Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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My Y Rewards Special November Earnings Event

MY Y REWARDS SPECIAL NOVEMBER EARNINGS EVENT

Get ready to burn off those Halloween candy calories with a special bonus for My Y Rewards program participants!

Greater Joliet Area YMCA Facility Members, ages 16 and up, enrolled in the My Y Rewards program will receive 100 bonus points if they attend eight group fitness classes in the month of November .

Learn how to enroll by clicking below.

ENROLL TODAY

Upon enrolling in the My Y Rewards Program, you’ll also earn points each time you check-in, take a class, or refer a friend to the Y. In fact, you’ll earn your first 50 points for simply enrolling in the program. You can then redeem your points for fun Y swag and program and membership credits.

If you should have any questions or any feedback on the My Y Rewards Program, please be sure to stop by the Membership Desk during your next visit or email [email protected].

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Strengthening Our Community: PINK OUT for Breast Cancer Awareness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Y wants to help by encouraging our community to wear pink during the week of October 21-27!

Members who wear pink to the Y will earn an entry into a raffle to win special Y swag. (Max. 7 entries.) Daily raffles will be held at each branch. 

STOP BY THE Y AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT! 

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Registration Underway for 2024 YMCA Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge

Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge Starting November 11

Our 8-week Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge will help you get in shape and keep the weight off during the holiday season. We have a great plan to help you adopt healthy eating and exercise habits while saying ‘No’ to those tempting holiday cravings.

Are you up for the challenge?

If you can maintain your weight within 2 pounds for 8 weeks, you will receive a $20 YMCA credit that can be used towards any fitness program, including personal training. If you gain more than 2 pounds during this eight-week challenge, your fee will be donated in your name to the Y’s Mission Strong Fund.

There will be two mandatory weigh-ins:
Week 1 (some time between November 11 and November 22)
Week 8 (some time between January 2 and January 9)

There will also be optional weigh-in:
Week 4 (some time between December 2 and December 8)

As part of this fun-filled Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge, you will receive:

  • A one-of-a-kind YMCA Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge T-shirt
  • Weekly emails with workout tips, healthy holiday recipes and special fitness challenges, designed specifically for challenge participants

Let’s have a little fun this holiday season. Together, we will help you celebrate the holiday season happy and healthy!

Registration is now open. Select your branch below and sign up today!

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

Galowich Family YMCA

Morris Community YMCA

Cost: $30

PLEASE NOTE: Registration closes on November 16.

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Erin Lightbody Named Executive Director of C.W. Avery Family YMCA

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is proud to announce that Erin Lightbody has been named Executive Director of the C.W. Avery Family YMCA. Lightbody, who has worked for the Y since 2003, started her new role this month and we are excited to have her leading operations at our Plainfield location.

A seasoned YMCA professional with more than 20 years of experience, Lightbody began her YMCA career as a counselor/site-coordinator in the Y’s Before and After School Kid Zone program and was named the C.W. Avery Family YMCA’s Youth and Family Director in 2004. After leading youth development programming for 14 years in Plainfield, she became the YMCA’s Youth Operations Director in 2018, and has been instrumental in shaping youth programs across the association. Through her leadership, the YMCA has created and implemented policies and procedures that ensure the nearly 1,300 children who participate in Y programs each day have a safe, engaging, and enriching experience. 

During her tenure at the Y, Lightbody not only helped the Y navigate the challenges of providing childcare services during the COVID pandemic, she also became a certified Praesidium Guardian, an award given to leaders who help ensure that an organization is following the highest industry standards for child abuse prevention. As a part of her certification, Lightbody completed an impact project designed to improve applicant screening for childcare positions in the Y’s summer day camp and before and after school programs.

“Taking the Praesidium Guardian class helped me take a look at the entire interview and training process for employees in our childcare programs and identify ways we can continue to improve hiring and onboarding candidates. Everything from start to finish has been made more robust. I look forward to continuing to support families in my new role, as well as all those that walk through the doors of the Y,” Lightbody said.

Lightbody also played a key role in supporting the expansion of YMCA child care programs into the Valley View School District, and she plans to continue to drive the YMCA’s mission forward by fostering a culture of excellence, community, and inclusion at the C.W. Avery Family YMCA.

“Erin brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to our organization,” Director of Branch & Program Operations Lisa Behounek said. “Throughout a remarkable YMCA career spanning more than two decades, Erin has consistently demonstrated her passion, leadership, and dedication to our mission. Her vision, attention to detail, and ability to connect with staff, children, and families alike make her the perfect fit for this role. We are excited to see her lead the C.W. Avery Family YMCA into the future.”

