C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris
The Y is excited to announce that we are now on TikTok! Stay connected to the YMCA community by following our page below:
And don’t forget to let us know what you think! We encourage you to collaborate! Make sure to tag us @jolietymca when visiting the Y!
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA will be joining YMCAs across the country to celebrate Welcoming Week from September 13-22! Welcoming Week, an initiative of Y-USA’s national partner Welcoming America, elevates the growing movement of communities that fully embrace new Americans and their contributions to the social fabric of our country. This week-long celebration is an opportunity for neighbors – both immigrants and US-born residents – to get to know one another and celebrate what unites us as a community.
This week, when you visit your local Y branch, you’ll be able to participate in fun activities that will get you in to the spirit of Welcome Week.
EXPAND YOUR WORLD
Members will be invited to participate in nine fun and easy activities to expand their perspectives and make our community a more welcoming place for all. You can grab an activity card by visiting the Membership Desk or download a card today by clicking below. How many can you accomplish during the week?
Welcome Week Activity Card
BRINGING PEOPLE CLOSER
Members will have the opportunity to pin their country of origin on a map located in the lobby. We are so excited to display a worldwide community throughout the week!
LEARN, GROW, THRIVE
Kid Zone sites will help celebrate YMCA Welcoming Week with group readings of ‘Stand in My Shoes’ by Bob Sornson. This short story will help children understand the importance of empathy when interacting with others.
The C.W. Avery Family YMCA’s Advisory Council is excited to 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 3
Time:
6-9 p.m.
Location:
Chop’d
12337 S. Illinois Route 59, Suite #155
Plainfield, IL 60585
Celebrity Bartenders
Plainfield Mayor John Argoudelis
Liz Bass
State Representative Harry Benton
Stephen Blount
Greg Chapman
Cathy Crawford
Elaine Curry
Kristen Derengowski
Rachel Fitzgerald
Rachael Gould
Rob Hamilton
Anna Hullinger
Village of Plainfield Trustee Cally Larson
Phillip Lawrence
Katy Leclair
Tasha Marsaglia
Plainfield Police Chief Robert Miller
Brian Minnis
Plainfield Township Trustee Eric Nelson
Ryan Peterson
Allison Ramey
Chris Ramirez
Marcus Rembert
Sean Smith
Raffle Ticket Sellers
Donnie Chestnutt
Rachael Gould
Emcee
Joe LaGiglia
The YMCA community encompasses a wide range of amazing people with a passion for public service, including many veterans who have served in the armed forces. Among this group of veterans is Y staff member Joe Miraglia – a.k.a. ‘Mr. Joe’ – who had the opportunity to participate in an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. earlier this summer.
“It was such a whirlwind. Time flew by so fast. The day started at four in the morning and we had 114 veterans on the trip,” he said.
Joe, a veteran of the United States Air Force, said that the experience covered an array of monuments and memorials.
“We started with the World War II Memorial and then we stopped by the Vietnam Memorial. We also got a tour of the National Air and Space Museum,” he said. “The support staff during the flight and trip were amazing.”
And when Joe returned home, a pleasant surprise was waiting for him at the airport.
“There were hundreds of people in the crowd, and as I was walking through to the end of the line, there were all my Y people. I was shocked to see so many,” he said.
A group of nearly two dozen YMCA members and staff had gathered to welcome Joe back to Illinois.
“Joe has been a Y member for more than 15 years and, in addition to being one of our most dedicated Fab 50 participants, he has also made a positive impact as a member of our youth and family staff team since 2021,” Director of Branch Operations Lisa Behounek said. “We wanted to show our appreciation for his service and help make the day a true celebration.”
Joe said he is excited to continue his work as a birthday party attendant, participate in YMCA water aerobics classes, and stay connected with the other members of the Fab 50 social group.
“I have a lot of fun at the Y and over the years I’ve made a lot of friends. Everybody is so helpful and friendly,” he said.
On behalf of the Y, we’d like to thank Joe for his service to our country. We are so grateful to have him as a member of our YMCA family!
On Wednesday, September 4, the C.W. Avery Family YMCA was proud to welcome the community to a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the renovation of its Kids Corner Supervised Playroom, Supervised Activity Center, and Program Room.
