C.W. Avery, Central City, Galowich, Morris
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is proud to announce six winners for our 2025 Holiday Card Design Contest. These designs were selected from hundreds submitted to our branches and are be featured on the Y’s 2025 Holiday Cards. Thank you to all who participated! You can see the winning designs below.
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.
The 2026 YMCA Gala, generously presented by Midland States Bank, will be held on Saturday, February 28, at the Bolingbrook Golf Club.
Funds raised from this year’s event will benefit the YMCA Mission Strong Fund, helping to ensure that no one is turned away from the Y due to the inability to pay. Cash raffle and toast of the town raffle tickets are now available!
This year’s Cash Raffle is generously sponsored by Grundy Bank. Only 500 tickets will be sold!
Cost: $25
3 amazing prizes are available: $2,000, $1,000 and $500
You can deposit ticket stubs by:
In honor of the Y’s Centennial Anniversary, we’re raising a glass with our Toast of the Town Raffle! One lucky winner will receive a custom bar and a remarkable bourbon collection, including three coveted bottles of Pappy Van Winkle.
This year’s Toast of the Town Raffle is generously sponsored by Ron Tirapelli Ford. Only 200 tickets will be sold! Digital purchases only.
Cost: $100
PURCHASE TOAST OF THE TOWN RAFFLE TICKETS
The winning tickets will be drawn during the YMCA Gala on February 28.
Winners are responsible for all applicable income taxes and must be at least 18 years old to enter. Prize must be claimed within 30 days of notification. Winners are subject to all raffle procedures, rules, regulations, directives, and state and local laws. Winner agrees by entering the raffle to authorize the release of his or her name and likeness for promotional purposes. According to the IRS, a raffle ticket is not tax deductible. Check with your financial advisor for additional information.
Limited sponsorship opportunities remain. Don’t miss out on your chance to support this amazing event!
If you have questions about the 2026 YMCA Gala, please contact:
EVENT INFORMATION
Dori Fugate
Volunteer and Special Events Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (815) 782-0502
SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
Donnie Chestnutt
Mission Advancement Director
Email: dchestnutt@jolietymca.
Phone: (815) 782-0800
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA has been awarded a 2025 Top Workplaces honor by the Chicago Tribune. An eight-time Top Workplace honoree, the YMCA has been providing much-needed programs and services for children, families, and adults living in Will and Grundy Counties for nearly 100 years.
The annual Top Workplaces list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party survey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage LLC. This confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute, just to name a few.
“Earning a Top Workplaces award is a badge of honor for companies, especially because it comes authentically from their employees,” said Eric Rubino, Energage CEO. “That’s something to be proud of. In today’s market, leaders must ensure they’re allowing employees to have a voice and be heard. That’s paramount. Top Workplaces do this, and it pays dividends.”
“Being recognized by the Chicago Tribune as a Top Workplace for the eighth time is an extraordinary honor for our YMCA,” said President and CEO Katy Leclair. “Our employees are at the heart of everything we do. Their dedication to serving our community and advancing the Y’s mission is truly inspiring, and I feel grateful every day to work alongside such a remarkable team. As we look ahead to our Centennial Anniversary in 2026, this recognition is a wonderful way to celebrate the individuals who bring our programs to life and make a difference in the lives of those we serve,” Leclair added.
The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit organizations, strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. A 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA has more than 800 full and part-time employees who work at its three facilities and more than 50 program sites across Will and Grundy Counties. Driven by its mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all, the Y brings families closer together, encourages good health, and fosters connections through fitness, sports, fun, and shared interests. But, most importantly, its doors are open to everyone, regardless of age, income, or background. At the Y, no one is ever turned away due to the inability to pay.
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.
The Greater Joliet Area YMCA will host its annual Gala on Saturday, February 28, at the Bolingbrook Golf Club. Festivities for the Y’s marquee fundraising event, which is generously presented by Midland States Bank, will include dinner, silent and live auctions, exciting raffles, and entertainment.
Sponsorship opportunities for the 2026 YMCA Gala are now on sale! Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this unforgettable evening as we welcome a sold-out crowd of Y supporters to celebrate charitable giving at the Y.
Proceeds from the 2026 YMCA Gala will benefit the Mission Strong Fund, which helps to ensure that the Y’s mission will continue to thrive and help those in our community who need it most. Now in its 18th year, the YMCA Gala has raised more than $2 million to benefit children, adults, and families living in our community.
To learn about this year’s event, please visit our event headquarters or contact:
EVENT INFORMATION
Dori Fugate
Volunteer and Special Events Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (815) 782-0502
SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION
Donnie Chestnutt
Mission Advancement Director
Email: dchestnutt@jolietymca.
Phone: (815) 782-0800
