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YMCA OF STEUBEN COUNTY

YMCA

PARTICIPATING

IN DAY OF

CARING—APRIL

18TH

The YMCA of Steuben County is joining

with the United Way, schools and other community groups to support the

2018 Day of Caring. The Day of Caring is a way to activate community

volunteerism to assist non-profits, or community members in need, with

service projects that could not be accomplished without resources and

labor. In Steuben County, the three-hour projects center around yardwork

such as raking, shrub trimming, mulching and garden prep. Volunteers can

also do minor home repair and maintenance such as deck staining, trim

painting, and window cleaning.

YMCA staff members will be rolling up our sleeves and participating in the

Day of Caring. We invite members to get involved and join us! If

interested, please sign up at the front desk or contact the United Way.

The United Way will schedule projects with homeowners, then assign them

to groups of 4-6 volunteers.

If you have home/yard project that needs to be done, please

contact the United Way for a free project evaluation. Their phone

number is: 665-6196.

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The AQUATIC CENTER, INCLUDING SAUNA,

WILL BE CLOSED APRIL 30th— MAY 19TH

FOR AIR SYSTEMS INSTALLATION. THANK

YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION AND

PATIENCE WHILE WE MAKE THIS

ESSENTIAL IMPROVEMENT TO OUR

FACILITY!

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” — Muhammad Ali

QUESTIONS,

COMMENTS,

IDEAS?

We had a great question from a

member who was having difficulty

reading the newsletter because of

the font size. The font size we use

is slightly larger than standard

newspaper font and allows us to

fit in all of the information.

For anyone who finds the font too

small to read clearly, we have an

answer for you and hopefully

an easy solution! You can re-

ceive the Newsletter electronically

through email. Just go to the

lower right hand corner and you

can zoom to enlarge the print.

We welcome comments and ques-

tions so keep them coming!

SDK

Meet Dave Neeley, YMCA of Steuben County Property

Manager

Dave joined the Y staff in March

and will be directing preventative

maintenance and improvement

operations for the facility and

property

YMCA OF Steuben County

50 East Harcourt St., Angola, IN 46703

260-668-3607 www.ymcasteuben.org

April 2018 15th Edition

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EARTH DAY, APR. 22, 2018

THE THREE R’S: RECYCLE, REDUCE, REUSE

Our planet is being poisoned; anywhere from ocean and marine life destruction to disrupting human hormones, to littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our waste streams and landfills. Humans

are the first link to reverse the direction that pollution is taking our planet. Join with the Y for the Earth Day movement and channel your energy and commitment to ending pollution on Planet Earth. Be the catalyst of change! 3 Ways to RECYCLE:

Separate your waste. Recycled products can be transformed into something new! AT THE Y USE DESIGNATED BLUE RECYLE BINS

FOR PLASTIC, TIN, AND PAPER PRODUCTS.

Junk mail – recycle then try to get removed from their address sites.

Contact the Northeast Indiana Solid Waste Management District in Ashley to learn about their recycling program of electronics, batteries, and fluorescent bulbs. Phone: 1-260-587-3063 or you can also go on-line to find our more on ending pollution.

3 Ways to REDUCE:

Go to a farmers market and buy/eat locally grown foods. Driving less distance reduces toxic emissions released into the atmosphere.

Carry a plastic bags with you on a walk and pick up trash.

Let dishes air-dry. 3 Ways to REUSE

Use both sides of the paper when drawing, coloring, or writing.

Store your plastic shopping bags in the car, and reuse them next time you shop!

Take your own favorite cup to a coffee house. ENVIRONMENTALLY MINDED Plant trees…..Lower your thermostat….Do full loads of laundry…..Buy recycled products when possible and/or buy in re-cycled containers….Use nontoxic or organic materials whenever possible….and finally, check the internet for more ideas. ********************************************************

YMCA joins the Angola Community Garden!

Garden Tools Needed!

The YMCA will be joining the Angola Community Garden on John Street. The land will be ready to plant in the first week of May. Day campers will tend the garden weekly. It will introduce kids to fruits and vegetables to which they may not have access at home. In addition, campers will learn how to make healthy recipes; for instance, salsa and salads for their dining pleasure. In addition to the Day Camper involvement, we will be needing a lot of volunteers to plant and maintain the garden. Anyone with a little time to spare for a great cause is invited and encouraged to help in the garden as well.

