Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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YMCA Junior Wolves Program Set to Host Youth Basketball Clinics on December 12

The YMCA’s Junior Wolves program is here to help youth basketball players prepare for the upcoming YBL season by hosting special clinics this December! These FREE co-ed clinics will be taught by JJC’s Head Women’s Basketball Coach Shaun Sanderson and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Danny Turner alongside members of their respective teams.

Youth Basketball Clinics

These sessions will focus on teaching young athletes the fundamentals of the game of basketball, including dribbling, passing, shooting, and ball handling.

Saturday, December 12
Grades 5-12
8:30-9:30 a.m.
REGISTER TODAY

Grades Pre-K-4
9:30-10:30 a.m.
REGISTER TODAY

Location:
Joliet Junior College Event Center
1215 Houbolt Road
Joliet, IL 60431


ABOUT COACH SANDERSON
As the winningest coach in the program’s history, Coach Sanderson has been at the helm of the JJC women’s basketball program for 18 seasons. Since becoming the head coach at JJC, Sanderson has helped more than 50 athletes extend their playing careers at four-year institutions and was named the 2025 Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Collegiate Women’s NJCAA Division III Coach of the Year.

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT COACH TURNER
Coach Turner became the head men’s basketball coach at JJC in 2022, bringing more than 30 years of coaching experience at both the high school and collegiate levels to the Wolves program. Turner has also worked as an instructor at several high-profile camps in the Chicagoland area, including the Chicago Bulls Basketball Academy, Northwestern University, and DePaul University basketball camps.

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An Evening of Gratitude: Heritage Club Dinner Celebrates a Century of Charitable Giving at the Y

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA hosted its 2026 Heritage Club Dinner at Mistwood Golf Club on Tuesday, September 29. Held annually, this evening celebrates charitable giving at the YMCA and recognizes those donors who have chosen to make a legacy gift to the Y. 

Heritage Club membership is granted to those individuals who have included a gift for the YMCA in their will or estate plans. Many Heritage Club members have also generously established a named endowment fund or supported the YMCA’s General Endowment Fund, which helps to ensure that no one is turned away from the Y due to the inability to pay.

Message of Thanks

The evening began with Greater Joliet Area YMCA Endowment Development Committee Chair Susan Lee welcoming those in attendance and thanking them for their continued support of the Y’s mission. Lee also thanked her fellow committee members for helping plan this annual event and previewed the stories of impact that would be shared throughout the night. Lee then invited Endowment Development Committee Volunteer and YMCA Board Member Jackie Bersano to the podium to offer the evening’s invocation.

Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair led a special toast in recognition of the Y’s Centennial, a milestone officially reached the same evening as the Heritage Club Dinner, and reflected on the incredible support the Y continues to receive from the community. She recognized past YMCA donors, volunteers, and employees whose foresight and vision laid the groundwork to shape what the organization has become today. 

Celebration of Charitable Giving

Following dinner, Leclair welcomed YMCA Endowment Development Committee and Heritage Club member Donna Zanzola, who spoke about the inspiring impact of charitable giving and how it has shaped a century of service for the Greater Joliet Area YMCA. 

Leclair was then joined at the podium by Joliet Community YMCA Advisory Council Chair Larry Wiers and Greater Joliet Area YMCA Director of Competitive Aquatics Dave Hedden to present the William R. Lauer Service to Youth Award to longtime YMCA volunteer and donor Bob Baish. Baish has been a supporter of the YMCA’s JETS Swim Team for more than 30 years, helping lead the Friends of Swimming volunteer group responsible for transporting and operating the electronic timing system used at swim meets. 

Baish addressed guests for brief remarks, giving credit to fellow volunteer Lee Rakoski for opening the door to support the JETS. He added that, in addition to providing the best possible experience for YMCA athletes, the fellowship built by more than three decades of volunteering has been equally rewarding. 

The event concluded with Leclair announcing the establishment of the Safe Waters, Strong Futures Endowment Fund, which will help to create a permanent source of support for YMCA aquatic programs.

“At the Y, we believe that everyone deserves the chance to feel safe, confident, and capable when they are in and around the water,” Leclair said. “As we step forward into our second century of service, we have an incredible opportunity to work together to make an investment that can help save lives and create a legacy of safer waters in our community for generations to come.”

