Middlesex YMCA

50/50 Fitness Competition - Camp Director Challenge #2

2012-01-30T05:10:00.001-08:00

Good Morning Campers!!

I hope many of you completed last week's challenge of running a total of 12 miles! After some reflection on my challenged based event ahead, I imagine myself of crawling through miles of mud under barbed wire fence and through tunnels, it occurs to me that I'll need some upper body strength. So here is my Upper Body Strength Challenge:

Complete a total of 275 push ups!

My training team and I (Maegan), will do a variety of push up exercises over a course of two separate workouts. But again you can complete the challenge anyway you like, as long as you get to 275 by next Monday.

Good Luck and Stay Fit!

50/50 Fitness Competition - Camp Director Challenge #1

2012-01-22T18:13:00.001-08:00

Alright 50/50 contestants as this fitness challenge is about to officially kick-off I first want to thank you for participating. Half of the money raised will help give some children an opportunity they would not otherwise have to experience YMCA Camp Ingersoll this summer. A truly great thing, thank you.

A little about my challenges (I promise the remainder challenges won't be this long winded):

I've been trying to increase my level of fitness for a few years now and in my quest for health, I recently registered for a Tough Mudder event to be held this May. A 10 mile extreme obstacle course that involves running up a mountain, climbing and crawling through mud along with other crazy obstacles. I hear that it requires a mix of stamina, strength and mental toughness to complete. So as I prepare for my adventure, I am challenging you to complete a portion of my training regiment. Important note: I, along with my training partner Maegan, will be completing all my challenges issued each week. Some may be harder than others, but they all are challenging to me! Each challenge must be completed prior to the following Monday and remember our core character value of Honesty!

Tony's Challenge Week 1
I need to get some mileage under my belt, so I figure that a running challenge is a nice way to start. I know it's cold outside, but that's part of the challenge, plus there are plenty of treadmills available.

Run a total of 12 miles

Good luck and stay fit!

Staying Healthy this Holiday is Easier Than You Think

2011-12-19T11:17:00.000-08:00

Staying Healthy this Holiday is Easier Than You Think

Tis the season for Holiday shopping, parties, gatherings and a whole lot of homemade Holiday cooking! For most of us, the Holiday Season disrupts our normal health routines and habits. Spinning class is replaced by an office party and our evening Zumba class is spent at the mall trying to complete the never ending shopping list. To make it even worse as we go for Grandma’s special snowmen brownies a voice in our head tells us over and over again, “Don’t do it!” or “You’re gonna regret that!” We can be too hard on ourselves during this time of year, but here are some things to consider before you get down on indulging and some tips on how to enjoy your holidays this year:

First, you’re most likely not going to gain ten pounds between now and New Year’s Day. No matter what has happened since Thanksgiving and what you have planned for the remainder of 2011, according to research the average person gains between 1 and 4 pounds during this time. Not great, but not ten pounds either, so celebrate!
Be real with yourself. You’re most likely not going to lose weight, adjust your goal to try to avoid gaining weight.
Plan time to exercise. As I mentioned, routines are disrupted and classes or gym time is missed, so try to find other ways to exercise. Park farther away at the mall. Not only will you avoid those ugly parking battles, you’ll most likely save time parking and walking the extra 20 yards than driving around trying to find that great spot close to the entrance. Finding an extra five minutes in everyday tasks can add up! If you can plan time to exercise that is great, it can be a fantastic stress reliever!
Don’t try to skip a meal prior to a party, that just leads to over eating. Instead eat a raw vegetable or piece of fruit, that will curb your appetite a bit and boost your confidence. It’s like they say, one good decision leads to another.
When you are faced with a goody filled buffet, stick with your favorites temptation and pass on those foods you can live without.

Remember that the Holidays are about being with family and friends, not necessarily the food. So enjoy the time you have together, create some new memories and worry less about what to eat. Besides, there’s always your New Year’s Resolutions to help get back on track!

For more tips visit: CPMC Sutter Health

Happy Holidays!

Santa's Workshop a Great Success

2011-12-13T06:35:00.000-08:00

Teaching children the importance of giving and sharing can be a challenge especially during the holiday season when the mantra, "I WANT..." can be heard everywhere. Adults need to role model generosity, compassion, empathy and philanthropy if they expect children to grow up to be good neighbors.
Last Thursday the Y gave families the opportunity to share the true meaning of Christmas with an event called Santa's Workshop. More than 30 people packed the Hazen Room and brought toys that were then wrapped and will be delivered to ABC Women's Center and NEAT. Children enjoyed making crafts, and eating cookies but the highlight of the evening was definitely Santa Claus making an appearance to thank the children for their donations.
There was a wonderful feeling of Christmas in the room that night. Everyone was smiling and laughing and enjoying being together. And that is the best way to teach values, by doing more than talking about sharing, by having children actually share.

Thank you to Tony Sharillo, Melanie Carfora, Amy Cardoza, Dave Jacob, Maegan Musanti, Kevin Devery and the staff of the Therapeutic Support Mentoring Program for all of their work and support.

Middlesex YMCA Addressing Youth Obesity

2011-11-22T08:13:00.000-08:00

The significant increase in youth obesity and the resulting health crisis that many of our young people face requires intervention and action. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that in 2008, more than one third of children and adolescents were overweight or obese. This statistic is alarming but what is most sobering is the impact that obesity has on the quality of life of these individuals and the short and long term cost to society. It is a societal imperative that we reverse the trend and help young people gain back a healthy lifestyle.

The YMCA is for healthy living and we are committed to teaching our youth that an active lifestyle is attainable and enjoyable. Our message is that it is fun to be fit, to play hard, to run and jump and move your body. In 2006 the YMCA Kids’ Korner after school programs introduced the CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) curriculum in our eleven after school programs. This wellness curriculum is comprised of physical fitness games, activities and nutritional resources. Y staff facilitates a daily active game and integrates the nutrition materials into cooking clubs, group discussion and science clubs. Parent survey results indicate that 75% of children have shown an improvement in their fitness level as a result of this program. Feedback from staff, families and children proves that the program is encouraging active lifestyles and making a real difference in the activity level of children.

In September 2011 the YMCA was awarded a grant from the Aetna Foundation to expand the reach and scope of the CATCH program. As a result, the YMCA now facilitates CATCH activities three days a week at five elementary schools in Middletown (Macdonough, Bielefield, Wesley, Farm Hill and Snow). The activities are popular amongst the children and Y staff provides incentives for participation. Currently close to 500 children are participating in CATCH activities at these schools and the number of participants is increasing weekly.

The YMCA is encouraging inactive children to embrace a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise. It is important that children see positive role models making healthy choices. Families need to exercise together. Go for walks, ride bikes, swim at the Y, ice skate or roller skate. If you can’t get outside then at least turn off the TV and turn on an active video game. The following links are resources for families.

http://www.health.com/health/family

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fitness/FL00030

http://www.acefitness.org/fitfacts/fitfacts.aspx?category=14

http://www.letsgo.org/

Camp Ingersoll 50th Anniversary Gala

2011-10-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

The Middlesex YMCA celebrated the 50^th Anniversary of Camp Ingersoll in grand style with a Gala on September 17, 2011. Over 100 guests enjoyed a great night of camp stories, good food, and a live band. Henry Coe presided over the dedication of Phelps and Loretta Ingersoll to the Wall of Honor followed by a moving speech by Joshua Lesse past camper and current camp staff member. Josh spoke about his love and appreciation for Camp Ingersoll and shared how attending camp was instrumental in helping him overcome childhood insecurities and social issues that plagued him as a result of being over weight when he was young. Josh is now a successful college student who aspires to be a pediatrician. Josh served as the voice for thousands of children who have been positively impacted over the past 50 years through their participation at Camp Ingersoll.

The YMCA is proud of the important youth development role that Camp Ingersoll has had in our community and we look forward to serving many future generations of young people. To commemorate this important milestone, plans are underway to raise funds to build a special gathering place. Once built, this gathering place will allow campers to assemble in a comfortable place each morning and afternoon to participate in the traditional flag raising/lowering and camp skit ceremonies. These important community building activities have been part of the Ingersoll tradition for the past 50 years and a seated gathering place will insure that this tradition is bigger and better than ever for generations to come!

The Gala kicked off the fundraising with the support of our event sponsors: thank you Aetna, Pratt and Whitney, Comcast and CL&P. During the evening guest bid on great silent auction prizes donated by Teresa Opalacz and Ken Landy, Malloves Jewelry, Comcast, Jennifer Zettergren, Mohegan Sun, Carol Buchanan, Craftsteak and F. James Ifkovic. There was also a fun balloon raffle with prizes donated by Lino’s, Durham Fair, Perk on Main, DaLaur’s, Brownstone Exploration, Portland Paint and Hardware, Palace Theater, Fiore’s, Time Out Tavern, Blackbird, Subway, Illiano’s, First and Last, Portland Electric, Uncle Bob’s, Tuscany, Echo Trading, Stop and Shop, Little Rooster, Hope & Stetson, Expect Discount, Mondo, Lyman Orchards Golf Course, Agway, and EG Salon. Special thanks also goes to Best Cleaners, Kim’s Cottage Collections, City of Middletown Parks Department, Uncle Bob’s, Margo Chase, and Anthony and Aline Grandazzo for donating goods and services in support of the event.

The celebration may be over but the work is just beginning to raise the funds needed to build this beautiful gathering place. To support our efforts buy a brick, bench or seat and dedicate to your special camper, in memory of someone special or to the future generation of campers who will benefit from your generosity. We are grateful for the support of the community and look forward to our next big event being held in our wonderful new gathering place.

Kids' Korner and Girls Outside

2011-05-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

“Girls Outside” is a fun outdoor education program for girls that is funded by a grant from the Middlesex County Community Foundation. Girls Outside has recently partnered with YMCA Kids’ Korner programs at Snow, Macdonough and Spencer Schools in Middletown to provide fun and educational outdoor activities for girls. The primary objective of this program is to enable more girls and women to have positive outdoor experiences and develop the skills, knowledge and comfort level to enjoy some of the many benefits that nature can have in our lives. The program teaches environmental and science education (identifying basic trees and plants, vernal pool studies) and skill building activities (reading trail maps and using a compass) that encourage girls to explore the natural environment and have experiences that develop the confidence to over time be able to explore and connect with nature without an organized group.