If members have new or used tools they would like to donate, it would be greatly appreciated! Produce w ill be donated to families in need. In addition, excess produce may be available for members to purchase. All proceeds will go to Day Camp, the goal of which is to teach our kids about small business and economy.

Father Mark is a

regular member

of the “Morning

Lap Swimmers”

crew. He is a

Catholic Priest in

Branch County,

overseeing three churches. As a

youth, Mark attended Catholic

schools, where he first felt the

“call” to enter the priesthood.

Later, he received a B.A. in Histo-

ry from St. Meinrad College and a

M.A. in Divinity from Mt. St. Mary

Seminary.

Mark’s mission is to reach out to

those without a home church. He

ministers to people in prison and

assists grieving families while

they work through death or other

hardships. And he truly enjoys

visiting schools to answer ques-

tions about theology.

Mark has been coming to the

YMCA of Steuben County since

2014. He has had a passion for

the Y since his teenage years,

when he worked at the Kalamazoo

Y as a Lifeguard. Mark appreci-

ates the Young Men’s Christian

Assn. because it fosters and sup-

ports a Christian lifestyle. In the

years to come he feels the Y will

continue to fill a need for health

and wellness

When asked what he likes most

about the Y, Mark said that he

appreciates the clean, nice facili-

ty. Foremost, he enjoys the

group of people with whom he

swims in the morning. He says

that he has had some very good

conversations with members, per-

haps because “they know I am a

priest.”

Mark reported that he does not

have a lot of spare time, but when

he does, he especially enjoys his

favorite past-time, taking historic

steam train rides with friends. He

has taken several of these trips in

West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio,

and Michigan. “I’ve see some

amazing parts of the country and

God’s artistry, ” he remarked.

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COMING SOON TO

YOUR YMCA!

Registration for Summer Day

Camp is OPEN! Cost is $115/

week for members and $139/

week for non-members. You

choose which weeks to attend!

There is a $20 registration

fee , which will be waived if

you sign up in April. Full and

part-time rates are available.

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Parking Lot Parté

coming in May!

Revive Indiana

Ministry:

May 11 & 12

Francine’s Friends Mobile

Mammography and Blood Drive

May 7th, YMCA parking Lot.

MAD ANTS Basketball Camp

June 25-29.

New equipment coming soon to

the Wellness Center: a rower,

Jacob’s Ladder, SCI-Fit One (2),

upright bike, and a Woodway

Curve.

Keep tuned for more details

coming soon!

MEET RACHEAL BENNER

Racheal Benner is the Y’s new Chief Financial

Development Officer. She relocated to the YMCA

of Steuben County in January, 2018 after being

the Director of Alumni Relations at Trine-State

University/Trine; a B.S. in Criminal Justice and a

M.S. in Leadership.

Racheal is excited to be a part of the Y. Her primary responsibility is to

build a culture of philanthropy and giving back. Also high on her list is to

encourage a culture of employee engagement and customer support

service. The overall goal is to move the Y’s mission forward while building

on Christian principles.

The Annual Campaign, one of her current projects, is designed to pick up

where dues leave off. Racheal reports that Membership dues cover a lot;

however, they fall short of allowing us to provide maximum opportunities

and programs and for our members. Special events are an important part

of the Annual Campaign. The annual golf outing, “On Course For a Cause,”

scheduled for June 14th,” provides an opportunity for golfing enthusiasts to

gather at Zollner, cruise the golf course with friends, play challenging golf

games, and win prizes. Please watch for more information on this very

popular and well attended event which also provides substantial financial

support for us.

Another focus for Racheal is “Preserving the Past...Preparing for the

Future.” Our goal this year is to reach $200,000. A private donor has

tossed a gauntlet out to fellow members. For every dollar given, it

will be matched up to $100,000! To accelerate progress towards

this goal, Racheal plans to reach out to members to promote this

opportunity to “give back.” She hopes that people will embrace the Y

mission, hear the call for help and join the race towards our $200,000 goal;

one that will ultimately drive the YMCA of Steuben forward in a huge way.

At the time of this Newsletter, Racheal reports that members are joining

the race and have contributed approximately $60K. With match dollars,

that doubles!