An Invitation for Impact  

Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin closed the evening by explaining the mission of the Heritage Club and invited guests to explore opportunities to leave a legacy gift to the YMCA.

The YMCA’s doors continue to expand with open arms and it is through gifts like those provided by Heritage Club members that make this possible.

To learn more about Heritage Club membership and making a legacy gift to the YMCA, please click here or contact Missy Durkin, Chief Business Development Officer at (815) 513-8210. To make a donation to the Safe Waters, Strong Futures Endowment Fund, select the fund from the donation dropdown of our online giving portal.

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Spreading Holiday Cheer: Pack-the-Truck Christmas Toy Collection Drive

BENEFITTING TOYS FOR TOTS

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is teaming up with the United Parcel Service (UPS) to host a Christmas Toy Collection Drive to ensure every kid in our community has a toy to open this holiday season!

Help us make the holiday season a little brighter for families in need in our community by donating a new, unwrapped toy for a child, ages 17 and younger. We will also be collecting donations of gift wrap and bows.

This festive morning will include a special appearance by Santa and Mrs. Claus. Members of the Plainfield Fire Department, Plainfield Police Department, and United States Marines Corps will also be onsite to support this event.

Make your plans to join us!

Date: Saturday, November 14
Time: 10 a.m.- 1 p.m.

Location: 
C.W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Drive
Plainfield, IL 60544

For more information about Toys For Tots in our area, click here.

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Save During the YMCA’s 2026 Fall Membership and Youth Basketball League Sales

Fall Membership Sale

New and alumni members who join the Y anytime between October 2-5 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:

  • Three 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, 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.

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

THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS

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

Morris Hospital YMCA
2200 W. Dupont Avenue
Morris, IL 60450

Village of Shorewood YMCA
1801 W. Jefferson Street
Shorewood, IL 60404

JOIN THE Y

Youth Basketball League Sale

Families can also save when registering for the upcoming YBL season between October 2-5! Use promo code YBLSALE2026 when registering online and save $10 per player.

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

Joliet

Morris/Coal City

Plainfield

Shorewood

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Safe Waters, Strong Futures: Creating a Legacy of Water Safety

For 100 years, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA has been more than a place you go. It has been a promise – driven by people, grounded in values, committed to strengthening our community, and dedicated to ensuring that people of all ages and from all walks of life have the opportunity to discover who they are and who they can become.

As America’s most trusted swim lesson provider, the YMCA is a leading community resource for drowning prevention and lifelong water safety. Each year, YMCA swim programs help more than one million children build essential swimming and water safety skills. As we step forward into the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s second century of service, we have an opportunity to work together to make an investment that can help save lives and create a legacy of safer waters in our community for generations to come.

A Legacy Worth Making
In celebration of the Y’s Centennial Anniversary in 2026, we are excited to announce the establishment of the Safe Waters, Strong Futures Endowment Fund to help ensure that everyone in our community has the skills to feel safe, confident, and capable when they are in and around water.

SAFE WATERS, STRONG FUTURES ENDOWMENT FUND INFORMATION

Imagine the impact. A child learns to float. A young swimmer gains confidence. A parent learns how to respond in an emergency. A family discovers the joy of swimming together. Lifesaving skills are passed from one generation to the next. Your generosity can help make these moments possible – today and tomorrow.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT TODAY
Contributions to the Safe Waters, Strong Futures Endowment Fund will help create a permanent source of support for YMCA aquatic programs. Gifts may be made by cash, check, or online. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, all gifts to the YMCA are tax-deductible.

To pledge your support or to learn more about endowment giving at the YMCA, please contact the Greater Joliet Area YMCA Development Office at (815) 729-9638.

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Capturing a Moment in Time: Greater Joliet Area YMCA Time Capsule

A Celebration 100 Years in the Making

As we celebrate the Greater Joliet Area YMCA’s Centennial Anniversary in 2026, we invite the community to be part of our history. Stop by any Greater Joliet Area YMCA branch to complete a special time capsule note card. Share a message, tell us your Y story, or reflect on what the Y means to you. Your words will become part of our Centennial Time Capsule, which will be opened 25 years from now.

Help us capture the people, memories, and moments that make the Y special – and leave a piece of your story for the generations who come next.

Submissions will be collected through November 20.

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United Way