The girls joined Lucy Meigs, founder of Everyone Outside, for a series of walking field trips at their individual schools. They kids explored the natural environment of their school grounds and surrounding neighborhoods and Lucy shared some sights with the kids that they had otherwise overlooked. The girls at Macdonough found a patch of grass that smelled like onions and some willow branches that could be formed into shapes. These trips were a lead up to a series of special field trips that the girls were to take to explore the grounds of the Wadsworth Mansion on Wadsworth Street in Middletown.

On April 15^thgirls from Kids’ Korner at Macdonough School and Spencer School traveled by bus to the Wadsworth Mansion at Long Hill Estate. Lucy Meigs and her helpers guided the girls on a tour of the parklands surrounding the manor. It was a perfect day and perfect weather for the trip. The grounds were beautiful with newly sprouted daffodils and budding trees. The girls were able to walk a wooded trail where Lucy taught them that there were various features on the hike that would appeal to the different senses. They were able to smell a spice bush, skunk cabbage and black birch. The girls especially loved the smell of the black birch which smells distinctly like wintergreen. “Omigosh, this stick smells like gum,” shared Rejoyce. The skunk cabbage, however, was not appreciated. The girls shared a resounding, “Eww” when informed that the inside of the plant is over 70 degrees and smells like old meat. They listened for the sounds of small woodland animals like birds and chipmunks and were able to feel furry leaves. They also learned that Native Americans would use the furry soft leaves to line their moccasins. While on this hike the girls also spotted a “Letterbox” with a booklet for stamps. In time the girls will create their own stamps and learn how to find more letterboxes.

Following the nature hike, both groups met up to have a nice outdoor snack at the rear of Wadsworth Mansion. They were also given a small tour of the downstairs of the mansion. During snack, Lucy played a recording of wood frogs croaking from the pond. The girls couldn’t believe how loud they sounded. After snack, Lucy escorted the girls to the vernal pool on the Wadsworth grounds. She allowed the children to touch a large frog she had caught. She taught them that they had to wet their hands before touching it. They also used special magnifying pond viewers to look at pond water extracted from the vernal pool. Lucy was on hand to explain to the girls just what they were discovering in each scoop of water.

The girls had a great time on their trip and are looking forward to the next trip scheduled in May. The Middlesex YMCA is fortunate to have partnered with Girls Outside and to be able to offer our children this fantastic experience. We thank the Middlesex County Community Foundation for the grant funding which has made this program possible. For more information about nature activities that you and your family can participate in please visit www.everyoneoutside.org. It's a great time of year to get outside with your family!

Fear of Commitment?

2011-05-02T14:33:00.001-07:00

Some folks just do not like a long term commitment. They get nervous when you talk about "next year" or say "anniversary". Those folks often do not join the YMCA because they imagine that a membership is a tie down, or a regular routine that they deem too inflexible for them.
Well, we have the solution for them. Beginning right now, we are offering a summer short term membership special for $1 A Day. Now yes, there is a two week minimum, but even the most cynical "non commiters" can see that 2 weeks is like a first date. Additional weeks are only $7.
So, please tell your friends and your family members that are always saying things like, "I need to start exercising", or "I keep meaning to get to the Y", that NOW is the time to get started.

Before you know it they'll be loving it here and we'll get them into a long term relationship (but don't tell them that...it'll be our secret).

It's Never Too Late To Start Something Worth Doing

2011-04-11T13:55:00.000-07:00

That was the first sentence that I wrote in my personal journal last month. You see, since my son was born (4 &1/2 years ago) I have been meaning to start writing in a journal. We take lots of pictures and such (not as many as we used to) but I realized that the best parts were also the simplest and most fleeting moments. Those times that I want to remember...but know that I never will. So, I kept thinking about that journal. BUT after a while I figured it was just too late to start. I had missed so much, maybe I would just forget it.
However, one day I just decided to start. I went and bought a journal. I bought a new pen. I put the new pen and the new journal by my bed so that I can write in it for a few minutes each night. It was very difficult to make myself do it at first but now it has become a fun and rewarding exercise. I look forward to the time alone with my thoughts. I revel in the thought that one day my children will read about their childhoods from MY perspective. It is a gift I give to myself and it started because I TOOK ACTION.
If you have been considering beginning a health and wellness program, the only way to begin is to take action. If you have a friend that has been talking and talking about it...tell them to TAKE ACTION. Don't wait until the time is right (it never is), don't wait until you have more money (you never do) don't wait until you get more rest (it won't happen). DON'T WAIT!

It's never too late to start something that is worth doing.

But you DO have to start.

Spring Into Action

2011-03-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

By Kristin Champagne, Health and Fitness Director, Middlesex YMCA

It’s the end of a long winter and time to finally start looking forward to the warm weather. Maybe you are thinking of your spring and summer clothes, and how they will fit; or maybe you are looking forward to a specific goal; running a race, or doing a hike.

So how do you get started?

Step one- Just start. Your first step is to take action, get to the gym, get outside for a walk or a run.

Step two – Do it again. It takes 30 days to build a habit. Talking yourself out of a workout one day will only make it easier to talk yourself out of it the next day.

Step three- Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you have questions or concerns, ask a qualified fitness professional. If you need help committing, ask someone you know who is already committed to exercise to be your workout buddy.

Step Four- Set realistic goals. Take stock of where you are without beating yourself up. Negative self talk will only make it harder to get back on track. Give yourself credit for the good work you’ve done.

Step Five – Scathe off boredom. Mix up your workouts to keep it interesting. Try a different kind of workout or a new fitness class.

Finally – Keep your goal in mind. Know that reaching your goal is just a matter of continuing, and maybe you will find you enjoy the journey. Learning to love exercise is a guarantee of lifelong fitness J

YMCA Strong Kids Dodgeball Tournament

2011-03-22T06:30:00.000-07:00

The first annual Strong Kids Dodgeball Tournament was held on Saturday, March 5th in the YMCA gymnasium. Over 100 people made up the twelve teams that competed in a series of fierce and competitive games of dodgeball.

This event was created to bring members of our community together to have fun and help donate to our wonderful cause; the YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. The Strong Kids Campaign is an annual fundraiser whose proceeds benefit our YMCA Open Doors Financial Assistance Program. Donations to the Strong Kids Campaign ensure that all families and children have access to YMCA programs at affordable prices.

This event helped the YMCA raise $500.00 for our campaign. The winning team of this year’s Strong Kids Dodgeball Tournament was YMCA Camp Mataucha (or also known as Team Awesome). The champions received a gift certificate to one of Middletown’s great restaurants Mondo Pizza.

Thank you everyone who helped make this tournament a great success. A special thank you goes out to Mondo for kindly donating gift certificates and pizzas for this event. I hope to see everyone back next year at our Second Annual Strong Kids Dodgeball Tournament!

MEET THE MIDDLESEX YMCA STAFF TEAM

2011-03-18T08:25:00.000-07:00

MEET THE YMCA STAFF

Ryan Nolan Barnicle, Aquatics Coordinator

Ryan has been with the Middlesex YMCA for six months. He is a Providence College graduate who obtained his teaching certification from SCSU. Ryan taught high school biology in the Bronx, Newington, and Middletown but decided to recommit to his first love, youth aquatics. He has been a lifeguard, swim instructor, swim coach, and pool director for over 10 years with Newington Parks and Recreation and now calls the Y home.

Fun Fact: Ryan loves to swim and be near the water. He was a Division I swimmer for Providence College and is currently training for a marathon!

What is your role at the Middlesex YMCA?

“I am responsible for scheduling and training the lifeguards and swim instructors here at the Y. I coordinate with the Engineering Department to keep our aquatic facilities clean and safe. I also teach swimming lessons and am the primary instructor for American Red Cross health and safety courses.”

What do you find most rewarding about your work at the YMCA?

“I love seeing a student fall in love with the water after learning a difficult skill.”

How does the YMCA impact the community?

“The Y puts youth development at the forefront of its mission and that is an ideal I can really get behind. Growing up is a precious time in a person’s life and I think the Y helps make sure that it’s done right.”

YES! You May

2011-03-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Caroline & David May who were the first of our new members to earn back $50 by visiting the YMCA at least 10 times in their first 30 Days.
David & Caroline now have lots of company because yesterday we sent out 23 more checks to others that have reached that magic number.

We hope that by becoming regular users during their first 30 days, our new members will start to make regular exercise a habit. As regular users they will get all of the health benefits that YMCA members know, more energy, less stress, improved stamina and weight loss.
So congratulations to Caroline and David and all of our new members that are active members of our YMCA.

Master Raffle Winner for 2011

2011-02-21T12:50:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure last Thursday of having lunch with Tom Sweeny, this year’s Middlesex YMCA Masters Golf Raffle winner. That man sure can smile! He brought along three friends that will be going with him to Augusta in April and they’ve already got their clubs cleaned and ready to ship south.

Tom Lenahan, last year’s raffle winner was able to join us and he brought along his photo album from his trip last April….the smiles got even bigger. Tom and his brothers had a great time and I have no doubt, Tom #2 and his friends will have a great time also.

While it might seem like your name has to be “Tom” to win this raffle, I can assure you that is pure coincidence. And while we’re happy that both Toms and their friends have the chance for great bucket list adventures, we’re thankful for all who took a chance on this great package. In 2 years you helped us raise over $30,000 for our Open Doors Financial Assistance program at Camp Ingersoll. That means that while 8 lucky guys get to the Masters in 2 years, nearly 120 kids have access to a 2 week summer camp experience that will last a lifetime.

Congratulations to Tom and friends…have a great trip. For all who will be watching the April event on TV, stay tuned for word of the next YMCA Camp Ingersoll Masters Golf Raffle which could be yours to win. There’s just one winner at the Masters and it only takes one ticket to win.

Adult Swim Training

2011-02-08T08:05:00.000-08:00

We have over 100 children in our Barracudas swim team and they are here practicing their strokes and preparing for competition. It got us thinking, why should they have all the fun! So, we are pleased to introduce Swim Training for Adults.
This new program is going to be led by Barracudas Head Swim Coach, Brian Fazzino, and will have participants training like a real swim team. It will be a great work out and a terrific way to help you reach your goals, whether those goals are competitive or just recreational. Below is a link where you can find out more about how you can be a part of this exciting new opportunity.

See you in the pool.

Link for more info.

Strong Kids Campaign

2011-02-04T20:00:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year again! To many people that means different things. At the Middlesex YMCA, that means it's Strong Kids Campaign time.

