Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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Support the YMCA on Giving Tuesday

We know that the true power of the Y lives in the hearts and actions of everyone who believes in our vision of a better us and a stronger community for all. Whenever we see a neighbor in need, the Y stands ready to help with open arms and caring hearts.

This year, we invite our supporters to join the #GivingTuesday movement by making a tax-deductible donation to the Y’s Mission Strong Fund. A gift of any amount will help to change the lives of people living right here in our community – your friends and neighbors.

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Give to Strength: Make a Donation to the Y During Our 12 Days of Giving Campaign

For nearly 100 years, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA has worked hand-in-hand with our neighbors to bring about meaningful change in our community. As one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations, the Y is committed to strengthening our community by empowering young people, improving individual and community well-being, and inspiring residents of all ages to give back and connect with their neighbors.

At our three facilities in Joliet, Plainfield, and Morris, and at more than 50 program sites throughout our community, the Y is providing much-needed programs and services for children, families, and adults living in Will and Grundy Counties. Each and every day, kids of all ages are learning to swim and making new friends at summer camp and through our before and after school Kid Zone programs; teens are setting goals for their future while receiving college readiness and career training; seniors are becoming physically stronger and making connections; and families are staying active and spending quality time together.

We know that the true power of the Y lives in the hearts and actions of everyone who believes in our vision of a better us and a stronger community for all. Whenever we see a neighbor in need, the Y stands ready to help with open arms and caring hearts. This would not be possible without the support of our generous donors.

To ensure that the Y’s mission can continue to thrive and help those in our community who need it most, we invite you to make a charitable gift to the YMCA’s 2025 Mission Strong Fund during our 12 Days of Giving Campaign, which begins on November 21 and will continue through Giving Tuesday on December 3.

Your gift this holiday season will help people living right here in our community – your friends and neighbors – and ensure that no one is turned away from the YMCA due to the inability to pay.

DONATE TODAY

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An Evening of Gratitude: Recognizing Those Who Give Today to Strengthen Tomorrow

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA hosted its 2025 Heritage Club Dinner at Mistwood Golf Club on Thursday, October 16. 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.

Celebration of Charitable Giving

Following dinner, Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair 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. 

Leclair then welcomed YMCA Board Member and Heritage Club member Guy Christensen, who spoke about the inspiring impact of charitable giving and how it has shaped his personal Y story. Guy and his wife, Jan, served as co-chairs of the Morris YMCA Capital Campaign Leadership Cabinet, which successfully raised more than $21 million to build the new Morris Hospital YMCA. He also expressed their gratitude for being able to establish a new endowment fund—ensuring their support of the Y will continue to make a difference for generations to come.

Following Guy’s remarks, the Y recognized C.W. Avery Family YMCA members Jose Murillo and Rosa Garcia, along with their five daughters—Jackie, Camila, Alexa, Maya, and Mia. Nearly seven years ago, Jose and Rosa became involved with the YMCA and, through the support of the Y’s financial assistance program, were able to enroll their daughters in swim lessons, tumbling, and ballet classes. As the girls spent more time in the pool, their passion for swimming grew, leading them to join the JETS Swim Team, where they learned the values of teamwork and sportsmanship, and discovered a true love for the sport. None of this would have been possible without the Y’s financial assistance program and the generosity of donors who believe in and support the Y’s mission.

The event concluded with a special presentation of the William R. Lauer Service to Youth Award to longtime YMCA volunteer, donor, and chairman of the Joliet Community YMCA Advisory Council Larry Wiers. 

“Larry has been a longtime champion of youth development at the YMCA. His expertise and dedication to helping students become the best version of themselves, and prepare for the future, has had an incredible impact on YMCA programs and their participants. We are so thankful for his continued leadership and support,” Katy Leclair said. 

Leclair was joined at the podium by YMCA Board Members Bill Lauer and Don DeGeus, who presented the award to Wiers, who then addressed guests.

Wiers praised the examples put forth by fellow volunteers, like Lauer, and reflected on his more than 50-year career as an educator and school superintendent. He emphasized the impact each person can make in their community, particularly in the lives of young people, even when the effects aren’t immediately visible.

An Invitation for Impact  

Endowment Development Committee Volunteer Donna Zanzola 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.

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Registration Underway for 2025 YMCA Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge

Holiday Weight Maintenance Challenge Starting November 17

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 17 and November 23)
Week 8 (some time between January 5 and January 9)

There will also be optional weigh-in:
Week 4 (some time between December 12 and December 14)

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 Hospital YMCA

Cost: $30

PLEASE NOTE: Registration closes on November 16.

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C.W. Avery Family YMCA Advisory Council Set to Host Celebrity Bartender Event on October 9

The C.W. Avery Family YMCA’s Advisory Council is excited to once again host a special Celebrity Bartender Event! Stop by to see some of your favorite Y friends and support a great cause! All cash tips collected at the bar will benefit the YMCA Mission Strong Fund. Please remember to bring cash for raffles and to tip your bartender. Complimentary appetizers will be served. 

Date:
Thursday, October 9

Time:
6-9 p.m.

Location:
Chop’d
12337 S. Illinois Route 59, Suite #155
Plainfield, IL 60585

Celebrity bartender list still to be announced. Stay tuned for updates!

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Jackson Generation Donates $5,000 in Support of YMCA Teen REACH Program

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.

“We are incredibly grateful for Jackson Generation’s gift and the role it will play in helping the Teen REACH program shine brightest,” Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin said. “This donation represents a shared commitment to service, and we know it will have a positive impact on students.”

Pictured in top photo (second row, left to right): Greater Joliet Area YMCA Mission Advancement Director Donnie Chestnutt, Jackson Generation Operations Manager Austin Ouellette, Joliet Community YMCA Teen REACH & Teen Achievers Director Darrell Collins, Joliet Community YMCA Operations Director Brooke Hall, Jackson Generation Plant Manager Scott Freese, J-Power USA Assistant Director of Corporate Communications Joyce Bae, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Chief Business Development Officer Missy Durkin.

To show your support for the YMCA Mission Strong Fund by making a donation today, please click here. 

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United Way