Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

You are here: Home / Archives for Greater Joliet Area YMCA

Community Foundation of Grundy County Donates Nearly $19,000 to YMCA Mission Strong Fund

YMCA Summer Day Camp offers an exciting and engaging adventure where young people can make new friends while having a whole lot of fun! At Y camp, kids laugh, learn, explore and grow, while creating memories and friendships that last a lifetime. And providing a safe and meaningful camp experience would not be possible without the support of local partners like the Community Foundation of Grundy County.

The Foundation awarded a $18,965 grant from the Sanford Teen Fund, which was established to help youth and teens in Grundy County, with a focus on supporting mental health. Funding has helped the Morris Community YMCA operate summer day camp activities, as well as summer youth sports programs, and will continue to support health and wellness services and programming for kids and teens this fall. 

Through its commitment to youth development, the Morris Community YMCA nurtures the potential of every child. To pledge your support for these programs through a charitable gift to the Mission Strong Fund, click here. 

Pictured in top photo: (L-R) Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin, Community Foundation of Grundy County Program Director Devan Gagliardo, Morris Community YMCA Operations Director Jamie Heitman 

SHARE THIS:

Summer Spruce Up 2022

August 13-28

Each summer, we take time to thoroughly clean and enhance our facilities so that our members can have an enjoyable experience throughout the year. As always, you are welcome to use any of our three YMCA facilities during Summer Spruce Up. 

When visiting any of our YMCA branches during Summer Spruce Up, please remember to bring your Membership Card/Tag. Please be sure to call ahead to verify hours and to ensure the amenities you would like to use will be open during your visit.

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

FAMILY POOL

Closed beginning at Noon on Saturday, August 13

Reopening on Monday, August 29

The family pool will be drained and receive a deep cleaning. Additional repairs will also be completed.

GYMNASIUM AND INDOOR TRACK

Closed beginning on Monday, August 15

Reopening on Monday, August 29

The gym will be cleaned, floors will be refinished, and we will be repairing the lines for the basketball courts and adding lines for pickleball courts.

ACTIVITY CENTER AND KIDS CORNER

Closed beginning on Wednesday, August 17

Reopening on Sunday, August 21

The Activity Center and Kids Corner rooms will be treated to a deep cleaning. All toys will also be sanitized.

LOBBY/MAIN ENTRANCE

Closed beginning on Friday, August 19

Reopening on Sunday, August 21

During this time, all members and guests are asked to enter the building through the south entrance, located near the multi-purpose rooms.

FITNESS STUDIO #2

Closed beginning on Tuesday, August 23

Reopening on Monday, August 29

The fitness studio will be cleaned and the floors will be refinished.

LOCKER ROOMS, STEAM ROOM, AND SAUNA

The locker rooms, steam room, and sauna will be closed intermittently during Spruce Up to allow ample time for deep cleaning and repairs. Closings will be posted in the building and on our Facebook page.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

In addition to the improvements listed above, all areas of the building will be treated to a deep cleaning. 

Galowich Family YMCA

KIDS CORNER

Closed beginning on Monday, August 15

Reopening on Monday, August 29

To better serve our YMCA Members, Kids Corner will permanently relocate to the multi-purpose room on Monday, August 29.

GYMNASIUM

Closed beginning on Monday, August 22

Reopening on Monday, August 29

The gym will be cleaned and floors will be refinished.

FITNESS STUDIO

Closed beginning on Monday, August 22

Reopening on Monday, August 29

The fitness studio will be cleaned and the floors will be refinished. New storage racks will also be installed. During this time, a modified group fitness schedule will be available. Please visit our schedules webpage or use the YMCA On the Go app to stay up to date on class times and locations.

WELLNESS CENTER

The Wellness Center will receive a deep cleaning during Spruce Up. The carpet will be cleaned, repairs will be completed, and equipment will be realigned within the space.

LOCKER ROOMS

The locker rooms will be closed intermittently during Spruce Up to allow ample time for deep cleaning and repairs. Closings will be posted in the building and on our Facebook page.

OTHER IMPROVEMENTS

In addition to the improvements listed above, all areas of the building will be treated to a deep cleaning.

Morris Community YMCA

All areas of the building will be treated to a deep cleaning. Certain areas of the facility may be closed intermittently during this time to allow ample time for cleaning and repairs. Closings will be posted in the building and on our Facebook page.