The Middlesex YMCA is a community of caring people who support families, build character and promote wellness. One of the special ways that we bring our mission to life is through our belief that everyone should have access to the quality programs offered by our YMCA. The Middlesex YMCA awards over $300,000 of financial assistance to families each year. The Strong Kids Campaign is an annual fundraiser whose proceeds benefit our YMCA Open Doors Financial Assistance Program. Donations to the Strong Kids Campaign ensure that all families and children have access to YMCA programs at affordable prices. These donations have made it possible for us to not have to say "no" to families who want their child to spend a summer outdoor with friends, learn to swim or spend time with a caring adult role model.

In these uncertain economic times, we are proud of the fact that the YMCA has been able to continuously offer financial assistance in an effort to make quality programs available to all members of our community. We are grateful that we have a dedicated staff team who brings our mission to life every day in our community and through our many YMCA programs. Last year, YMCA staff donated over $13,000 to ensure families access to Y programs at affordable prices. We are also grateful to have the support of so many generous business partners throughout our community such as Citizens Bank, Liberty Bank, A & A Office Systems, Best Cleaners, Comcast, Daniels Oil, Suburban Office Products and May, Bonee & Walsh. Thank you to our business partners for standing with the Y in this important cause!

Are you feeling inspired to help? There are so many ways you can contribute to our campaign.

Become a donor! Your gift to the Strong Kids Campaign is tax deductible and 100% of your donation goes straight to families who need financial assistance.
Become a volunteer! The Y is always looking for people who will volunteer to help with the campaign and speak about our cause.
Ask others to become involved! Do you know someone who can donate to our campaign or does the company you work for donate to charitable causes? Let us know if we can make a connection in the community.
Participate in our Strong Kids Campaign Dodgeball Tournament! Register a team to participate in this fundraiser that benefits our campaign. It's only $5.00 per person. Please click here for more information and a registration form.

We are proud of the work of our YMCA but we can not do it alone! Please consider supporting our Strong Kids Campaign. For more information,to make a donation or volunteer for our campaign, please contact Bob Spencer at 860.343.6232 or rspencer@midymca.org.

MEET THE MIDDLESEX YMCA STAFF TEAM

2011-02-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

Karin James is the Director of the Phelps Ingersoll Center for Children

Karin has worked for the Middlesex YMCA for 11 years. She resides in Columbia with her Husband Robert and will graduate from Eastern CT State University with her Bachelors Degree in Liberal Arts with Minors in Child Psychology and Early Childhood Education.

Fun Fact: I am an avid UCONN Basketball fan of both the men’s and women’s teams. I enjoy going to the games when I can and I have gone to 3 final fours.

What is your role at the YMCA?

I am the Child Care Director of the Phelps Ingersoll Center for Children, a licensed and accredited Preschool Program of 53 preschoolers and a staff of 11. I provide the oversight for all aspects of the program including enrollment, curriculum, monthly reporting, supervising, and budgeting.

What it the most rewarding part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is to see the children learning and growing through play each day. To know that the center is guiding the children we serve through the learning process and making it a fun activity. I also enjoy when the children walk by my office and acknowledge me with a wave or a “Hi”, as they go by.

What makes the Y a special place?

I think the “Y” is a special place, because of the pride and commitment the staff take in providing a great service whether it is through the Child Care Center or another Y program. The community is impacted in a positive way by the services that the “Y” can offer at reduced rates, through its strong kids campaign and partnerships with other agencies such as United Way and Middletown School Readiness.

BOUNCE BONANZA

2011-01-18T10:56:00.000-08:00

There are few things as much fun for children as bouncing. If you have young children you know this to be true. My 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter will bounce on ANYTHING...a bed, the couch, the floor or the dog (yup, poor Tucker). They bounce to music, they bounce while sitting at the dinner table and they bounce while trying to brush their teeth.
So, to take advantage of this fun past time (and to help my dog) we have created the BOUNCE BONANZA, a family event that will take place this Saturday from 2 -4 pm here at the YMCA. The gymnasium will have a bounce house or two and there will be music, mats, popcorn (for sale) and lots and lots of smiles. The event is FREE for members and only $5 for guests.
My family will be here (sans Tucker) and I hope yours will to.

How to Lose Those Holiday Pounds

2011-01-13T12:19:00.000-08:00

By Kristin Champagne, Health and Fitness Director, Middlesex YMCA

Set a realistic goal. Take stock of where you are without beating yourself up. Negative self talk will only make it harder to get back on track.

You did not put the weight on over night (even if it felt that way). It probably took two months. If it took two months to put it on, give yourself two months to take it off. Quick weight loss is not healthy weight loss, and it is also not permanent weight loss, and it takes a permanent toll on you metabolism. Every time you go on a crash diet, about half the weight you lose will be muscle mass, and for every pound of muscle you lose, you metabolism takes a hit. In other words, the less muscle you have, the fewer calories you burn.

It takes 30 days to build a habit, so try to be consistent. Come up with a plan that is realistic for your lifestyle and schedule. If you plan to workout three days a week, and make it four, you have exceeded your goal. If you plan for seven and make it four, chances are you will feel bad. So keep your goals attainable.

Be patient with yourself, if you fall off your plan, don’t beat yourself up, just get right back on. Don’t be a slave to the scale. Use another measure. How do you clothes fit? Take a waist measurement every couple of weeks.

Lose it the right way! 1% of your body weight per week, so if you 150 pounds, that 1 ½ pounds per week. To lose a pound a week, you need to burn an extra 500 calories a day, or restrict you diet by 500 calories a day, or a combination of 250 calories burned and 250 calories restricted. The combination will feel less extreme.

Calorie Burning Ideas ~

An hour of spinning can burn up to 600 calories.
An hour of running or swimming will do the same.
An hour of Zumba or Kickboxing will burn up to 500.
An hour of walking can burn up to 300 calories.

You can burn between 200- 400 calories in Pilates, Sculpting or Yoga, depending on the length of the class, but remember, these classes build muscle, and muscle will rev up you resting metabolism. This means you burn more calories just sitting around!

Not a class person? Hit the weight room, for a calorie burn, and metabolic boost. The Fitness Staff is there to help you! Make an appointment for a free Fitness Consultation if you a beginner.

Healthy Dietary Changes ~

Drink more water.
Eat more fiber (try to switch white breads and pastas for whole grain varieties)

Fruits and veggies, eat up! (at 25 calories per serving of vegetables, and about 60 calories per serving of fruit, they are a low cal, nutritious alternative to most other snacks).

Eat more frequently, but keep potion sizes small, it will help keep your metabolism high, and keep you from getting too hungry.
Eat some protein to help maintain muscle mass. Lean proteins such as fish, turkey breast, or chicken breast or vegetable proteins, like soy or Tempe are best. Nuts are good too; just watch your portion size.
Don’t skip breakfast! It is truly the most important meal of the day, it gets your metabolism going!

Danny Dreyer Interview

2011-01-07T08:50:00.000-08:00

The YMCA's own Chris Grosso who works as an Assistant Site Director for Kids' Korner recently interviewed Danny Dreyer and has offered to share his interview. It is fascinating so enjoy!

Danny Dreyer is the creator of ChiRunning® and ChiWalking®, revolutionary forms of moving that blend the subtle inner focuses of T’ai Chi with running and walking. His work is based on his study of T’ai Chi with Master Zhu Xilin and internationally renowned Master George Xu, and his 35 years of experience, running, racing ultra marathons and coaching people in “intelligent movement”. He has taught thousands of people the ChiRunning and ChiWalking techniques with profound results.

Danny’s first book, ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-free Running was released April, 2004, by Simon & Schuster. ChiWalking: Five Mindful Steps to Lifelong Health and Energy was released in March, 2006.

Danny has been a featured speaker at the prestigious Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego Marathons, as well as at hundreds of other health and wellness events across the country. He has taught the ChiRunning and ChiWalking techniques to training groups such as the San Francisco Marathon, the AIDS Marathon, Team in Training, USA/FIT, AARP and many others. He has been on CNN, NPR and other news programs. He publishes a monthly newsletter and has been published in Running Times, Body & Soul Magazine, and others. He has received press in Time Warner’s Health Magazine, AOL, Shape Magazine, Fitness Magazine, Elle, Washington Post, New York Times, Web MD and hundreds of newspapers, journals and web sites across the country and abroad. For a list of some current media attention, see our In the News page.

Dreyer is an accomplished Ultra Marathon runner (races longer than a marathon) and has raced every distance from a 10K to 100 miles. He has successfully completed 40 ultra-marathons since 1995, finishing in the top 3 in his age group in all but one. In August 2005 he placed second in his age group in the USATF National 50k Championships.

Danny has lived a lifestyle steeped in holistic living, meditation, and personal wellness for over 30 years. Healthy eating, physical exercise and rejuvenating activities are mainstays in his life and the foundation of what he teaches.

He empowers his students to live pro-active lives. Whether coaching a runner or a corporate executive, he teaches techniques that tap into one’s inner strength and power.

Danny resides in Asheville, NC, with his wife, Katherine and their daughter, Journey.
(Courtesy of www.chirunning.com)

The Danny Dreyer Interview

CG: So You’ve trained under two T’ai Chi masters and I was wondering if there were any lessons you learned from them which specifically guided you in creating Chi Running?

DD: Well I remember my very first day of Tai Chi class and my first master, as he spoke about posture. That’s what really started me on the search to blend the too. He was teaching me about moving the body and how the posture needs to be aligned nice and straight, so when you rotate your body, it’s rotating around a nice axis. If your posture is twisted or bent over anywhere, it’s not going to rotate as easily, and you won’t move your body as easily, nor will you be supported by your structure. So the whole structural support is what really intrigued me. As soon as I started integrating some of the posture techniques into my running, it all of the sudden became a lot easier. When most people run or walk, the support stage of their stride is where all of their injuries happen, not when you’re in the air. They happen when you come down on the ground, and it depends on either how you impact the ground, or how you support your body while you’re on the ground. Is it efficient or not, and if it’s not, that’s going to cause a problem and become a repetitive stress injury.

So posture is one of the biggest ones. The other is making sure that all of my core muscles are engaged and all of my moving parts are relaxed, that my arms and legs, hips and shoulders were actually swinging while running. That follows the same principles in Tai Chi. You want to have your core engaged but the moving parts need to be very free to move. So you have these two things going on that are really Yin Yang. The Yin is the engagement of your alignment, your core, and everything internal. The Yang is the expansive, easy flow of the moving parts, your arms and legs, etc, so it becomes a really nice blend. Those were probably the two main lessons of Tai Chi that I’ve spent the last twelve years trying to expand upon.

