Thursday, August 29, 2013

From Camp to Classroom

It has been just over a week since YMCA Camp Ingersoll and Summer Enrichment have come to a close. The camp season filled me with new hope, a renewed energy, and an overwhelming sense that the good we did during the summer months will carry on through this new school year as we pass the torch to our Before and After School Professionals and teachers. It is my hope that we remember we have the power to shape the life of every young person we meet. For me, Dr. Haim Ginott expressed it best; “as a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized”. While Dr. Ginott refers to the “teacher”, it is imperative that we do not limit this word and remove ourselves from it. We each have in ourselves the power to be great teachers. We all have the ability to shape a child’s life, and it is essential that we build them up, not knock them down. Going into this new school year, I hope, with great optimism, that we can strive to send our students “home in the afternoon liking himself just a little better than when he came in the morning”.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Upcoming YMCA Facility Improvement Schedule

We are just one week away from the beginning of our facility improvements that will impact the usage of certain areas of the Y. Some of these projects are weather permitting so the dates of completion may vary slightly. If that occurs, we will notify our members. Please feel free to speak to a Y staff if you have any specific questions. Thank you for your understanding during this time.


Both Pools Closed
Friday, August 16 at 2:00 PM
Reopens: Tuesday, September 3 (5:15 am)
See the Front Desk for a list of local Ys that you can visit.


Basketball Court Closed
Monday, August 19
Reopens: Monday, August 26
Humidity effects the curing process, so date and time is subject to change.


Front Entrance of the Y Closed
Monday, August 19
Reopens: Friday, August 30
During this time you can access the Y using the Annex (handicapped entrance) on the Union Street side of the building or the ramp entrance on the Crescent Street side of the building .


Ladies Fitness Locker Room Showers Closed
Friday, August 23
Reopens: Monday, August 26
You will still have access to the locker room, just not the showers. Women will have exclusive use of Family Locker Room for showering during this time.


Fitness Plus Men's Showers & Whirlpool Area Closed
Monday, August 26
Reopens: Tuesday, September 3
Men can access the fit plus locker room but not the shower area. Male fit plus members can use the General Facility Men's Locker Room Showers until this project is complete.


Repairs to the Parking Lot
Wednesday, August 28-Friday, August 30
Full Usage: Saturday, August 31
We will be re-coating and sealing our parking lot during the time frame above. During this time you will have use of half of the parking lot at time while the other half is being worked on. Please use caution when
driving around the lot. Parking spaces will be limited and the lot may be full. This project is weather permitting.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive

Join us this weekend as we team up with Walmart and Durham School Services to provide children and families in need with a fresh start to the school year. We will be collecting donations of new school supplies for local school children.

Come see us Saturday, August 10th and Sunday, August 11th from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm at Walmart in Cromwell. For more information, please click here.

Can't make it down this weekend? Don't worry. We will be collecting supplies from Monday, August 12th to Friday, August 16th at the Y in Middletown. Simply drop your donated supplies off at the front desk.

Thanks for donating and we hope to see you there!

One of our members dropping donated supplies off at the Y!

Y staff member Kevin Devery braves the rain on Friday to collect supplies!