YMCA News Archive

YMCA and Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Offers Free Summer Memberships to Teens

jeffrey.needham — Tue, 30 May 2023 14:06:14 +0000

YMCA and Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation Offers Free Summer Memberships to Teens jeffrey.needham Tue, 05/30/2023 - 09:06

Thousands of youth will have free access to the Y’s wellbeing and youth enrichment programs from June 5 through September 4

Minneapolis, MN – The Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation and the YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, will offer free memberships for thousands of teens and young adults across the Twin Cities. From June 5 to August 31, teens can access this free membership to 19 YMCA locations throughout the Twin Cities.

The YMCA is positioned to help ensure that youth of all backgrounds and incomes have access to learning opportunities outside of school. The Y’s locations cut across city, county and school district boundaries. More than 80 percent of Twin Cities teens live within 15 minutes of a YMCA location that offers opportunities for wellness, sports, leadership activities, STEM projects and more.

This year the YMCA will offer teens entering 9th through 12th grade an opportunity to be engaged in fitness and wellness programming at the Y. They will also have opportunities for in-person and virtual programming including:

health and wellbeing classes
access to gymnasium, fitness floor and aquatics areas

“I like Get Summer at the YMCA because we talk about things that matter and that affect us,” said Nick from the Minneapolis area.

“Youth Development programs are so important to make sure youth are involved in positive activities that help them grow to become a healthier person, be better students, siblings and friends to others,” said Chicka Merino, community program director for the YMCA of the North. “We intentionally engage in conversations about job and leadership skills, mental health and take time to teach coping strategies like meditating, breathing and stretching techniques.”

“The Y’s Get Summer program’s quality out-of-school time educational activities and healthy exercise activities provide safe and productive ways for teens to spend their summer,” said Mark Dienhart, president and CEO of the Schulze Family Foundation. “The Schulze Family Foundation is pleased to support the YMCA and its Get Summer program for teen-age youth in our community.”

“The YMCA is thrilled to provide a safe environment for young people to engage in wellbeing programs that promote healthy living, build character and leadership, and support success in school and in life,” said Glen Gunderson, president for the YMCA of the North. “The Y is committed to eliminating barriers to participation so all have the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive during out of school time.”

For more information, visit www.ymcanorth.org/getsummer.

About the YMCA of the North

The YMCA of the North is a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Established 167 years ago, the Ys provide life-strengthening services across the greater Twin Cities metro region, southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin communities. The 29 Y locations and program sites, eight overnight camps, 10 day camps, and more than 90 child care sites engage more than 370,000 men, women and children of all ages, incomes and backgrounds. To learn more about the Y’s mission and work, visit www.ymcanorth.org.

YMCA Offers Tips for Safe Swimming for Memorial Day Holiday Weekend and Summer

jeffrey.needham — Mon, 22 May 2023 14:14:11 +0000

YMCA Offers Tips for Safe Swimming for Memorial Day Holiday Weekend and Summer jeffrey.needham Mon, 05/22/2023 - 09:14

Minneapolis, MN – The YMCA of the North, a leading nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, provides water safety tips to help kids, teens, adults and families enjoy lakes, rivers and pools during the Memorial Day holiday weekend and throughout the summer months.

As we continue to manage the pandemic and staffing shortages, water safety is important with up to two years of missed swim lessons, fewer pools with lifeguards, limited access to swimming lessons, more families spending time outside around the water and pools in backyards.

Safety tips to practice in and around the water include below:

Never swim alone.
Lifeguarded beaches and pools provide another layer of safety besides parental supervision. They also ensure water chemistry/beach water has been tested and is safe.
Constantly and actively watch children by a responsible an adult.
Always keep young children or non-swimmers within arm’s reach of parent or guardian.
Remember inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
Be wary of inflatables because a poke or blown valve can turn into a dangerous situation quickly for a child relying on it to float.
Don’t engage in breath holding activities.
Don’t jump in the water to save a friend who is struggling in any water rather use a long object to reach for them and pull them to safety.
Enroll children and non-swimmers in water safety or swim lessons.
Be mindful of the hazards of backyard pools with standing water around because kids can fall down or can’t get out and infants or preschoolers can climb or crawl in. To be safe:
- Install barriers around the pool like a fence.
- Know CPR.
- Guarantee that every child in the backyard pool who cannot swim wears a U.S. Coastguard approved lifejackets.
- Provide constant supervision.
- Make sure there is a way to climb out of the pool if it’s too tall to step out of.
Keep kids safe when adults are also engaged in fun is incredibly important. A simple tip for parents near any kind of water this summer is to take the Water Watcher pledge. As a Water Watcher, an adult agrees to:
- Maintain constant visual contact with the children in the group.
- Not drink alcohol, talk on the phone, socialize or read while watching children.
- Keep a phone near the water for emergency purposes only.
- Remain by the water until relieved by a new water watcher.