CG: Well I can say from firsthand experience that ever since I read Chi Running last year, my running practice has improved in all areas.

DD: Yeah and the whole new thing is really making running a “practice”. I don’t know of anybody who’s really thought of it like that outside of Tibet, Nepal or China. The western guys are more into power, performance, speed, and fast times.

CG: Right, so can you elaborate more on how Chi Running differs from the more common form of “power running”?

DD: Well power running is called that because it literally takes power to run that way. How Chi Running differs is that it takes the effort out of running, and that’s really been my goal, finding a way of running where I really don’t feel much effort? So anybody who’s practiced Tai Chi at all realizes that the whole idea is to be able to move your opponent through cooperating with their forces, and also through allowing energy to move through your body to move your opponents. So Tai Chi isn’t about moving your muscles at all. It’s really about regulating the flow of your energy, learning how to relax your body, and align your body so all the Chi can move through you, and that’s what happens when you approach running with those principles in mind. Instead of thinking like a power runner and believing you have to push yourself, to actually push with your legs and kick with your feet, and swing your arms hard to move your body down the road. Well you can do it that way, but it takes a lot of muscle to do that. It burns a lot of fuel and tires your body out.

Or you can use a different set of rules, and that’s what Chi Running is all about. These rules incorporate having your body well aligned so you can relax. The other part which people often forget as they get older, and is a very practical part of running, is allowing your body to just gently run forward as you run. That’s how we all ran as kids. I don’t know if you remember, but I remember running as a kid, and I would always lean with my head. If I wanted to run somewhere I just “fell” that way. More often than not, if you’re a younger kid, you fall down when you run. I ask in my running classes all the time “Is there anyone who never fell down when they ran as a kid?” and nobody has ever raised their hand, yet. You fall down because you’re constantly trying to balance yourself in this forward fall. Little kids don’t have very strong legs.

Even now, you can go to a playground and see little kids run leaning forward, and the Kenyans and other great runners of the world who run leaning forward. What happens with power running is that as you get older, people tend to not want to fall down when they run, so they run vertically, and once you run vertically, then your center of mass is right over your point of contact with the ground, and gravity is pulling down with you and not forward. As you fall, gravity wants to pull you further forward, so if you’re falling into gravity, then you’re really allowing gravity to assist you in your forward movement. That means whatever amount of force of gravity you allow to pull you forward with, you can subtract that from the use of your legs. Does that make sense?

CG: Absolutely, it makes perfect sense actually.

DD: Yeah, so you don’t have to push anymore. It’s learning to constantly balance yourself in this nice forward lean. It’s very much like trying to ride a unicycle. A unicycle rider doesn’t go forward by pedaling. He falls forward and then he pedals to keep up with his fall. The proportion of a unicycle doesn’t come from the fact that you’re pushing yourself forward with your legs, it comes from you falling forward and keeping up with yourself.

CG: That actually correlates with another question I had for you regarding our body movements, and how they should be in-sync with the laws of nature, as you discuss in your book. So what exactly are the laws of nature and how do they affect a runner’s performance?

DD: Sure, well I’ll name two laws of nature. One is the pull of gravity. It’s always there, and it’s always going to be pulling you towards the center of the earth. There’s a downward force in your body all the time. In Tai Chi, one of the basic ideas is that you learn to cooperate with forces, you don’t go against them, that’s really sort of crazy, you know? When someone throws a punch at you, you don’t want to punch them at the same time because that doubles the force of their punch. So if somebody is punching you and throwing their fist in your direction, you want to move in the same direction of that force, so you reduce the impact to as little as possible. If someone is throwing me a punch, I’m moving backwards because I don’t want to move into the punch, and if somebody is pulling me I don’t want to pull against them, I want to move with their pull so I can stay in balance and use their force. So if gravity wants to pull me all day, I’ll let it. I’ll just fall into it and cooperate with that force. I’m not fighting gravity by trying to push against it, I’m letting it do its work.

The other thing that every runner or walker has to consider is, whenever you’re moving laterally across the earth, there’s a force always in the opposite direction of that movement, of any movement. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, that’s just simple physics. So say you’re running down the road at a ten minute mile pace, that means there’s always a six mile force coming at you and that’s called the road, the oncoming road (laughter). So I’m moving down the road in one direction, and the road is coming at me, it’s just like a big treadmill. It’s like I’m running on a six mile an hour treadmill and I need to learn how to cooperate with the force that is coming with me, and the last thing I want to do is stick my foot out into that force. The problem with how a lot of people run, is that they lead with their legs. They throw their leg out in front of them, trying to pull themselves forward. What that ends up doing is when you’re swinging your legs forward, and landing with your foot out in front of you, you’re actually throwing your leg against that oncoming force. That doubles the force of the speed of your body, which then has to absorb it, by your ankles, shins, knees, your hips, your pelvis, lower back, whatever you weak spot is, it will be what goes out first, and for most people, that is their knees.

That’s how runners knee is developed, by people landing with their heal out in front of them. It’s called a heal strike. So those are the forces, and in order to cooperate with this oncoming road, your legs need to land in a way that they’re already swinging towards the rear, so they’re already moving in the same direction of that road when they land. That completely reduces or eliminates the impact of going against that force. So you have the force of gravity and you cooperate with it by falling into it and letting it pull you, and then you just balance yourself within that force. The other force is the force of the road coming at you, and you cooperate with that force by having your legs always swinging to the rear. I never think about my legs as swinging forward. They swing to the rear and then they return back to where they started, which is underneath me, not in front of me. My foot strike is either underneath my center of mass or behind my center of mass, which is even more ideal.

CG: Right on, I think that breaks it down in a user friendly way. Something else I think is often overlooked, but equally important, is our diet. In Chi Running, you write about this and how it will improve one’s running. So what foods and eating practices acutally make a difference?

DD: Well part of it is the food and part of it is the types of foods. For example, I had a track coach once tell me, if you want to run fast, you have to burn high octane fuel. So if you have a very fast, highly tuned car, a big fancy BMW, you can only put premium gas in it, it needs that premium fuel. If you wanted to be an average or competitive runner, you wouldn’t want to be burning low octane fuel, because your body would have to work that much harder to process it and get any energy from it. So one of the basic rules I follow is that I eat a mostly organic diet. I don’t eat pre-packed, or canned, or processed foods. I don’t eat any of the fast food stuff. All of my families meals are prepared fresh the first time. I don’t eat leftovers, only fresh food that is cooked from scratch, and just that, even if it’s not organic, is better than foods that are already processed. Those foods have way more salt than you need, they always have high fructose corn syrup which you don’t need, and all kinds of extra ingredients like colorings and preservatives etc.

So I think the healthiest diet is one that consists of the cleanest possible food, as clean as you can make it. The more natural the food, the cleaner the energy supply will be. Any additive, or preservative or processed foods all take away from the natural Chi that’s in the foods. So ideally, you want to have it cooked as close to its normal, original state as possible. Culturally, we’re a culture of over eaters, so my family always eats out of a bowl, that way we always eat the same amount. That’s our practice of portion control. We don’t do seconds, you know how much your body needs, and that’s how much you eat during a meal. If you have a big pile of food spread out over a plate, you don’t know how much you need, but you’re more likely to eat the right amount if you eat the same amount. It won’t be more than you need. It will be enough to make you comfortable, where you’re not going away hungry.

That brings me to another principle, which I learned from Tai Chi, which is body sensing. Body sensing is really just tuning into what your body feels like, the sensations, the thoughts, the feelings, all of the stuff that makes you a human being. It’s there for a reason, it’s there to give you information. The only way you’re able to exist on this planet is because you have a body, so it’s really important to pay careful attention to your body, it’s your message system. Tai Chi really teaches you how to listen to every part of your body, so you learn to listen and feel for tension, feel for when your body is, or isn’t, moving efficiently. You learn to listen when thoughts are not really appropriate, and are just a drain of energy. When you’re obsessing it’s worthless mental work. So you really learn how to feel and sense your body, and that’s part of the practice of Tai Chi, and what we try to integrate into running and walking.

It’s called a mindful practice for a reason, but it’s not all mind. Mind and body are really two sides of the same coin. You can’t have one without the other. They’re both very interdependent. So this whole aspect of doing mind/body work, or spiritual work, you can’t do spiritual work unless you’re sensitive to the invisible world. Well how are you going to be sensitive to the visible world if you’re not sensitive to the physical world? You have to start somewhere. So running can be great training for spiritual practice because it gets you highly sensitive to your body. I brought that up because if you’re sensitive to your body, you’ll know what the right amount to eat is, you’ll know what the right amount of rest is, what the right amount of work is, or whatever the case may be. You really learn to be appropriate in your actions and how to live your life.

CG: Right, and you talk further about that in your book when you reference having a “beginners mind”, which is also a common saying in Buddhist teachings. Can you elaborate on this?

DD: Sure, when I think of “beginners mind”, I think of learning something in two different ways. One of my favorite phrases is “suspended disbelief”, that’s a beginners mind. You suspend your disbelief and you completely open yourself up to all possibilities. That’s a real beginners mind. A beginners mind isn’t someone who approaches running and says I ran a 3.51 marathon last year and this year I want to do a 3.45, and I want to finish third in my age group, and beat my neighbor, and win a medal. That’s somebody who already has a lot of consideration in their head. Adyashanti is one of my favorite spiritual teachers.

CG: Ah yes, me too. He has a wonderful approach to teaching!

DD: Yes, he always talks about living an uncontrived life, and that’s the epitome of a beginners mind, living an uncontrived life. He nailed it, right on.

CG: Agreed.

DD: Yes, so that’s the beginners mind. How much conditioning can you get rid of to actually see, what there is to see.

CG: Right. So one of my last questions was actually something my dad mentioned to me as he’s read your book (and loved it) but didn’t see this topic addressed anywhere. He wondered if there’s any differences in applying the technique of Chi Running between runners with good foot arch support Vs those who have flat feet?

DD: Oh good, I’m glad he enjoyed it. As far as the question I would say this, as with anything that is like Tai Chi, where you’re constantly working on improving the right parts and how you move your body, your stance, your body support, how you engage your core and how you relax other parts. The more you follow the “recipe”, the more your body will gradually, over time, adjust to what’s necessary and what’s required. So that means if you have flat feet, you should work at engaging your core, leveling your pelvis, and whatever other method you take to work at having a stronger core. All of your muscles, and in fact almost every part of your body is interconnected with the inner system of connective tissue, and that connective tissue is like the unity of the body. It’s the one thing that goes through everything, right down to the cellular level of connective tissue.