When asked what she has enjoyed the most about her first three months at

the Y, Racheal said that she genuinely appreciates the members and the

smiles that she sees each and every day. “Members are so friendly. They

smile back and they are receptive.” She especially enjoys the Silver

Sneakers who are “staying YOUNG by taking care of their health.”

Racheal is married to Tyler and has two children, Ashland and Graeme. Also in the family is their black lab, Cora. In their spare time Racheal says the family enjoys camping, fishing, and Chicago Cubs Baseball. Racheal and Tyler just returned from a trip to Ireland. It was a great trip and when asked what she enjoyed the most, without hesitation she said “the Cliffs of

Saturday, Apr. 14th, 8:00 -11:30 a.m.

Fairview Missionary Church.

Lots of spring and summer children’s

clothing, baby furniture, toys, children’s

books!

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KICKIN’

IT WITH

AOA

1st Friday, Apr. 6th

9:00 a.m. Breakfast and Speaker

@ Northern Lakes.

3rd Thursday, Apr. 19th

11:15 a.m. @ YMCA Fitness

Rm. Lunch provided.

Topic: Senior Safety, Scams &

Identity Theft Protection.

Detective Crooks will be the

speaker.

4th Wednesday:

Apr. 28th 3:00

p.m. @ the

Brokaw. Free

movie, sm. drink &

popcorn!

KRISTA’S KORNER

Spring into Action at the YMCA of Steuben County as you

focus on your health and well-being. We have many

exciting programs for all ages that will assist in meeting

your fitness goals as you coast into the summer months.

Prepare for summer safety by enrolling your kids into swim

lessons. There are both group and private lessons. In June, the Y will offer

the popular SPLASH Water Safety Program. Our water aerobics classes are

very popular and offer high intensity classes to aqua yoga. For dedicated

swimmers, the Masters Swim program may be for you.

Land classes, geared towards improving physical fitness, offer a wide menu

selection for our members. They include cycle/spin, cardio and toning,

strength training, yoga, cardio kick boxing and weight resistance. For the

die-hard, work out enthusiast, try the new P90X LIVE class. The Y is proud

that we can reach out to our Silver Sneaker members with two fitness

regiments, Cardio and Classic. In the Classic, participants get a work-out

while seated. Not as easy as it sounds!

Kids have a wide variety of special programs at the Y to improve skills, as

well as fitness: Soccer, Youth Day Camp, Junior Golf, and Basketball with

the Mad Ants! Our Youth Certification Program is for youth ages 13-15.

With the certification youth will receive cardiovascular and strength training

while learning proper use of equipment in the Wellness Center. Several

specialty programs can assist with intensifying and/or molding your

wellness goals. The Y offers individualized personal training and Pilate’s

sessions with certified trainers.

Rock Steady Boxing is a program rolling out later this month to help people

with Parkinson’s to fight back against the disease. Another program,

LIVESTRONG®, is a YMCA program to assist cancer patients and survivors

in reclaiming health and in developing strength to improve spirit, mind and

body. Wellness programs do not stop there. The Y offers a diabetes

prevention program which is designed to improve health and reduce the risk

of developing Type 2 diabetes. Energy will be boosted with a group of

supportive people with common goals and who care about your well-being.

It focuses on losing weight by healthy eating habits and physical activity.

Lastly, in addition to the programs and classes above, we offer community

events, some of which are coming up soon. In May we will host Francine’s

Friends Mammogram Screening and a Blood drive. In the fall we will host

the 2018 Community Health Day.

We hope you will check out all the options at the Y as you strive to improve health and wellness. As Jim Rohn, a well-known American entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker said, “Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.” ~Krista Miller, CEO

APRIL IS

PARKINSON’S

AWARENESS MONTH

AND THE YMCA IS

ROLLING OUT ROCK

STEADY BOXING!

Anyone with a Parkinson’s

diagnosis can participate in

classes after filling out the

required documents and

having an intake

assessment. If interested

fill out a form at the front

desk. Or call Ryan Sheets

at 668-3607 or email at:

ymcasteuben@rsbaffiliate.com

FUN “FACTOID”: Did you know that an average adult

uses 200 muscles in his/her body to walk one step?

Walk to Work day, the unofficial holiday, is designated

for the 1st Friday of April, April 6th this year. The

American Heart Association’s National Walk to Work

Day is April 4th. Take your choice or do both!

Lace up your walking shoes and WALK on Walk Day!