Greater Joliet Area YMCA

GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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

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Charter Memberships On Sale Now for the New Morris Hospital YMCA

Demonstrate your support for the Y’s mission in Grundy County by becoming a Charter Member of the new Morris Hospital YMCA. Located just west of Morris Grade School on Dupont Avenue, our new 60,000-square-foot YMCA facility is scheduled to open in early 2025. 

As a Charter Member, you’ll enjoy unparalleled benefits, special perks, and a front-row seat to our grand opening:

PRIORITY ACCESS IN DECEMBER 2024
Charter Members will be among the first to experience our new state-of-the-art facility and innovative programs.

COMMEMORATIVE GIFTS
Charter Members will receive a welcome kit packed with exciting one-of-a-kind YMCA gear and grand opening gifts.

EXCLUSIVE EVENTS
Charter Members will be invited to an exclusive preview event during our Grand Opening week in December.

RECOGNITION ON DONOR SIGNAGE
The everlasting legacy of each Charter Member will also be honored on a permanent donor sign, displayed within the new building.

SPECIAL SAVINGS AVAILABLE FOR CURRENT YMCA MEMBERS
Stop by the Morris Community YMCA or contact Membership Operations Director Michele Claysen at (815) 744-3939 ext. 305 or via email at [email protected] to learn more about these savings!

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT TODAY!
To become a Charter Member, please click below:

PURCHASE A CHARTER MEMBERSHIP

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Celebrating a Successful 2024 Summer Camp Season at the YMCA

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!

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Meet C.W Avery Family YMCA Before and After Care Director Lori Barrie

This week marks the start of the 2024-2025 school year and the Y is ready to once again welcome students into our before and after school Kid Zone program! Before and After Care Director Lori Barrie is starting her first year at the helm of the C.W. Avery Family YMCA’s Kid Zone program in Plainfield School District 202. We are so excited to have Lori on the Y team. You can learn more about her in the Q&A below!

Q: How did you get involved with the YMCA’s Kid Zone program? 

I have been with the Y’s before and after school team for more than seven years. My journey began as a counselor at Eichelberger Elementary School and I later became a site supervisor for the schools in the northern portion of the district. I have been so blessed to have the opportunity to visit and get to know students, parents, and counselors throughout the years, and I’m so happy to get started as the director of this wonderful program! 

Q: Why do you have a passion for youth development work?

Working with children is an amazing experience. My goal is to provide children with a safe, fun, and rewarding learning environment, making a positive impact on their lives each and every day.

Q: What do you think makes YMCA Kid Zone a special experience for kids? 

I think the sense of community and family that we create at our Kid Zone sites makes it special. We also offer a variety of crafts, STEM projects, games, and physical activities that we know create well rounded learners. 

Q: With the new school year officially underway, what are some of the most exciting activities you have planned for the months ahead? 

Each month, we base our curriculum around a core character development theme. Our first theme is ‘Relationship Building,’ so we are incorporating different activities for kids to start building positive relationships with their classmates and counselors. We are also excited to have guests from the Plainfield Library visiting sites for reading activities, and the games and themes we have planned for our Fun Fridays are always a favorite activity for our students!

Q: What are your favorite things to do outside of the Y? 

My favorite thing to do outside of the Y is to spend time with my family.  We enjoy exploring new places on walks and hikes. I am also a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan and love attending games and watching them on TV!

If you are interested in joining our Kid Zone staff team, visit our Employment Opportunities page or apply online today. 

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Galowich Family YMCA Invites Families to Participate in Fall Homeschool Gym and Swim Programs

The Y is excited to offer health and wellness programs for homeschool families this fall! These five-week programs are open to kids, ages 4-14.

Fall 1 Classes: August 26-September 29
Fall 2 Classes: September 30-November 3
Fall 3: November 4-December 15

Homeschool Gym
Thursdays, 10-10:45 a.m.

Cost: $55 for Facility Members, $110 for Community Members

Activities will focus on developing healthy habits, making new friends, and enjoying new forms of exercise and games!

REGISTER EARLY AND SAVE!

Save $5 when you register your child for Homeschool Gym by August 26 for Fall 1, September 6 for Fall 2,  November 4 for Fall 3. Discount Code: HOMESCHOOL

REGISTER TODAY

Homeschool Swim Lessons
Thursdays, 11 a.m.-Noon

Cost: $52 for Facility Members, $104 for Community Members

Participants will receive a 30-minute swim lesson and then have 30 minutes for open swim in the pool.

REGISTER TODAY

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Register Today for JETS Swim Team 2024 Fall Clinics

The Joliet Y JETS swim team offers a range of practice groups, from beginner to advanced, based on age, skill, speed and commitment. To be placed on the beginning level of the team, swimmers must be able to swim freestyle for one length of the pool (25 yards) without stopping while demonstrating the ability to comfortably swim at the surface with arms reaching forward over the water, their face in the water, and taking breaths to the side. They must also swim 25 yards of backstroke without stopping, showing they are comfortable floating on their back while maintaining a rhythmic, supportive kick.

A member of both YMCA and USA Swimming, the JETS prepare for and participate in a variety of meets throughout the year, although competition is not mandatory. The team practices from 3 to 6 days per week, depending on group placement, at both the Avery and Galowich YMCA branches. Swimmers are encouraged to attend practices and work hard, however 100% attendance is not required.

If you’re interested in joining the JETS, please join us at one of our upcoming Swim Clinics. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the JETS and to meet our team and coaching staff. Throughout the week, coaches will be evaluating swimmers for team placement. A YMCA membership is not required to participate in the clinic.

Cost: $25

C.W. Avery Family YMCA

Ages 6-10
Dates: August 26-28
Time: 5-6 p.m.
JOIN THE WAITLIST

Ages 11-17
Dates: August 26-28
Time: 6-7 p.m.
REGISTER TODAY

Galowich Family YMCA

Ages 6-17
Dates: August 27-29
Time: 5-6 p.m.
REGISTER TODAY

To learn more about the JETS, please contact:

Dave Hedden
Director of Competitive Aquatics
[email protected]

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Swimming Without Limits: C.W. Avery Family YMCA Offering Sensory-Friendly Swims This Fall

Join the YMCA for a morning of joy, support, and celebration as we create a welcoming space for swimmers of all abilities. Designed to be inclusive and accommodating for kids with diverse sensory needs and their families, YMCA Sensory-Friendly Swims will feature a quiet environment with no music and little-to-no whistle use by our lifeguards. The water features in the Family Pool will also be turned off during this time.

Sensory-Friendly Swims are open to YMCA Facility Members and the community, so we encourage you to invite your friends and family to join along. Registration is required.

Dates:
Sunday, September 15
Sunday, October 13
Sunday, November 10

Time:
11 a.m.-Noon

* Families are welcome to extend their visit at the Y and participate in Open Swim, which will begin in the Family Pool at noon.

Cost:
YMCA Facility Member Families: Free
Community Member Families: $10 Per Family

REGISTER TODAY

If you have any questions please contact Cindy Moss at (815) 267-8600, ext. 228 or by email at [email protected].

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United Way