So as you work at strengthening the parts which need to be strengthened, all the other parts down the line will feel a certain increment of increase, and their own amount of tone and strength. And by the time you get all the way down to your feet, if you’re constantly working on core strength balance, like how to move correctly etc, you will actually begin to build arches. I’ve seen people do it. As they begin to run correctly, their feet take more of a correct position. So people have flat fleet generally, I feel, because their core is not strong enough to support all the connective tissue that runs all the way to support that arch. You can’t get a strong a strong arch from getting a strong foot. All the medial connections all the way up the inside of your legs are what you need to hold up that arch. So if you want to build up your arches, you need to start from your core, not your feet. Most people don’t think in those directions.

In Chinese medicine, they’re always looking for the reason why something happens, for the original reason. So if you trace an injury etc all the way back, you can usually find an original reason, and it’s rarely at the spot where the problem happens. If you look at somebody with flat feet, the problem isn’t flat feet, their problem is a weak core, or a misaligned spine. So you start working in those areas from just doing the basic exercises of running or walking or Tai Chi or whatever you do, and gradually all the rest of the body will start coming into alignment and playing the same game, having a mind of its own.

CG: Yeah, that makes a lot of sense, and I personally don’t think I would have made that connection.

DD: Well it also relates to something else. You’ll notice people who say running is such a dangerous sport. There’s shin splints and bad knees and Achilles tendon problems etc. All those injuries are in the lower leg, and they’re in the lower leg for a reason. That’s because the lower leg, for most runners, are required to do way more work than they are designed to. Your body wasn’t designed to be propelled by you pushing off with your feet, those are the smallest muscles in your legs, so there’s no wonder why they get injured. If you really want to run, you should use the largest muscles that you have, because they do the biggest work, they’re built for that, your core muscles are built to do that, not your toes, Achilles tendon, your calves. Those are the little tiny muscles way down at the bottom of your body. Get the work done where it needs to be done, and those little parts can proportionally do their part, which is way, way, way less, and then you won’t get injured.

CG: Yeah, that makes perfect sense.

DD: The whole idea of Tai Chi is so logical. The Chinese studied the body and realized how it really works. It’s simple.

CG: Right, I practice Reiki and have done a lot of work with Chi, and while it’s difficult to explain as it’s a formless energy, it’s just as real as anything we’re aware of with the five senses. Once someone learns to use it and integrate into their lives, it makes such a wonderful difference.

DD: That’s absolutely right. It’s great, and running and walking is an everyday way people can approach this stuff.

CG: Yeah. So in closing, I was wondering if you could offer a couple of suggestions for someone who wants to take up running for the first time, something that will aid them in having a good experience, so they’ll want to do it again.

DD: Yeah, I would say one important thing is to really take it slowly. Don’t think you have to run a marathon your first year. Really take it slow. In fact, one of the main things I would say is listen to your body. If you go out for a run, sure get some decent shoes, but when you go out, don’t start out fast, and try to go far. Just go however far your body feels it wants to go, and if you start feeling winded or tired, that means your body is telling you to slow down. So slow down for a bit and let your body recover and when you’re ready, run a little more. I would say that if you’re going to start running, start by running until you feel a little bit tired, and then walk for a bit and let your body recover, but only walk far enough to let your body recover, don’t get into walking for walkings sake. Once your rested, go back and run some more, and listen to what your body says. Run until your body says, you know what, that’s bout enough for right now, and then walk for a little bit. Go back and forth. A nice and gentle approach for yourself, no expectations, again, going back to a beginners mind. Really let your body tell you how far, because it’s way smarter than your brain any day.

So listen to your body, and if you start feeling like you’re really tired, it’s time to head home. Then the next day when you go out, do the same thing. If you keep doing that day after day, you’ll improve. In the beginning, you don’t need to do it more than three days a week. And really try not to let your mind get in there, that’s a big piece of advice. Try to make it a good, satisfying experience. Take your time, don’t worry about your speed, don’t run with other people, unless they’re slower than you to start off with. Don’t go out with other runners who are experienced that you have to try and keep up with, because you’ll end up frustrated and possibly injured. Take it slow, gradual and easy. Any progressive thing has to follow the law of gradual progress.

If you start off to fast, you’ll pay. And that’s one of the principles in the Chi Running book, you always have to do it gradually. The other thing ideally would be to get the Chi Running book, so you can get some good pointers on how to hold your body, and how to move the moving parts, what to focus on. If you go out and give it your best shot, you may do well, and you may not. So that’s why we’ve broken it down into really simple steps on how to start, but above all, have fun, and if it’s not fun, stop and walk. I tell people “run until you get tired and walk until you feel guilty” (laughter), then you won’t walk too far, and just alternate back and forth.

CG: Well thanks so much for your time. Your book has been a wonderful help in my personal running as well as much of my family. My uncle was the first person to pick up your book after a knee injury. He’s now 59 and after reading Chi Running, he runs marathons and hasn’t had an injuries since. It’s truly amazing.

DD: Oh, that’s so wonderful. Thank you Chris. I’m actually doing work right now on a book called The Pain Free Marathon which will be released in early 2012. It’s been fun talking to you.

CG: Awesome, and you as well Danny. Thanks for your time and your book!

To learn more about Danny Dreyer’s Chi Running & Chi Walking, or to purchase his books or DVD, please visit his website at:

www.chirunning.com

Kids' Korner Gives Back

2011-01-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

After school programs provide children with opportunities to participate in a wide variety of activities that provide children with the skills and support they need to develop into productive and healthy young adults. During the past two months, Kids' Korner sites have participated in a variety of community service projects that were developed by the children and facilitated by our caring staff members. These service projects have created opportunities for children and staff to positively impact the local community and are an excellent example of the YMCA mission in action.

To celebrate Veterans Day, the staff at Bielefield Kids' Korner read the book "A Veteran's Day Visitor" to the children. The book was about a young girl's grandfather who speaks to her class about Veterans Day and why the holiday is observed. The children then created cards to honor troops who were arriving home from Afghanistan. The students then asked if they could get all Kids' Korner sites involved in order to make sure that there were enough cards for all the troops coming home. The site staff made some phone calls and all the other sites agreed to help with this project. In November 400 cards were delivered to Camp Rell in Niantic to Connecticut Army National Guard troops that were back after being deployed in Afghanistan for the past year. Thank you to Ceara Ladue, site director at Bielefield Kids' Korner, for making all the arrangements for this project!

Snow and Spencer School Kids' Korner programs both held a Penny Wars Challenge at their sites during December. Penny Wars is a competition where the site is broken into teams. Each team has a container to collect change in. The point of the game is to have the highest amount of points in your container at the end of the competition. It sounds easy, but there are a few tricks to it. You want to put pennies in your container and silver change in your opponents container. Each penny is worth one point toward your end total. Silver change subtracts points from from your total according to their amount (-25 points for a quarter, -10 points for a dime, etc). Once the competition is over, the children and staff empty their containers, add up their penny points and subtract the silver change points from the total. The winner is the team who has the most points after all the silver change has been subtracted. The real winners of this competition were local Middletown families; the money raised was used to buy gifts for multiple families who were on the Middletown Park and Rec holiday needs list. Congratulations to all the children, staff and families at Snow and Spencer who helped raise around $350.00 to help local families during the holiday season.

Wesley School Kids' Korner took advantage of three early dismissal days to hold a bake sale at their school. For the past two years, the children at the program have held different events to raise money for local organizations that help animals. The kids created signs and fliers to advertise for the bake sale and Kids' Korner families donated all the cookies, cakes, breads and other delicious treats for the sale. The older children at the program worked the bake sale, perfected their sales pitch and raised $284.00! After the event was completed, the children had to decide what to do with the money. They decided to buy food for the animals at the Wallingford Animal Shelter because "animals don't need money, they need food". This project was truly a group effort and could not have been completed without the generosity of the Wesley School teachers and parents. Thanks to all the Kids' Korner families and children who made this a great success!

We are so proud of the fantastic staff, children and families at our programs! Check back with us periodically to see what's new at Kids' Korner. You can also find out more information about our Kids' Korner programs on Facebook by searching for Middlesex YMCA Kids' Korner.

Introducing FREE Wi-Fi

2011-01-05T10:44:00.000-08:00

We are very pleased to introduce our new FREE feature available for Members: Wi-Fi.
Now your Wi-Fi enabled device will be able to connect to the internet quickly and smoothly. Currently our Wi-Fi HOTSPOT are in the main lobby, the Fitness Plus lobby, the family center and in the pool bleachers.

Enjoy this new service.

My NEW New Year's Resolutions

2011-01-03T13:16:00.000-08:00

I have rarely committed myself to New Year’s Resolutions in the past. If there was something new I wanted to try or a new routine I wanted to start, I would start my new thing that Monday, sort of a New Week’s Resolution. This year however, I found myself reflecting a lot about this past twelve months and all that happened; the birth of my second son Lucas, my first summer back at YMCA Camp Ingersoll, and all of the New Week’s Resolutions that were made. So I decided that I would make a small list of overall resolutions to help guide my New Week’s Resolutions throughout this year. There’s nothing ground breaking, all pretty much fall into the most popular resolutions people make, but I wanted to share them anyway.

Spend more quality time with my family – now that my family has grown in size, my wife and I find ourselves more and more taking some short cuts trying to get things done fast so that we can move one to the next thing. I realized when we may only have an hour to go sledding, it’s not about the number of time we go down the hill, but taking time to lay on our backs in the snow looking at the clouds and planes that go by; that’s what my son Michael enjoyed the most. I would like to look at more clouds with my family.

Learn, read, and reflect more – there are many ways to learn but the one I am choosing to focus on is reading. There are many ways to obtain books and information nowadays, sometimes it can be overwhelming when searching through a book store, in person or online. To help narrow my search I made a quick list of topics that interest me, which also helped me reflect on what is important.

Participate in some sort of organized race – my health resolution. Last year I intended to participate in the Northeast Warrior Dash, a 5K adventure race held in upstate New York. I waited too long to register, and it sold out! So like any other health seeker, I simply stopped training. It was a poor excuse, but now I intend to register early, and if I am unable to attend that one particular event, I will find another.

If you have not made your resolutions yet, it’s not too late. There are many articles, including Patrick’s blog entry last week, that provide tips to creating goals that you can keep and make a difference. Also remember, there are also 52 opportunities to start New Week’s Resolutions this year.

