Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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A Message to Y Members From Greater Joliet Area YMCA President and CEO Jim Watts

We want to thank you again for being a loyal member of our YMCA community.

On March 20, Governor Pritzker announced a statewide stay-at-home order aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus. This order went into effect at 5 p.m. on March 21 and will continue through April 7.

This now means that our YMCA facilities will be closed and all programming will be canceled through at least April 7.

Please see below for additional updates.

Membership and Programs

At this time, we have placed all memberships on hold, and will not be processing your next draft, which was scheduled for March 28 or April 15.

Many of you have reached out and have generously indicated that you would like to continue to pay your membership fees to support the YMCA during this difficult time. Membership fees paid during our COVID-19-related closure may be considered a charitable gift, and will help to ensure that the YMCA will be here to support you and your family when this public health crisis is over.

If you would like to continue paying your monthly membership fee, please contact the Membership Director at your local branch. Although our facilities are currently closed, our staff teams will be responding to all inquiries within 24 hours.

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
Membership Director
Megan Payne
Email: [email protected]

Galowich Family YMCA
Membership Director
Michelle Weston
Email: [email protected]

Morris Community YMCA
Membership and Wellness Director
Jamie Nelson
Email: [email protected]

Smith Family YMCA
Membership Director
Aracely Rubio
Email: [email protected]

Spring 1 Programming 

Because our facilities will be closed through at least April 7, we will be canceling all Spring 1 programming. All Spring 1 registrations will automatically be moved to Spring 2, which is scheduled to begin on April 27. If you have questions about spring programming, please contact your local branch.

Before and After School Kid Zone Program

YMCA Kid Zone families may be eligible to receive a pro-rated system credit based on the number of days their child(ren)’s Kid Zone program did not run in March 2020 due to a Coronavirus-related school closure. System credits will be issued on a request-only basis and may be applied towards future Kid Zone payments. Requests may be made by contacting your local YMCA branch.

At this time, we will not be processing additional Kid Zone payments after April 1, until further notice.

Pint-Size Pupils 

The Y will plan to operate Pint-Size Pupils, as scheduled, when school in Plainfield District 202 begins again. To make up for lost learning days, we will be adding additional classroom time at the end of the school year.

At this time, we will not be processing payments after April 1, until further notice.

Thrive Dance Team

The Thrive Dance Team will resume activities when the YMCA reopens.

At this time, we will not be processing payments after April 1, until further notice.

We Are Stronger Together

As a non-profit, community-based organization, the YMCA relies on your membership to provide services and financial assistance for children, adults and families living in our community. We know that by working together we will get through these difficult times. And when we do, please know that the YMCA will be here to support you and your family, like we have for more than 90 years.

Because this situation is ever-changing, please watch your email, follow the Y on social media, and visit our website at www.jolietymca.org for additional updates. Please stay well and take good care of yourselves and your loved ones.

God Bless You,
Jim Watts
President and CEO
Greater Joliet Area YMCA

Strong Families Happen Here: Keeping Kids Connected

Although all branches of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA will be closed through Tuesday, April 7, we are dedicated to supporting families who are looking to keep their kids active and engaged through this closure. That is why we are excited to announce our Keeping Kids Connected Initiative.

Each day, we will be posting new challenges and activities for kids of all ages using everyday materials families can find around their home. Be sure to follow the Y on Facebook and Pinterest to learn more and to take part in these fun activities…Let the games begin!

Day 1: At-Home Treasure Hunts

Help kids sharpen their skills ahead of Easter with exciting treasure hunt activities!  You might just find something you didn’t know was lost!

Day 2: LEGO Challenges

LEGOS are a great way for kids to use their minds and imagination and you can also use them as tools for various learning activities.

Day 3: Do-It-Yourself Musical Instruments

Let your kids explore their creative side in more ways than one! Start off with a craft activity, then make your own music!

Day 4: Around the House STEAM Activities

The worlds of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math can be explored through many everyday items in your home. Challenge kids to think outside the box.

