We are incredibly grateful for this gift and the role it will play in helping the Teen REACH program continue to have a positive impact on youth in our community”

To learn more about the YMCA’s Mission Strong Fund, please click here. To show your support by making a donation, please click here.

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Greater Joliet Area YMCA Receives Generous $10,000 Gift from CITGO Lemont Refinery

No matter who you are, or what neighborhood you grew up in, the Y is a place for anyone who needs us. From summer camp to college prep, family events to team building sports programs, we give everyone the opportunities they need to feel like they belong. And as a non-profit, community-based organization, the Y relies on the generosity of its members and the support of charitable giving to provide services and financial assistance for children, adults and families in Will County and Grundy County. 

That is why the Greater Joliet Area YMCA would like to thank the CITGO Lemont Refinery, which recently provided a $10,000 donation in support of the YMCA Mission Strong Fund, helping ensure that nobody is turned away from the Y due to the inability to pay.

To learn more about the YMCA’s Mission Strong Fund, please click here. To show your support by making a donation, please click here. 

Pictured in top photo (left to right):  CITGO Lemont Refinery Community Relations Advisor Mike Jostes, Joliet Community YMCA Junior High Care Director Alana Bailey, Joliet Community YMCA Before & After Care Director Tori Dutkiewicz, and CITGO Lemont Refinery Fixed Equipment Inspector Bob Phelan.

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United Way