I hope you and your family have a great healthy, safe and fun New Year!

Keeping Your Resolution

2010-12-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

You are probably toying with the idea of making some sort of a beneficial change to your behavior at the beginning of 2011 under the pretext of a "New Year's Resolution". Or perhaps you are in that group that has had such a tough time keeping your past resolutions that you have "given up giving up".
In order to help you keep your resolution I would like to offer the following tips (please keep in mind that in preparation for this post I read dozens of articles on the subject and have condensed the information to this short, actionable list.)

Are you ready?- If you are in denial or maybe just ambivalent about your need to change or you do not fully accept the importance of the change, then you will not succeed. You need to identify the barriers to change and visualizes the "you with the change".
Preparation- Write down your goals, make sure that they are realistic. Then break the goals into actionable steps.
Take Action- Now you are ready to start. Be sure that your energy is used toward the successful completion of your goal. Form a social support network by telling others what your goals is and what your strategy is to reach it. Ask them for support.
Reward Success- Don't wait until you have reached your final goal to celebrate. Be sure to enjoy the minor victories as well. If you made it to the Y 3 times in a week, celebrate!
Reduce Other Stresses- Changing a behavior creates stress, and if you are trying to make that change in an already stressful environment, then you are going to have a reduced ability to make good decisions.
Prepare for Setbacks- You are going to hit some snags and have some relapses. That is a natural part of the process so don't get too down on yourself. Identify the triggers and develop a strategy to avoid them in the future.
Enjoy the NEW YOU- Enjoy the change. Tell folks about it, brag, celebrate, do whatever it takes to make the change a real long lasting part of your life.

I hope you have a safe and healthy New Year. And if your resolution involves getting healthier or increasing your energy, then come and see us at the Y and let us be your support system.

Here are a few of the articles that I used in writing this post:
http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsychology/ss/behaviorchange.htm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703581204576033824100634278.html
http://www.wishfulthinking.co.uk/2008/01/10/6-tips-for-keeping-your-new-years-resolution/
http://www.ehow.com/how_12076_keep-new-years.html

Happy Holidays from the Pools!

2010-12-23T09:21:00.000-08:00

The Northern Middlesex Y's Aquatics Staff would like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday season! Have fun, stay safe, be merry!

Remember: the gift of swimming lessons is a gift that lasts a lifetime!

Give the Gift of Health

2010-12-13T11:59:00.000-08:00

When my son was born 4 years ago, my mother made a commitment to be around for as long as possible so that she could enjoy spending time with her Grandson. I helped her get a membership to the YMCA (she lives in New Britain) and since then she has been on a regular schedule of exercise and healthy eating (she is also trying to quit smoking). It's been four years and she has more energy and stamina than ever.
Regular exercise is important for all individuals, but it is critically important for Older Adults. Weight loss and increased energy are obvious but a study by Harvard linked exercise to reduced stress and anxiety, and suggested that it may ward of mental deterioration as well. And most importantly regular exercise means that seniors can continue to do regular daily tasks keeping them mobile and independent.
The Middlesex YMCA is making a very special offer for 3 month and 6 month memberships for seniors so that this Holiday season you can invest in a gift that will truly impact their lives. And we make it easy for them to get started with a series of appointments with one of our fitness professionals.
So this Christmas tell your parents that you want them to be healthy, happy and around for a long time.

Happy Holidays!

MEET THE MIDDLESEX YMCA STAFF TEAM

2010-12-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

Name: Patrick Connelly

Title: Senior Director of Membership and Programs

Patrick is a twenty year veteran of the YMCA. He began his Y career at the Hartford YMCA; gained valuable experience at the Southington YMCA and then came to the Middlesex YMCA in 2000 to serve as the Ingersoll Outdoor Center Director. Patrick is a YMCA of the USA Faculty Member for International Initiatives and Working with the World. In addition, he has authored the Character Development section of the YMCA Day Camp Director Manual and presented at several regional and national conferences. Patrick lives in Portland with his wife Beth and their two adorable children Griffin age 4 and Tessa Jane age 2. In his free time Patrick enjoys exploring nature with his children hiking, digging in the dirt and having fun outside!

Fun Fact: Patrick is an avid reader who enjoys historical biographies.

What is your role at the YMCA?

“My role is to provide energy and enthusiasm to our YMCA, to mentor and coach other staff, and to help make and keep members happy. I get to create flyers, posters and other promotional materials.”

What it the most rewarding part of your job?

“The most rewarding part of my job is seeing a member that I helped enroll become a regular user and make progress toward reaching their health goals.”

How does it impact the community?

“The “essential genius” of the YMCA is that it responds to the needs of the members of the community it serves. Whether families need support with before and after school care, or a young man needs a place to stay for a while, or an older adult needs to get some exercise, we are there to help.’

YMCA Family Events

2010-11-30T09:21:00.000-08:00

The annual YMCA Kids’ Korner Halloween Carnival took place on Thursday, October 28th in both the YMCA gymnasium and family center. This event was a great success with over 300 ghosts, ghouls and fairy princesses in attendance. Each Kids’ Korner site created a Halloween booth which offered a variety of different activities. One specific booth featured a catapult which launched objects at three different plastic pumpkins. This booth had a line out of the gym and around the corner throughout the entire event. The YMCA Family Center featured the Haunted Hallway that brought both screams and laughter to the many that dared to walk through. It was said by many that this particular Haunted Hallway was the scariest one to date. Scary sounds played throughout the hallway as people of all ages were spooked by YMCA staff members.

On November 18th a crowd of 30 families joined us for Family BINGO. The game of fun and chance was called by YMCA staff members Tony Sharillo, Melanie Carfora, and Kevin Cassesse. Excitement was in the air as families dabbed away at their BINGO cards in hopes of winning a prize. It was even rumored that screams of “BINGO” could be heard in the lobby from all the fun that was occurring in the Hazen Room. It was a great evening filled with family fun for all who attended. Thank you to all the families who brought canned food items to donate to the Amazing Grace Food Pantry.

Spend some time with your family at the YMCA. Join us on Thursday, December 9th from 6:30-8:00 pm for Santa’s Workshop at the YMCA. Friends and family will gather as we wrap gifts to be donated to families in need. The YMCA will provide wrapping materials, music, snacks and good cheer, you provide a children’s gift to wrap. A special guest may even make an appearance! Free for YMCA members, guest of members are $5 per person with a $10 family max.

Check out our website at www.midymca.org for upcoming family events at the Middlesex YMCA.

2010-11-19T12:14:00.000-08:00

Tony Sharillo, Camp Ingersoll and Youth Programs Director.

Tony began his Y career fifteen years ago at the Middlesex YMCA took a short break to work at the Waterbury YMCA and returned to take on his current position last fall. Tony graduated from the University of CT with a degree in Child Psychology, he holds his Director Certification from the YMCA of the USA and serves as the current Chair of the Y CT Program and Membership Network. Tony lives in Middletown with his wife Erika and sons Michael 2 ½ and Lucas 6 months. He is a Red Sox fan and athlete who enjoys playing a variety of sports.

Fun Fact: Tony met his wife when they both worked as camp counselors at Camp Ingersoll!

What is your role at the YMCA?

“Here at the Middlesex YMCA not only am I the Ambassador of Fun, I have the great honor of running YMCA Camp Ingersoll as well as coordinating some of the new youth sport and teen programs run at camp and here at the YMCA.”

What it the most rewarding part of your job?

“There are so many aspects of my job that I find very rewarding that it’s hard to say which one is the most rewarding. I love the camp staff and truly enjoy working with such enthusiastic and creative people. I love working with all the campers during the summer and getting to see all the smiles our great camp staff create everyday. I love working outdoors and building things from scratch. Most of all I love that my job is basically to make the most of everyday, whether it’s during the summer or working with a teambuilding group!”

What makes the Y a special place?

“I believe it’s the staff and volunteers and their commitment to each other and the community that make the YMCA so special. Everyone works hard to develop and facilitate quality programs and events.”

MEET THE MIDDLESEX YMCA STAFF TEAM

2010-11-12T08:56:00.000-08:00

Melanie Carfora, YMCA School Age Director.

Melanie has worked for the Middlesex YMCA for eleven years, lives in Middletown with her husband Dave and four year old daughter Jenna. Melanie holds a bachelors degree in social work from Saint Joseph College she enjoys reading, sports, and being funny!

Fun Fact: Melanie was a camper at Camp Ingersoll!

Please share with us your professional background:

“I started working as an assistant group leader in our after school programs while I was in high school. I eventually became a head teacher at Farm Hill Kids’ Korner, a position I held for about 5 years. Once I graduated from college, I worked as a program coordinator and then became the school age director in 2006. I also began working at Camp Ingersoll in 2000 and have held many different positions including unit director of horseback, specialty camp counselor and now senior staff. “

What is your role at the Middlesex YMCA?

“I am the director for our Kids’ Korner before and after school department at the YMCA. I am the program administrator responsible for the oversight of our eleven licensed school age programs. I oversee the hiring and training of a staff team of 65 people, create and implement curriculum for our programs, monitor compliance with local and state licensing regulations, and create and foster relationships with our many community partners.”

What do you find most rewarding about your work at the YMCA?

“The most rewarding part of my job is knowing that we are running quality before and after school programs that are an asset to working parents. I also find it rewarding when I see our staff sharing their talents and time with the children in our programs and serving as positive role models in our community.”

How does the YMCA impact the community?

“The Y is a special place because we are making a real difference to the families and individuals we serve. We provide programs that promote wellness of the whole individual; mind, body and spirit. I chose the Y because our staff are really committed to our mission and care about wellness in our community.”

MEET THE MIDDLESEX YMCA STAFF TEAM

2010-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

The YMCA is a community of caring people and that attitude begins with the dedicated staff members who put that principal to work each day. Over the next few weeks I will be posting different interviews with various staff members. I hope you enjoy getting to know these talented people!

Today I introduce to you Bob Spencer the Y Director of Advancement / Assistant to the President. Bob has worked at the Y for 4 ½ years. Prior to the Y Bob had a long career as a social worker and non-profit administrator. Bob and his wife Lindsay live in Portland and have two grown children Sam and Libby. They will celebrate their 30^th wedding anniversary next year and love to travel, hike, explore the outdoors, spend time with good friends and giving back such as their work with Habitat for Humanity.

What is your role at the Middlesex YMCA?