Day 5: UNO Card Fitness

Play UNO in a brand new way by adding a fitness challenge element to gameplay! This is great way to make fitness fun and exciting for kids.

Day 6: At-Home Obstacle Courses

A fun activity that can help kids staying moving while enhancing their problem skills. Use couches, pillows, chairs, etc. as physical tasks and add puzzles or riddles to include critical thinking stages.

Day 7: Tissue/Paper Towel Roll Snake Craft Activity

Save your extra paper rolls for a fun arts and crafts project! Decorate your creation with your favorite colors and accessories.

Day 8: Cotton Swab Painting

Here’s a great way to do paintings without store-bought brushes. It can also be used as a language activity for kids learning to read.

Day 9: Toothpick and Marshmallow Construction Challenge

What do you get when you combine some extra toothpicks with a bag of marshmallows? A great engineering experiment! Check out these ideas for fun projects and mini-structures.

Day 10: Interval Training Workout

Kids can get antsy when stuck inside on a rainy day. Here’s a great set of physical activities they can channel their energy into.

Day 11: Journaling Prompts

This is an important time for children to reflect and address their emotions. Journaling is a great way to help them succeed on those fronts and here you’ll find a set of topics to get them started.

Greater Joliet Area YMCA Facebook Pages:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

Galowich Family YMCA

Morris Community YMCA

Smith Family YMCA

The Y also knows planning can be a tough task for families in these challenging times, so we wanted to share a basic schedule that can help keep parents and kids organized. We encourage families to make adjustments to their needs.

Daily Family Schedule

Teamwork Happens Here: YBL By the Numbers in 2020

Every winter the Y brings communities together to promote youth development through our Youth Basketball Leagues. We look to maximize the positive effects of athletics by emphasizing healthy competition and promoting teamwork, and we know 2020 was another great year for area basketball! With the season coming to a close, we’d like to take this opportunity to share some of the key facts and figures from this YBL season. You can take a look at these inspiring numbers below:

The Y would also like to thank all the families, players, volunteer coaches and staff members who participated across our association’s programs, as well as the sponsors who helped make this season possible:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA:
Bill Jacobs BMW
Bill Jacobs MINI
Bill Jacobs Volkswagen
Gus P. Rousonelos
Joseph & Sons Mechanical, Inc.
Plainfield Rotary Club
Rembert Blount Property Group
Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol, LLC

Galowich Family YMCA and Smith Family YMCA:
Busey Bank
Midwest Tankermen
Rathbun, Cservenyak & Kozol LLC
SCJ

Morris Community YMCA:
AG Resource Management
Animal Care Hospital
Ayers Electric Inc.
Brandt Excavating Inc.
Brian Zabel & Associates, PC
Busey Bank
Century 21 Coleman-Hornsby
Cortina, Mueller, & Frobish PC
Dairy Queen
E-Z Auto Sales
Feeney’s
First Midwest Bank
Fraternal Order of Eagles
Grundy County States Attorney
Huntley Farms
Indicon Electric
Jerrick Construction
Joe Martin CPAMST
Mack & Associates
Midwest Industrial Sales
Morris National Bank & Trust
Riverside Chiropractic
Roe Trucking
Roth Jorstad Insurance
Sky High Coaster LLC
Three Rivers Plumbing
Turtle’s
U.C. Davis-Callahan Funeral Home

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

Greater Joliet Area YMCA Partnering with SEER Analytics to Conduct Member Survey

At the Y, we are committed to strengthening our communities through Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. And now, we are looking to members for their perspective on how we’re doing.

Every day, we strive to help members achieve the goals they have set for themselves and their families. To ensure members an opportunity to share feedback on their Y experiences, we have partnered with SEER Analytics to conduct a member survey. The online survey only takes a few minutes to complete using an email link, and is completely confidential and anonymous.

Members will be receiving an e-mail this month with a link to the online survey. We hope to hear about important personal experiences at the Y – the highlights as well as the opportunities we have to improve.

We look forward to receiving this feedback as we continue our efforts to strengthen our programming and services.