SHARE THIS:

Brandt Excavating Donates $50,000 to Morris Community YMCA Capital Campaign

The Morris Community YMCA’s Capital Campaign, which is raising funds to develop a new 50,000-square-foot YMCA and healthcare center adjacent to Morris Grade School, is excited to announce a generous $50,000 gift from Brandt Excavating, 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. To further grow its impact in the community, the Y announced plans in 2018 for the development of a new full-facility in partnership with Morris Hospital & 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.

“Brandt Excavating has displayed an incredible passion for our project and this show of support further excites us as we look toward the future of our facility,” Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin said. 

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): Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair, Brandt Excavating Vice President Chris Ahearn, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Operating Officer Missy Durkin, Morris Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet Member and Corporate Committee Co-Chair Steve Barr.

SHARE THIS:

J-Power USA Donates $5,000 to YMCA Mission Strong Fund

Every day the YMCA affirms its commitment to making a positive impact in the community. Y programs provide opportunities for 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 provide services and financial assistance for children, adults and families living in our community.

That is why the YMCA would like to thank J-Power USA, which recently provided a $5,000 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. 

SHARE THIS:

Growing Stronger Together: Bill Turton and Maraline Mattke’s Y Story

At the Y, we know that having a strong support system can make a big difference when you are trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. For the husband and wife team of Bill Turton and Maraline Mattke, joint personal training sessions at the Galowich Family YMCA have proven to be a crucial part of their health and wellness journeys.

Bill, a Y member for more than 45 years, says personal training has helped him navigate the challenges of Parkinson’s disease. While Maraline, who joined the Y shortly after the couple got married in 2003, is seeing the benefits of personal training following multiple knee replacement surgeries and the removal of a brain tumor. 

“The important thing about dealing with Parkinson’s is that you aren’t necessarily looking to increase skills as much as you are focusing on not losing skills. That’s why it’s important to work on maintaining balance as much as I work on increasing strength,” Bill said. 

“I’m trying to get back into shape, address fatigue, and improve balance. Personal training has done so much to improve my balance. I’m able to do so many things better like work in my garden,” Maraline said.

Both Bill and Maraline said a key reason why they have stuck with personal training is the comfortable atmosphere created by Membership and Wellness Director Alissa Koenig.

“I had personal trainers two or three times before and didn’t really connect with them. With Alissa, the connection was immediate. She listens, she’s flexible to your needs, and she’s creative. I’ve been able to work muscle groups in five or six different ways so it doesn’t become boring or repetitive,” Bill said. 

“Her enthusiasm and encouragement is unequaled by anyone. She inspires us,” Maraline said.

Alissa said she enjoys the energy Bill and Maraline bring to not only their personal training sessions, but the overall Y community.

“They have built relationships with other members who are in the fitness center because they have common goals. It is uplifting to hear everyone encouraging each other,” Alissa said. 

In addition to the health and wellness department, Bill said he appreciates the welcoming nature of the staff team at the Galowich Family YMCA.

“The staff at the Y has been nothing but tremendous during my time here. Whether it’s full-time staff, lifeguards, or custodians, everyone goes out of their way to be helpful,” he said. 

Maraline also noted that working out at the Y brings support beyond physical activity.

“I was a social worker for 42 years, working with hospitals in the community. Being at the Y has been a release and has helped in many ways, especially for my own mental health, because coming to workout here has prevented burn out,” she said.

Moving forward, Bill and Maraline said that reaching their weight loss goals is the next step in their collective Y journey.

“It’s more fun doing this together,” Bill said.

The Y would like to thank Bill and Maraline for sharing their Y story. To learn more about personal training at the Y, please click here.

SHARE THIS:

YMCA Kid Zone Registration for the 2022-23 School Year is Underway!

We know that learning doesn’t end when the school bell rings. The way your children spend time outside the classroom can make a big difference in their personal development and your family-life balance. The YMCA’s Kid Zone Program provides a safe place for children to keep their mind and body active while learning social skills and positive values. Our caring professionals are committed to helping kids build confidence and character.

Kid Zone registration for the the 2022-2023 school year is currently underway!

To learn more about the Kid Zone Program, click here.

SHARE THIS:

United Way