Charitable contributions help us to advance our mission and make all of our programs/services available to those who want/need them. Raising charitable contributions requires us to cultivate donors, keep donors engaged, informed and appreciated. New donor relationships comes from a more actively engaged membership/community and from a growing number of volunteers willing to tell the Y story. Board members providing active involvement in the financial development needs of the Y is an instrumental piece of the advancement process. My job is to bring these pieces together.

What it the most rewarding part of your job?

Helping donors who want to make a difference in the lives of children and families find a way to do that.

What makes the Y a special place? How does it impact the community?

I think our Y is one of the most diverse places in this community. There are a variety of people from multiple economic, racial and age groups that pass through our doors and they all intermingle here at the Y. We work hard to keep our doors open to any/all who want and need our services. Our men’s residence takes me back to early experiences that first drew me to social work. Our work with kids gives me a lift that I can’t imagine getting any place else. I love being part of a larger team who live out the values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility.

Medicare Made Clear

2010-11-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

Determining which insurance coverage is best for you can be confusing, and its even more so when you add in all of the Medicare options.

To help you sort through all of the information and get answers to your questions, the Middelsex YMCA is proud to host two FREE information sessions called "Medicare Made Clear".

Choose the one session that is most convenient for you. And please invite a friend.

Session A- Wednesday, November 10th 11:00 am in the Hazen Room of the YMCA

Session B- Friday, November 12th 9:30 am in the Hazen Room of the YMCA

Each session will be approx 1 hour and we will provide coffee.

To reserve your seat please stop by the Front Desk of the YMCA or contact Helen at (860) 343-6230 or hpeaslee@midymca.org

Kids' Korner Receives Two Important Grants

2010-10-28T07:28:00.000-07:00

Kids’ Korner is much more than a child care program. The eleven before and after school programs located in public elementary schools in Middletown, Portland, and Cromwell serve over 600 children. Children who attend our programs are surrounded by caring adults who serve as positive role models; enjoy healthy snacks, participate in daily CATCH fitness games and activities, receive help with homework and engage in a wide variety of activities and clubs that build both social and academic skills. The YMCA is intentional about making Kids’ Korner assessable to all families regardless of their economic situation. Our programs strive to engage all children in activities that promote personal interest and skills that will help children grow into healthy adults. Two community partners have recently provided the YMCA with grants that will support these objectives.

Liberty Bank Foundation

The Liberty Bank Foundation presented the YMCA Kids’ Korner with a $5,000 grant to support our Kidzlit Program. Kidzlit is an afterschool literacy program for K-2^nd grade students. KidzLit instructors meet once a week with children introducing a variety of picture books that touch on social skill themes such as friendships, honesty, cultural competency and others. Children read the book with the facilitator, talk about the character, plot, illustrations and theme while also recognizing cool vocabulary words. Upon completion of the story children participate in an extended learning activity such as crafts, cooking, dramatic arts etc. The goal of the Kidzlit program is to increase young children’s joy of reading.

JCPenney Foundation

As a leading corporate advocate for the afterschool issue, JCPenney works with afterschool organizations to increase the accessibility and affordability of afterschool programs across the country. The Middlesex YMCA is one of 287 Y’s from across the United States to receive a grant this school year. The $5,000 grant allows the YMCA to provide financial assistance to underserved populations that otherwise could not afford to participate.

The YMCA is exceptionally grateful for the Liberty Bank Foundation and JCPenney Foundation support and commitment to the work that we do for children and families in this community.

Y Hikers Closing Our First Season

2010-10-19T05:45:00.000-07:00

Our Y Hikers group is scheduled to go into hibernation on Thursday, October 21^st, but not before we get in one more blue blazed adventure. This Wednesday will be our 14^th outing and we will be hitting the Shenipsit trailhead in Cobalt. We expect to see some great foliage with stunning vistas of the CT River and Great Hill Pond in Portland.

Our hiking adventures this season have been multiple and have we ever been blessed by the weather goddess! We had one total downpour when we all got drenched but all the rest were truly beautiful, yes, quite warm some times, but truly beautiful CT weather. We have found interesting things on the ground and in the sky. Most of the hikes have been within 20 minutes drive time of the Y and there is some truly gorgeous country right here in our backyard. We give great thanks to the CT Forest and Park Association and their volunteers who give so much time in trail marking and maintenance. The Blue Blaze trail system is a great asset!

Our hikes have averaged between 2 and 4 miles each week and so I figure we’ve covered nearly 1.5 marathons in distance and the total elevation change we’ve covered must be close to half a mile of up and down. We have had a weekly group of between 4 and 8 hiking with us and have successfully retrieved a total of 7 lost hikers along the way, not too shabby for a bunch of amateurs.

The best part of it all has been the great fellowship we have experienced. Good friendships have been established and when you peel away all of the meaningless stuff that can clutter up life, that’s one very precious discovery that can last a lifetime. With the regular hiking season coming to a close it’s a great time to get a good deal on a pair of boots for next spring. It’s never too early to start making plans. Come join us in April.

Preventing Summer Slide

2010-09-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

Summer for children from middle class and wealthy families is a time for fun, relaxation, and learning. Children growing up in a family with means experience a summer full of opportunities to engage in creative outlets such as camp, family vacations, and visits to museums and libraries that develop their mind, body, and spirit allowing them to enter school in the fall ready to take on new academic challenges. Children from low income families, however, are more likely to spend the summer languishing in environments that do not stimulate learning, promote creativity nor enrich the mind body or spirit of a child. These children in return experience summer slide, a loss of academic progress made during the previous school year that sets them apart from their wealthier peers.

A study by researchers at John Hopkins University, cited in a recent Time article titled The Case Against Summer Vacation, reported that while students made similar progress during the school year regardless of economic barriers, by the end of grammar school low-income students had fallen nearly three grade levels behind their better-off peers. This well documented achievement gap is the result of multiple years of academic loss attributed to summer slide.

This summer the YMCA, in collaboration with the Middletown Board of Education, provided a five week summer enrichment and academic program to children entering first grade primarily attending Macdonough School in Middletown. Funded by grants from the Liberty Bank Foundation, People’s United Community Foundation and the Middlesex Community Foundation, this program served sixteen children from low income families. Using classroom space donated by South Congregational Church, certified teachers provided small group literacy support to children for an hour each day. YMCA staff provided enrichment and recreation activities employing a different learning theme each week that included: Adventures in Food and Fitness, Lights Camera and Action and Crafting Through the Continents. Students also went on field trips, played outdoors, went swimming and participated in the CRT Summer Lunch Program that provided both a healthy breakfast and lunch each day.

Data is currently being collected to determine if through engagement in a full day summer program students avoided the traditional summer slide and/or produced academic gains. We do know that the children who attended were eager to participate in all components of the program and the teaching staff were very pleased with the enthusiasm and personal academic and social progress that each child exhibited at the conclusion of the five week program. Summer slide is a serious academic concern that must be addressed if we are going to bridge the well known learning gap within our society. The YMCA, as a result of strong community partnerships, has provided sixteen children with an opportunity to close the gap and be successful first graders.

YMCA Staff Story

2010-06-08T07:36:00.000-07:00

It is common for us as YMCA staff to hear stories from our members about what the YMCA means to them. This past week I received a card from an employee who recently completed her work experience in our Kids' Korner after school program. Christa Vardaro is a 2010 graduate of Wesleyan University and has worked as a group leader in our after school programs for the past four years. She reflected on her experience with the YMCA by sharing the following thoughts:

"The last four years at Kids' Korner have been more than I could have ever expected. I have made lasting friendships with staff and have had the opportunity to get close with and see the kids dramatically change over the years. I truly believe that Kids' Korner is the perfect after school program; providing kids the perfect balance of structure and freedom by allowing them to participate in a safe and fun community. Working for the YMCA has really made me realize the importance of after school education for children and has influenced my current job hunt, post graduation. I just wanted to thank everyone at the YMCA for creating such a wonderful program for kids and for allowing me to be a part of it. I have had a blast and have learned a lot from my experience."

The Middlesex YMCA means so much to so many people. YMCA staff are fortunate to have the opportunity to provide our members with programs that build spirit, mind and body. As we spread our message and deliver our programs we meet many people and create meaningful partnerships. Our interactions and experiences with our members and programs affect us in ways we sometimes do not expect and can influence our choices in life. Thank you Christa for sharing your story and experiences.

Crayons for Cancer

2010-06-03T07:53:00.000-07:00

Caring and compassion are core values at the Middlesex YMCA. This week, Macdonough School Kids' Korner had the opportunity to exemplify these traits by supporting "Crayons for Cancer." (www.crayonsforcancer.org).

"Crayons for Cancer" seeks to ease the financial burdens of families whose children currently suffering from cancer by selling cute-shaped crayons. They take old crayon donations to melt down and create fun shape crayons that are sold or used to replenish hospital Treasure Chests.

At Kids' Korner, we noticed that the box of crayons on our art cart had been getting larger and larger and that many of those crayons were broken ones. Around the same time, we learned about "Crayons for Cancer 2nd Annual Benefit Concert" (June 12th, 2010) and decided it would be a perfect was to get involved.

The children started Tuesday afternoon by sorting out our "good" crayons from the "donation" crayons. They could not believe how many broken pieces were inside our crayon box. After they peeled away the paper from all the donation crayons, they were shocked to find that there were over 1,000 broken crayons to donate to this great cause.

The donation will be brought to to "Buried Under Comics" who will deliver our donation to the Crayons for Cancer Benefit Concert on June 12th in Manchester, CT from 11-3 pm.

To read about other ways Macdonough School Kids' Korner has supported families with cancer this school year, please visit the Macdonough School Blog at http://macdonoughschool.blogspot.com/2010/01/ribbon-project.html

2010-05-27T06:37:00.001-07:00

June 2nd hike preview!

Last year I had the incredible opportunity to hike in various parts of the Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. This is truly an awe inspiring place where amazing views hit you in the face at every other turn of the path. I’d say this was one of those places where the hiking bug really took hold and became a more regular part of my life. Being outdoors taking in the sights and smells of all nature has to offer has added a richness to my life that I hope will continue for many years to come. Sharing the experience of exploration and discovery with others is an added bonus. The shared sense of WOW! is a way of joining together that doesn’t happen every day.

Our 1^st and 3^rd Wednesday hikes here at the Y have allowed that shared WOW! to continue. We have explored places together that none of us have been to before and we’ve seen sights that are really quite inspiring. My feelings for conservation and preservation have been enhanced, my sense of joy for the simple/natural has been expanded.