Creating a Better World: Sports Manager Ken Iverson Closing Remarkable Run with Morris Community YMCA Youth Basketball League

Saturday will mark the final time Morris Community YMCA Sports Manager Ken Iverson participates in a Youth Basketball League (YBL) weekend. And when Ken thinks about his last day, he can’t help but think of his own childhood. 

“I fell in love with the game of basketball when I was just a boy,” Ken said. “My dad, a Norwegian immigrant, had never played the game, but he put a hoop up for me. Just a piece of plywood sitting on a pole. I went out and shot on a slanted driveway and just played and played.”

Iverson, a Morris native, has been a fixture in the community’s sports scene for more than 40 years and his passion for basketball burns with the same intensity as it did when he was a kid.

“I can remember sitting on the steps of the bleachers at Morris High School games because there was nowhere else to sit. People were screaming and yelling and I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen in my life,” he said. 

Ken would go on to play at Morris High School and also got a chance to walk-on at Western Illinois University. He returned home to coach middle school basketball throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s and, after retiring in 2005, he was approached to help expand the Y’s presence in Morris.

“We started off with the youth programs, which was my wheelhouse. I’ve been doing that all my life,” Ken said. “But it’s also been rewarding to expand programs to adults and seniors.”

YBL’s growth under Iverson’s leadership opened the door for more sports programming and eventually the Y’s expansion into its current downtown Morris location. Ken played a role not only scouting locations for the Y, but also recruiting the likes of Executive Director Missy Durkin to join the Y team. 

“Over the past six years it’s been an honor to work with Ken and watch his passion for the Y continue to grow,” Durkin said. “I can’t even begin to imagine how many lives he’s touched through his Y career from YBL and adult leagues, to fishing camp and more. We’re grateful he is not retiring just yet, but we know he will be deeply missed in the gyms next year when YBL resumes.”

After 14 years, Ken still relishes his opportunities to make an impact at the Y, particularly working with kids. 

“I’m convinced the reason sports are so important is because of the life lessons you learn for outside the game. It’s about never giving up, hanging in there, always trying your best. For kids, there are virtues that are better learned in this environment than anywhere else,” he said.

Ken is also excited for the future of YBL having worked with Chris Interial, who was named the Y’s new Sports Director last summer. 

“Chris is amazing. I was worried about who was going to come in for me and now I think they might just forget all about Mr. I. Chris is going to take what we have started here and run with it. He’ll make it even bigger and better,” Ken said.

Iverson shared that it has been a tremendous joy to make a difference in his hometown.

“I think the Y is the biggest and best thing that’s ever happened in my life and I think it is the biggest and best thing that has ever happened in Morris,” he said. “It has truly been a blessing.”

On behalf of all the athletes, coaches and staff members who have participated in our Morris YBL program, we would like to thank Coach I for his passion and dedication to the Y and the game of basketball. If you would like to help celebrate Coach I’s last YBL weekend, feel free to stop by Morris Grade School this Saturday. Games begin at 9 a.m. and will continue throughout the afternoon.

Make a Splash: Spring Swim Lesson Sale

The Greater Joliet Area YMCA is excited to announce a Spring Swim Lesson Sale!

Save $5 when you register for both Spring 1 and Spring 2 swim lessons from March 2-9.

Spring 1 Session: March 16-April 26

Spring 2 Session: April 27-May 31

Offer valid at any Greater Joliet Area YMCA location. If you would prefer to schedule your payment for Spring 2, be sure to inquire about our auto-renew program for youth swim lessons, which is now available at all Greater Joliet Area YMCA locations. Open to Facility Members and Community Members. Some restrictions may apply.

Use promo code: SWIMSP20 when registering online. You can also call your local branch to reserve your time slot:

C.W. Avery Family YMCA
15120 Wallin Drive
Plainfield, IL 60544
(815) 267-8600

Galowich Family YMCA
749 Houbolt Road
Joliet, IL 60431
(815) 744-3939

Smith Family YMCA
1350 S. Briggs Street
Joliet, IL 60433
(815) 726-3939

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