Lightbody has a degree in Business Administration/Sports Management from Aquinas College. She resides in Plainfield with her family.

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Building a Healthier Community: Save During the YMCA’s 2024 Fall Membership and Youth Basketball League Sales

Fall Membership Sale

New and alumni members who join the Y anytime between October 4-7 will pay a $0 Joiner’s Fee – a savings of up to $120.

OUR FACILITY MEMBERS ENJOY ACCESS TO THREE BRANCHES
Your membership gives you unlimited use of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s three YMCA locations, including:

  • Two indoor pools and our family aquatic center, all fully programmed with activities for the entire family, including family swim time, swim lessons, aquatic fitness programs and lap lane access.
  • Three wellness centers, all equipped with state-of-the-art cardio and strength equipment.
  • Free fitness orientations and daily group exercise classes (programs vary by location).

Quality Programming
In addition to our free group exercise classes, the Y offers year-round swim lessons, sports programs and personal training, among a slew of other options.

Child Care
If you have a Family Membership, you can drop your child(ren) off at our supervised playroom while you exercise.

Free Basic Access to the YMCA On the Go App
The YMCA On the Go App provides Y members with access to the YMCA 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This new interactive tool is loaded with free workouts, on-demand videos, and nutrition tips.

Free Access to the My Y Rewards Program
Upon enrolling in the My Y Rewards Program, you’ll earn points each time you check-in, take a class, or refer a friend to the Y. In fact, from October 4-7, you’ll earn your first 150 points for simply enrolling in the program. You can then redeem your points for fun Y swag and program and membership credits.

So Much More
A complete list of member benefits can be found here.

THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Dr, Plainfield, IL 60544

Galowich Family YMCA
749 Houbolt Road, Joliet IL 60431

Morris Community YMCA*
320 Wauponsee St, Morris, IL 60450
*The future Morris Hospital YMCA will open on December 16. Early Bird Memberships are on sale now! Learn more here.

JOIN THE Y

Youth Basketball League Sale

Families can also save when registering for the upcoming YBL season between October 4-7! Use promo code YBLSALE2024 when registering online and save $10 per player.

To learn more about YBL in your area, or to register online, please click below.

Joliet

Plainfield

Morris/Coal City

 

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OPENING DAY FOR THE NEW MORRIS HOSPITAL YMCA SCHEDULED FOR MONDAY, DECEMBER 16

Early Bird Memberships Available Through December 1

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA announced today that the new Morris Hospital YMCA, which will be located at 2200 W. Dupont Avenue, will officially open its doors to serve the community on Monday, December 16. This much-anticipated grand opening date will mark the culmination of a 19-month construction phase for Grundy County’s first full-facility YMCA.

Built in partnership with Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers, the new 60,000-square-foot YMCA facility will feature an eight-lane lap pool, a state-of-the-art health and wellness center, a gymnasium and indoor walking track, group exercise studios, a cycling room, a healthy eating kitchen, engaging youth play spaces, and meeting rooms. Surrounded by property that is planned for residential development, the new YMCA will be located adjacent to Morris Grade School and West Side Park, and will feature an outdoor walking track.

A mainstay in the Grundy County community for the last decade, the YMCA has been working collaboratively with Morris Hospital & Healthcare Centers to enhance the health and wellness of Grundy County residents since opening its temporary facility in 2015 in downtown Morris. In its new home on Dupont Avenue, the YMCA will offer expanded year-round programs in the areas of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility for residents of all ages.

“We are very excited to welcome the community to the new Morris Hospital YMCA,” said Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and Chief Executive Officer Katy Leclair. “We look forward to working with our partners at Morris Hospital to create a welcoming community center where residents of all ages can participate in high-quality and impactful programs. December 16 will be a monumental day as we officially open our doors on Dupont Avenue and see the dreams of our generous donors and community partners, loyal YMCA members, and hardworking volunteers and employees realized,” added Leclair.

As construction of the new facility nears completion, area residents are invited to take advantage of exclusive pre-opening membership opportunities as part of the YMCA’s Early Bird Membership Sale, which will run through December 1. Early Bird Members will enjoy priority access when the new facility opens in December.

YMCA Facility Members enjoy significant cost-savings and priority registration on YMCA programs, and receive free access to the YMCA’s On the Go App, as well as unlimited guest passes. Ensuring that no one is turned away from the YMCA due to the inability to pay, the Y proudly invests nearly $1 million into its members and the community each year through its financial assistance program, providing scholarship assistance and free community programming.

The YMCA will host a ribbon cutting ceremony and community open house on Saturday, January 11, 2025.

JOIN THE MORRIS HOSPITAL YMCA

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United Way