YMCA MEMBER STORIES

I have been a member of the YMCA for over 20 years. Come rain or shine, running has always been my happy place so a solid treadmill at the Y has been like a good friend. Eventually, some health issues started telling me I couldn’t run as much as I’d like so I had to start looking into other ways to exercise. A friend invited me to a Group X class and I really enjoyed it! I continued to try different classes and it didn’t take long to find my new happy place! I love the instructors and how they are so good at meeting you where you are in your fitness journey while also encouraging you with modifications so you can get the most out of classes. And I’ve made so many new fitness friends, a new happy place indeed!

Coming to the Y has allowed me to work on myself without feeling guilty. I bring our son to the Kids Care most days. Any time we walk into the Kid’s care room, the ladies truly show how much they care about every child. I have always felt safe, comfortable, and excited to give my son interaction and playtime with other children in the care of great people. It allows me to have time to do something I enjoy while knowing he is getting the best care possible. So thank you to all those smiling faces around the Y that make us feel included and welcomed every day!

I have been attending various group exercise classes since joining in January. I can’t believe how the instructors remember my name and how welcome they have made me feel. I have also participated in the A1C screening and Blood Pressure Monitoring Programs. I felt welcome and came away with great information.

I can’t say enough about this YMCA and its value to the community. Well done!

What brought me to the Y was that it is a place where I can come before and after my day and workout. Working out became something I do to help with my anxiety and stress. The gym saved me from my worries and opened me up to a life of finding my best self!

The staff has always been so polite. I always get help when I ask, and a friendly smile when you all are busy. I find this Y a huge place for fellowship. I did my first 5k/walk run when I was 70 and trained for it at the Y! It is a great place to hang out and I count the Y as a place to not only be ministered to but also to minister. Thank you Y staff all of you for the great work you do.

My wife Stefanie and I have been members at the Y since January of 2018. We started out going every day, we would lift weights and walk on the track or treadmill. We then got started playing basketball for about 1/2 an hour then we would finish with a game of horse. We would then walk a mile on the track or run for twenty minutes on the treadmills. Then in May of 2018 while shooting some hoops we had a misfortune happen. My wife stepped on my big feet and rolled her ankle but being the trooper she is, she ran twenty minutes on the treadmill after that. We found that she had a fracture so our time at the Y was slowed. We still went but weren’t as aggressive for the next 4-5 months while her foot healed. We are now back to playing basketball again and walking the track. Going to the Y has helped both of us with weight loss and getting in better shape. We go after work for about an hour as much as we can. I have lost 60 pounds so far and my wife has also lost and been able to keep off the weight. We like the Y because it fits our schedule and we can work out in a relaxed area. Thank you to the whole staff.

2 years ago I retired and wanted to get healthier, I started going to the Warsaw YMCA almost daily to begin my journey for a healthier lifestyle. Right away the staff were friendly and guided me in the direction I needed to go. I started feeling so much better, and began to make new friends there sharing many laughs and smiles I knew early on this would be a new priority in my life.

After learning about all the programs the Y offered I decided to be a volunteer for a Live Strong program that would help those going through cancer. I thought I would be the one giving of my time but it turned out that I was the one so richly blessed to be a part of their journey it was them that ended up inspiring me!

Friendships continued to develop and my journey would soon take a turn, I realized this would be an awesome place to work, which led to a part-time position here. I sincerely thank the staff and the members who have touched my life in so many positive ways with smiles, kindness, and awesome supervisors. Thank you Warsaw YMCA members and staff for all you have done to enrich my daily life. And most of all, thank you God for guiding me there.

I had 2 back surgeries. I was a long-distance runner and ran daily. After the 2nd back surgery that had to be curtailed a bit. So my daughter suggested water jogging at the Y. I had just become a Silver Sneakers member and gave it a try. That was 3 years ago. I come most days unless I am out of town. I appreciate the great staff and facility here in Warsaw And I have enjoyed the indoor track when the weather is not conducive to walking outside.

I had a personal trainer for general weight training and he helped a lot. He taught me about the gym and made me more comfortable coming in by myself.

The friends I have made at the Y are priceless. They often give me the strength to just keep going.

When we found out that my kids could take a fitness class to be able to work out on their own. We were very happy about it.