Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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Let’s Grow Together: C.W. Avery Family YMCA Invites Volunteers to Participate in Garden Club Activities

The C.W. Avery Family YMCA is excited to form its first-ever Garden Club this summer! As part of our Summer Day Camp curriculum, our Y garden serves as a collaborative space for campers to explore agriculture, learn about sustainability, and have fun with their peers.

Garden Club members will help with a variety of hands-on activities:

-Weeding and maintaining garden beds
-Watering plants
-Harvesting produce
-Assisting with summer camp gardening activities

Garden Club is open to members ages 18 and up! All members must complete a volunteer application.

If you have questions about volunteering at the Y, please contact:

Dori Fugate
Volunteer and Special Events Director
[email protected]
(815) 782-0502

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Celebrating a New Beginning at the Village of Shorewood YMCA

Join us for a special moment of pride and celebration as the YMCA hosts a Flag Raising Ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, April 27, at the new Village of Shorewood YMCA, located at 1801 W. Jefferson Street.

During this meaningful ceremony, volunteers from the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery Memorial Squad will raise the American flag for the very first time at the new facility.

Community members and YMCA members alike are invited to gather near the flagpole for this brief outdoor ceremony, which will take place rain or shine.

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Have a Heart, Lend a Hand: Greater Joliet Area YMCA Invites Community to Participate in Volunteer Days of Service

To prepare for the busy summer season, the Greater Joliet Area YMCA is teaming up with its members, volunteers, staff, and local businesses to host Volunteer Days of Service at each of its facilities.

C.W. AVERY FAMILY YMCA
15120 Wallin Drive
Plainfield, IL 60544
Date: Friday, May 1
Time: 9 a.m.- Noon

MORRIS HOSPITAL YMCA
2200 W. Dupont Avenue
Morris, IL 60450
Date: Thursday, May 7
Time: 9 a.m.-Noon

VILLAGE OF SHOREWOOD YMCA
1801 W. Jefferson Street
Shorewood, IL 60404
Date: Wednesday, May 13
Time: 9 a.m.- Noon

JOLIET COMMUNITY YMCA
Hosted at Joliet Junior College
1215 Houbolt Road
Joliet, IL 60431
Date: Friday, May 22
Time: 9 a.m.- Noon

Volunteer yourself or recruit a group of co-workers, friends, and family to join you for a great day of team building and giving back to your community! Volunteers must be 18 years of age. A complimentary lunch will be served for volunteers at 11:30 a.m.

To learn more, please contact the Executive Director at your local YMCA branch.

C.W. AVERY FAMILY YMCA
Erin Lightbody
[email protected]
(815) 267-8600, ext. 238

MORRIS HOSPITAL YMCA
Jamie Heitman
[email protected]
(815) 513-8080, ext. 515

JOLIET COMMUNITY YMCA
Brooke Hall
[email protected]
(815) 744-3939, ext. 316

VILLAGE OF SHOREWOOD YMCA
Trisha Dust
[email protected]
(815) 744-3939, ext. 327

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Teamwork Happens Here: Celebrating a Successful 2026 YBL Season

With the 2026 Youth Basketball League (YBL) season having drawn to a close, we’d like to send our sincere thanks to everyone who helped to make this winter such a memorable experience for young athletes in our community. With the support of our volunteer coaches, generous league sponsors, and community partners, we welcomed nearly 1,100 kids to basketball courts in Joliet, Plainfield, Morris, and Coal City this season.

At the Y, we know that our youth sports programs help to keep kids physically active. But, as we reflect on the past several months, we know that the impact YMCA programs can have on young athletes reaches way beyond what happens on the court during practices and games. In addition to staying active and healthy, kids who play sports develop higher self-esteem, perform better in school, and work better in groups. The YMCA’s YBL program teaches kids the fundamentals of the game of basketball while emphasizing the importance of learning to work together as a team. Most importantly, kids have a lot of fun!

