Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign Raises More than $93,000

Over the last several weeks, Y supporters generously joined together to raise more than $93,000 to help send kids to YMCA camp this summer!

As we prepare to officially kick-off summer camp season at the YMCA, we’d like to thank everyone who pledged their support, shared information about our 2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign on their social media networks, and invited their friends and family members to learn more about the Y’s youth development work. Thanks to the overwhelming support of our generous donors, we are excited to share that our 2025 Send A Kid to Camp Campaign raised enough funds to provide more than 1,850 days of camp for children in our community.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT TODAY

Although our 2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign has come to an end, you can still pledge your support for the YMCA’s mission by visiting your local YMCA branch or making a charitable gift online.

DONATE TODAY

Thank you for your careful consideration and commitment to making a difference for the kids in our community.

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all gifts to the Greater Joliet Area YMCA are tax-deductible.

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SMILES ALL AROUND: Make a Donation to the 2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign Today

Summertime at the YMCA is truly a magical time of year and a wonderful opportunity to see our mission at work throughout our community. Each summer, we have the absolute privilege of welcoming kids from across our community to YMCA summer day camp locations in Joliet, Plainfield, Morris, Romeoville, and Bolingbrook. At YMCA summer camp, kids of all ages learn new skills, build self-confidence, create lasting memories, and develop life-long friendships.

At the Y, we remain dedicated to providing a fun, safe, and memorable camp experience for all children, but we can’t do it alone. Last summer, more than half of the children who attended our summer camp program did so with the help of the YMCA’s financial assistance program. This was made possible thanks to precious funds donated to the YMCA by generous donors like you. To ensure that the Y’s mission will continue to thrive and help those children in our community who need it most, we need your support once again.

DONATE NOW

We invite you to invest in the kids in our community by making a charitable contribution to the YMCA’s 2025 Send a Kid to Camp Campaign. Your gift, in any amount, will help to ensure that every child has the opportunity to benefit from an engaging and impactful summer camp experience at the Y. Please know that a donation to the YMCA will help to change the lives of families living right here in our community- your friends and neighbors.

Donate today by visiting your local YMCA branch or making a charitable donation online.

DONATE NOW

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, all gifts to the YMCA are tax-deductible.

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YMCA Announces CN as Official Summer Day Camp Sponsor

YMCA summer day camp programs create opportunities for kids to learn new skills, be creative, build self-confidence, and gain independence in a safe, fun, and nurturing environment. Each summer, hundreds of area children attend summer day camp at the Y, developing new friendships while building a healthy spirit, mind, and body. 

And, as a nonprofit, community-based organization, the Y relies on the generous support of its members, volunteers, donors, and corporate partners to provide these programs for children living in our community.

That is why the Greater Joliet Area YMCA is proud to announce that CN will return as the official sponsor of YMCA Summer Day Camp in 2025 as part of a new three-year partnership. 

“We are incredibly excited to have CN’s continued support as our YMCA Summer Day Camp sponsor,” YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair said. “Summer day camp is one of our largest youth development programs, serving nearly 1,500 kids in our community each year. CN’s generosity will help to ensure that campers throughout Will and Grundy Counties have the opportunity to make memories, go on new adventures, and learn, grow, and thrive at YMCA camp this summer and beyond.”

The Y is set to offer day camp at seven different sites across Will and Grundy Counties this summer. Registration is underway and financial assistance is available. To learn more about YMCA Summer Day Camp, please click here. 

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Greater Joliet Area YMCA Invites Area High School Students to Participate in Summer Day Camp Volunteer Program

Are you looking to take an active role in bringing about meaningful, enduring change right in your own neighborhood? The YMCA’s summer day camp volunteer program is for you!

Area high school students, entering grades 9-12, can now sign up to volunteer at YMCA Summer Day Camp locations throughout Will and Grundy Counties. With flexible schedules, and a variety of volunteer roles available, you will be sure to find a volunteer opportunity that piques your interest and proves to be a rewarding experience.

At the Y, we strive to create a summer day camp experience like no other. And we are proud to say that volunteers play an important role in the success of these programs. By working together, we can ensure that all children will have the opportunity to benefit from an engaging and impactful camp experience. Students can apply online today by clicking below.

Youth Volunteer Application

To learn more about becoming a YMCA Summer Camp Volunteer, please contact:

Dori Fugate, Volunteer and Special Events Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (815) 744-3939, ext.

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Where the Fun Never Ends: Registration for Summer Day Camp Opens for Facility Members on March 8

At the Y, we provide safe, affordable, and fun summer day camps for youth and teens in grades K-8. Kids have the opportunity to explore nature, find new talents, try new activities, gain independence, and make lasting friendships and unforgettable memories.

Daily activities include:

-Teambuilding
-Arts and Crafts
-Outdoor Exploration
-STEAM Activities
-Reading Time
-And so much more!

REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE!

Registration opens at 8 a.m. on March 8 for YMCA Facility Members and at 8 a.m. on March 15 for Community Members. Register for summer day camp by March 24, and pay a $0 registration fee, a savings of $50!

Learn more about YMCA Summer Day Camp programs available in your area by clicking below.

C.W. Avery Family YMCA (Serving Plainfield and the surrounding communities)*
*Currently on a waitlist.

C.W. Avery Family YMCA (Serving Valley View School District 365U)

Galowich Family YMCA (Serving children in Grades K-8 in Joliet and the surrounding communities)

Teen REACH (Serving children in Grades 6-8 in Joliet School District 86)

Morris Hospital YMCA (Serving Morris and the surrounding communities)

In addition to summer day camp, the YMCA offers a variety of sports, preschool, and specialty camps each summer.

EARLY BIRD SALE

Save $5 when you register for a summer sports, preschool, or specialty camp between March 8-24. Use promo code: CAMP5OFF when registering online. Valid at any Greater Joliet Area YMCA location. Some restrictions may apply.

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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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United Way