“The YMCA is committed to saving lives through water safety programs and education,” said Glen Gunderson, president for the Y. “Each year our Y reaches over 2,000 people through the Safety Around Water program alone. Thanks to partnerships with USA Swimming Foundation, YMCA of USA, Delta Air Lines and Hawkins Inc., we are able to offer this program free of charge so all can access life-saving lessons and skills.”

The YMCA Safety Around Water program and traditional swim lessons teaches youth what they need to do to stay safe in pools, lakes and rivers. In addition to learning what to do if a friend is in trouble, youth develop skills to help if they find themselves in the water unexpectedly:

Jump, Push, Turn and Grab – teaches a child to push off the bottom of the pool as they are submerging to get back up to the surface and turn to grab the side of the pool.
Swim, Float, Swim – teaches children to swim a short distance on their front, roll over on their back to rest, and then roll on their front to continue swimming to safety.

Gunderson added that parents are encouraged to take an active role in fostering a relationship between their children and swimming. The Y offers several programs promoting the benefits of swimming.

Water Skills and Safety at the Y

Y Swim Lessons June Through August: The Y’s swim lessons for infants, kids and teens are the most accessible community resource to prevent drowning and encourage a lifelong enjoyment of swimming. The Y serves all ages in the pool from six months to adults. The YMCA offers a limited amount of discounted swim lessons each year and people can apply online at www.ymcanorth.org/freelessons.
Competitive Swim: YMCA competitive swimming and diving teams are the natural progression from Safety Around Water and Y Swim Lessons by encouraging children and teens to continue their love of swimming while providing an ideal environment for cognitive, physical and social-emotional development.
Lifeguards and Swim Instructors: The YMCA offers free paid training and job opportunities to help teach the community how to be safe in and around the water.

Because the Y is a leading nonprofit committed to helping all young people and their families thrive, financial assistance is available to those in need. To learn more about the Y’s programs, please visit www.ymcanorth.org.

About the YMCA of the North

YMCA of the North to be Recognized as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Organization

jeffrey.needham — Mon, 15 May 2023 14:03:32 +0000

YMCA of the North to be Recognized as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Organization jeffrey.needham Mon, 05/15/2023 - 09:03

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The YMCA of the North, a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility, will be recognized as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization for its efforts in supporting the military community at a proclamation event tomorrow.

“The Minnesota National Guard and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program value our many partners across the state, like the YMCA of the North,” said retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Sandra Best, former Minnesota National Guard Deputy Adjutant General, who will be speaking at the event. “These partnerships are critical to our service members. They provide them the peace of mind to focus on their military duties knowing they and their families have the support of their workplaces and communities.”

The YMCA of the North recognizes the importance of supporting the military community and is proud to receive the designation as a Beyond the Yellow Ribbon organization. The YMCA of the North will become the 80th active Yellow Ribbon organization in Minnesota.

“The Y is honored to connect with other committed organizations in Beyond the Yellow Ribbon to further build a community network that provides resources and support to Minnesota’s military veterans, service members, and families in all military branches,” said Glen Gunderson, president and CEO of the YMCA of the North. “We are grateful for the military service of our YMCA employees, members, and participants for everything they have done to serve our community. Our YMCA is committed to providing wellbeing experiences that help them enjoy fulfilling lives.”

Through its community and corporate partnerships, the Beyond the Yellow Ribbon program, known as BTYR, provides veterans, service members, and their families in all branches a wide range of support, including deployment readiness, family assistance and resources, youth programs, and more.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Media members are invited to the proclamation event on Tuesday, May 16, at 2 p.m. at the Midway YMCA located at 1761 University Avenue West, St. Paul, Minn., 55104. Media can RSVP to Cristina Oxtra at (763) 349-2047or cristina.f.oxtra.nfg@army.mil. To learn more about BTYR, go to https://MinnesotaNationalGuard.ng.mil/btyr.

About the Minnesota National Guard

Established in 1856 and headquartered in St. Paul, the Minnesota National Guard has more than 13,000 Soldiers and Airmen who serve in 58 communities across the state. The Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen of the Minnesota National Guard are ‘Always Ready’ to fight the nation’s wars, protect the country, respond to state emergencies, and contribute to local communities. For more information about the Minnesota National Guard, visit https://MinnesotaNationalGuard.ng.mil.

About the YMCA of the North

The YMCA of the North is a nonprofit dedicated to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Established 167 years ago, the YMCA provides life-strengthening services across the greater Twin Cities metro region, southeastern Minnesota, and western Wisconsin communities. The 29 YMCA locations and program sites, eight overnight camps, 10-day camps, and more than 90 childcare sites engage more than 370,000 men, women, and children of all ages, incomes, and backgrounds. To learn more about the YMCA’s mission and work, visit www.ymcanorth.org.