YBL BY THE NUMBERS

1,089 – Athletes
108 – Teams
398 – Games Played
131 – Volunteer Coaches
More than 2,600 Volunteer Hours Served

We’d like to thank all of the athletes and their families, our volunteer coaches, and staff who participated in our YBL programs this year. We’d also like to thank our generous sponsors for helping to make this season possible: 

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

Associated Orthodontists, LTD
Backroads Burger & Bar
Exxon Mobil Refinery
E-Z Auto Sales
Fighting Irish
Filotto Roofing
Floor Coverings Int’l
Greg’s Body Shop
Hamilton & Antonsen, Ltd.
Krown Lux
Martin Mechanical
Mike Pfaff – Edward Jones
Old National Bank
Plainfield Rotary
Raising Cane’s
Ron Tirapelli Ford
Sovereign
State Farm Agent Jackson Anderson
Stockton Wealth Management
Titan Construction
Turk Furniture
VNA Health Care

Joliet Community YMCA

Associated Orthodontists LTD
Contractors Association of Will & Grundy Counties
Exxon Mobil Refinery
Gifted Elite Academy
Hoopers 4 Life
Minor-Morris Funeral Home
MulticulturReal Communications, Inc.
Old National Bank
Pam Grant Sports Club
PeopleFirst Bank
Postnet Graphic Design & Printing
Ron Tirapelli Ford
State Farm Agent Jacks Anderson
State Farm – Howard Wright
Turk Furniture
Venas Vein Center
VNA Health Care

Morris Hospital YMCA

Advantage Realty – Steve Barr
Associated Orthodontists, LTD
Automotive Performance
Brandt Excavating, Inc.
Busey Bank
Contractors Association of Will & Grundy Counties
Country Farmhouse Cafe
Cross Town Realtors – Dana Hathorn
D. Construction, Inc
Dibble Enterprises
E-Z Auto Sales
Edward Jones
Elliott Electric
Feeney’s
Filotto Roofing
Findlay Real Estate Group
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Gene May Heating & Cooling
Honest Abe’s
L. Surges Custom Woodwork
Martin & Associates
Martin Mechanical
McCarthy Building Co.
Old National Bank
Pursuit Wealth Group
Raising Cane’s
Risen Renovations
Rolando’s Furniture & Appliances
Roth Jorstad Insurance
Sherwood Waffle Cafe
SkyHigh Coasters, LLC
State Farm – Mike Lucas
That Perennial Place
The Cove Nutrition
Turk Furniture
UC Davis – Callahan FH
Vital Signs Solutions, Inc
Zabel & Associates, PC
Zig’s Fairway Auto Repair.

We can’t wait to see everyone on the court next season!

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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 the following YMCA Summer Day Camp locations throughout Will and Grundy Counties:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
Morris Hospital YMCA
Village of Shorewood YMCA
Salvation Army Community Center
Messiah Lutheran Church

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.

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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C.W. Avery Family YMCA Welcomes Community for 20th Anniversary Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

On Wednesday, February 4, the C.W. Avery Family YMCA was proud to welcome the community to a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the facility’s 20th Anniversary.

The event began with opening remarks from Plainfield Shorewood Area Chamber of Commerce (PSACC) Executive Director Tasha Marsaglia, who invited C.W Avery Family YMCA Advisory Council Chairman Brian Minnis to give the afternoon’s invocation. Marsaglia then introduced Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Katy Leclair, who began by thanking everyone who has helped shape the Y’s story in Plainfield.

Leclair noted that, from the very beginning, the Y’s focus on bringing people together has found a generous embrace from our members, resulting in a vibrant community center where everyone is welcome.

She added that the C.W. Avery Family YMCA is now home to more than 17,000 members and program participants, and that the Y’s mission is brought to life through visionary staff leadership and invaluable volunteer and donor support. She also credited the strength of continued partnerships with local organizations like Endeavor Health, Plainfield School District 202, and Valley View CUSD 365U, for helping the Y thrive. 

Leclair then welcomed C.W. Avery Family YMCA Executive Director Erin Lightbody as the next speaker. Lightbody expressed gratitude for the day-to-day efforts of YMCA employees and volunteers and emphasized that the Y has a unique ability to help make the community stronger in a variety of ways. 

“I know I speak for our entire staff when I say how grateful we are for the opportunity to bring joy and play a small part in the Y stories that unfold throughout this building and in our programs every single day,” Lightbody said. 

Lightbody then introduced Lauren Betzwiser, granddaughter of Judy and the late Clyde Avery, who thanked the Y for honoring her family’s legacy and serving the community.

The Y then celebrated the support of the Village of Plainfield by inviting Mayor John Argoudelis to speak. Mayor Argoudelis, an advocate of the Y for many years, described the Y’s role in Plainfield’s continued growth, providing vital health, wellness, and youth development programs ensuring that residents have opportunities to thrive.  

The event concluded with members of the C.W. Avery Family YMCA Advisory Council, Greater Joliet Area YMCA Board of Directors, and YMCA staff joining together to cut a ceremonial ribbon in celebration of this important milestone.

To learn more about the C.W. Avery Family YMCA, please visit our branch homepage by clicking here.

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