The event began with opening remarks from Plainfield Shorewood Area Chamber of Commerce (PSACC) Executive Director Tasha Marsaglia, who invited Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair . Leclair then thanked everyone who helped transform the renovated space, noting that this project was made possible thanks to the advocacy and leadership of State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel and a generous grant from the State of Illinois. This incredible support provided the Y with the opportunity to create colorful, welcoming, and engaging youth programming spaces for children and families in our community.
Leclair then introduced YMCA Director of Branch & Program Operations and C.W. Avery Family YMCA Executive Director Lisa Behounek, who shared more about how the newly renovated spaces will benefit kids in our community.
Renovations include:
Kids Corner Playroom (Open to children ages 6 months – 7 years old)
New furniture, toys for kids of all ages, fresh paint, welcoming graphics, and a new play structure.
Activity Center (Open to children ages 7 and up)
New furniture, wall graphics, computers, gaming systems, Infinity gaming tables, a TV, and expanded arts and craft stations.
Program Room (Utilized for Fab 50 Events, Community Meetings, and Day Out of School and Summer Camp activities)
Fresh paint with new kitchen equipment and cabinetry installed.
Behounek then welcomed State Senator Cappel to speak about her support of the Y’s mission. Cappel said she was proud to play a role in the project and expressed gratitude for the Y’s impact in the community.
C.W. Avery Family YMCA Advisory Council Chairman Ryan Peterson then presented Senator Cappel with a special gift made by children in the YMCA’s Pint-Size Pupils preschool program.
The event concluded with members of the Avery Advisory Council, PSACC, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Board of Directors, and YMCA staff team joining together to cut the ribbon and formally celebrate the grand opening of the renovated spaces.
We welcome members to utilize these renovated spaces during their next visit to the Y!
Kids Corner Hours
Monday-Friday: 8:45 a.m.-12 p.m., 4:30-8 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Available to Facility Members only. For safety and security reasons, we ask that members present a membership card for themselves and their child(ren) when they are checking into Kids Corner. No reservations are required.
Supervised Activity Center Hours
Monday-Friday: 3:15-8 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday: 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Our 2024 Summer Day Camp season, which was generously sponsored by CN, officially came to a close last week. It was another incredible experience for everyone involved!
We’d like to thank all of our camp families for spending the summer with us here at the YMCA. We hope you have a wonderful school year and look forward to seeing you back at camp next year.
We’d also like to thank all of our wonderful community partners who opened their doors and their hearts, allowing us to provide much-needed summer child care at locations throughout Will and Grundy Counties.
Finally, we’d like to thank our top-notch summer camp team for their endless energy, compassion, and creativity. Your hard work and tireless dedication helped to ensure that each of our campers had a summer full of fun and adventures.
As we take a look back at the summer that was, let’s take a closer look at YMCA Summer Camp By the Numbers:
8 Camp Locations
With a little help from our friends, we hosted camp at each of our YMCA facilities and at offsite locations throughout the community. Thank you, Salvation Army Joliet Corps Community Center, Joliet Junior College, Saratoga School District 60C, Plainfield School District 202, and Valley View School District 365U for helping us serve kids in our community this summer.
1,220 Campers
We are so proud to provide a memorable camp experience for each and every one of our amazing summer day campers.
215 Counselors
Summer day camp would not be possible without the dedication, versatility, and inspiring leadership of our Summer Camp staff team.
39 Summer Day Camp Volunteers Contributing 2,100 Volunteer Service Hours
Student volunteers from local high schools as well as volunteers from the Catholic Charities of Joliet were a pivotal resource during summer day camp as they provided assistance to Y staff, ensuring campers participated in a wide range of learning opportunities.
63 Field Trips
We were thrilled to help our campers go on exciting adventures! Whether it was a trip to the movies, a visit to the zoo, or enjoying a day at an amusement park, our campers got the chance to explore the community and make memories!
More than $80,000 raised by the YMCA’s Send a Kid to Camp Campaign
At the Y, nobody is ever turned away due to the inability to pay. Nearly half of the children who attend YMCA summer day camp programs receive financial assistance, and this is made possible by the incredible generosity of YMCA donors. This spring, our Send A Kid to Camp Campaign supporters generously funded more than 1,700 days of camp for children in our community.
We look forward to seeing you next summer. Camp registration for the summer of 2025 will get underway in March!