Our hike on Wednesday, June 2^nd promises to be a continuation of this. We’ll head out on the Mattabesett Trail as it wonders past Millers Pond. When I did a preview hike out here last weekend I was amazed that in sections I was reminded of a hike around Jenny Lake in the Tetons.

If you like to be outdoors and active, if you like the company of other who are similarly inclined, if you want to discover some great spaces right here in our backyard, please join us. We leave the Y parking lot at 4 p.m. and typically return between 6:30 and 7:00. A heavy downpour and/or lightning strikes will keep us away but a little rain won’t stop us. Come on down!

Saying "Thank You" is Rewarding

2010-05-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Last night was a perfect night for baseball, so I took my two children to see a New Britain Rock Cats game. Before I purchased the tickets I noticed that there were a few inflatable activities set up. It turns out it was Principal Financial Family Fun night and the activities were free. So, we spent an hour or so jumping in the sport themed bounce house and taking our picture with Rocky the mascot (who looks surprisingly like a 6'4" mouse). It was great.

Then it was time to head into the stadium and watch (what was left of) the game. As we left the activity area I noticed a pop up tent with a few people that clearly worked for Principal Financial. They were frantically looking at their cell phones (I'm sure keeping a close eye on the market for their customers) and all of the families that were coming and going through the gate to the activity area were just walking past and ignoring them. I decided to approach the table and interrupt them. I then thanked them for the great event and told them how much I appreciated their efforts. After a brief conversation one of the guys handed me two tickets to the game and told me that they included access to the Webster Terrace where we could eat and drink for free.

The kids only made it through 7 innings but the entire adventure did not cost me any money. As we drove home with our shirts and faces stained with mustard and watermelon and I realized that I had learned an important lesson. Saying thank you and expressing your appreciation makes you feel good and it makes that person that you are thanking feel good, too. And sometimes you are even rewarded.

YMCA Camp Ingersoll's 2010 Senior Staff

2010-05-12T08:16:00.000-07:00

Check out the lineup of Senior Staff for the 2010 season at YMCA Camp Ingersoll.
Enjoy!

Appreciating Your Mom; a Lesson for Children

2010-05-03T11:13:00.000-07:00

Before I had children of my own I never really appreciated Mother's Day as a Holiday. Don't get me wrong, I have always loved and appreciated my mother, but in retrospect I never gave Mother's Day the attention it deserved. Now that I have 2 children I want them to recognize the opportunity to celebrate their wonderful mother. Initially my plan was to make a big deal for my wife and let them see and share in it, but I have a new plan that I think is even better:

I'm going to make a big deal for MY mother.

Like all behaviors that you want your children to demonstrate, it is necessary to role model them. By making a special day for my mother, they will see that love and appreciation are not just for young mothers and children but rather that our devotion and understanding of the work and sacrifices that our mothers made grows stronger with each passing year.
I am thankful to my mother for so many things and I have often failed to find ways to communicate that to her. I hope that my children will not repeat my carelessness.

Mother's Day is this Sunday, May 9th. I encourage you to do something special for your mom and in so doing , it will be something significant for your children.

Have any good ideas?

Take a Hike with the Y.

2010-04-13T07:36:00.000-07:00

Our first hike and it had to be in the 90’s, but fearlessly we set out from the Y parking lot at 4:05 (we thought a 5 minute window was sufficient) and unloaded at Wadsworth Falls State Park by 4:20. All had plenty of water and good solid boots and came with a spirit of adventure open to discover a “new” place.

What an amazing place it is with trails running every which way through beautiful woods, along impressive running brooks, past cascading falls both large and small. Being outdoors (no matter what the heat) is always a treat and the ability to explore different places and share time with others who are similarly inclined is a bonus.

Our next hike (4/21) will provide an opportunity to explore the trails that run through our YMCA Camp Ingersoll in Portland. This too is an amazing place with plenty of ups and downs and great sites to see.

In May (5/5 and 5/19) we will be exploring the Mattabesett Trail that runs both north and south off the intersection of Routes 66 and 147. In June (6/2 and 6/16) we plan to explore some of the many hiking opportunities available at Hurd State Park in East Hampton. July, August and September hike plans are still in the forming stage so if you have somewhere you would like to go let us know (bspencer@midymca.org).

We depart from the Y parking lot at 4 p.m. on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of each month and would love to have you join us. Y Hike? Because we can!

YMCA Outdoor Activities

2010-04-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

With the beautiful Spring weather, many people start to think about expanding their exercise routine to include outdoor activities. Sometimes it's difficult to find someone to run or bike with. Maybe you are training for an upcoming multi-sport event and you'd like some help with your swim technique. In an effort to help our YMCA members maximize their outdoor experiences we are offering a new series of outdoor programs and events. They are all free for members and do not require prior registration.

RUN
Join Sherri for a morning run at 6:00 AM on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Join Kristin & Lin Fridays at noon for a 4-6 mile run
Join Jake & Sue Fridays at noon for a 2-4 mile run

BIKE
Three separate groups will ride on Tuesdays at 5:15. Choose the group based on your level.
New Rider Education & Rides are being offered Saturdays April 17, May 1 & May 13. A 20 minute workshop followed by a 60 minute ride.

SWIM
A Swim Stroke Clinic led By Lin Anderson is set for April 15 at 6:30 PM in the large pool.
Open Water Swim Clinics led by JJ Addison April 19 & April 26 6:00 PM in the large pool.
Open Water Swim practice at YMCA Camp Ingersoll May 28 5:00 PM

RACE
YMCA Camp Ingersoll Kickin' Off-Road Duathlon & Kids Duathlon- April 24 PRIOR REGISTRATION NEEDED
Lake Terramuggus Triathlon Series- June 3 & June 17

HIKE & SPORT
Hike with Bob Every 1st & 3rd Wednesday of the month 4pm at the YMCA
Beach Volleyball at YMCA Camp Ingersoll w/ Ben. 6PM

For a complete calendar of events check out the midymca.com website

See you outdoors!!

Weight Loss Question

2010-03-30T07:45:00.000-07:00

A member asked some questions that I think a lot of people would like to ask, so I will share the questions, and the answers.

The Question:
Hi Kristin,
I have this book called The New Rules of Lifting for Women, that suggests on days you are working out you should be eating around 2300 calories, because your body needs it to fuel the work outs. However, in magazines that you read they suggest you cut back on your calories to 1300-1500 in addition to doing an exercise program to lose weight. So I'm confused as to which way is the healthiest way to lose weight.

I also wanted to know what you think about working out in your target heart rate zone. I have heard that when your heart rate is at a lower level you are burning fat, but that once you go over that level you are into the cardio zone and not really burning the fat. I feel that when I am working out my heart rate goes pretty high and I'm not sure if I should try to keep it lower to lose weight effectively. When I do try to keep it lower, I don't feel like I'm really working out.

Overall, if your goal is to lose weight, should you focus more on cardio or strength training? I know both are good, but is there one better than the other.
Thanks
~Rebecca

The Answer:
Good questions. Don’t subscribe to the magazine hype!
Most women have a resting metabolism that burns somewhere between 2300-2500 calories a day, this is before exercise. The best way to lose weight is at the highest calorie level you can lose weight, because it will have the least effect on your metabolism; which means your weight loss will be maintainable. Low calorie diets are responsible for ruining the resting metabolism and the Yo yo diet syndrome. A healthy maintainable weight loss is about 1% of your body weight each week (for most people that is 1-2 lbs/wk). 3500 hundred calories is equal to 1pound. So you need to be in a 500 calorie deficit each day to lose a pound a week. Let’s say you burn 300 calories a day through exercise, and assume your resting metabolism is 2400 calories~ then your calorie consumption should be 2200 calories.
Strength training is important for keeping your resting metabolism high. Your body needs a lot more calories to maintain muscle cells; so keeping the muscle on your body means you burn more calories when you are sedentary. Cardio is important for burning fat and calories and creating the calorie deficit you need to lose weight.

Your cardio workouts should be varied for the most efficient fat and calorie burn.
Yes working at lower heart rates (65%-75%) burns more calories from stored fat, but less overall calories. Working at between 75-85% will burn a mix of stored fat and carbohydrate, but will burn more calories overall. Working above 85% will burn the most calories, but most of them will come from carbohydrate, and working at this level can only be done for short time periods, and requires a lot of recovery, so as not to create fatigue. So, mix is up; go 2 days long and slow, go 2 days medium hard, for a slightly lesser duration, and do one day of intervals 3 minutes at 85-90%, 2 minutes at 65-75%, repeat 5-6 times.

A Suggestion:
Consider working with one of our personal trainers for a few sessions. Their knowledge, expertise and encouragement will help provide you with answers and support you need to reach all of your fitness goals.

E-Drive Success

2010-03-24T09:44:00.000-07:00

Was there a better day to hold an Electronics Recycling Drive than this Saturday? I doubt it, and if you were one of the many recyclers that came down you know how beautiful it was! The E-Drive was a huge success. The Computer Recycler themselves reported a huge influx of business this Saturday and that means less chemicals are being leaked into landfills at this very moment. If you want an idea of some harmful effects of these materials just scroll down to my last post. So enough talking, here are the stats.
More than 400 electronic items were recycled including:

over 65 radios, speakers, sound systems, tape players, CD players, or DVD players
over 50 phones, answering machines, or faxes
just over 50 computer monitors
55 computer keyboards
over 65 computer towers
about 15 laptops
over 80 scanners, routers, mice, or printers
and many other odds and ends
*more than 25 cell phones will be donated to the New Horizons Domestic Violence Shelter in Middletown*

We know some people had a hard time finding the Computer Recycler because of the wrong address, thank you for being patient.

Because this even was such a huge success we plan on holding another event in the late Fall. Stay tuned, and do not throw out those electronics! If you can't wait until then go to The Computer Recycler and check out the times you can drop off your electronics for free. Thanks again for helping to keep our community clean!

If you or any teens you know are interested in helping out with projects similar to this check out the Middlesex YMCA Earth Service Corps on Facebook or on the YMCA web site.

Youth Coaches: Teaching Life Skills through Sports

2010-03-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Posted By Michele Rulnick:

Spring is coming and soon those of us with grade school children will be spending our evenings and weekends at ball fields watching our aspiring athletes participate in friendly competition. This ritual is such an important part of our family life. Growing up my two brothers and I played every sport we could. My parents made the sacrifices necessary to drive us town to town and provided us with the equipment that we needed to participate. My father coached many of our teams and I can’t remember a time that either parent missed a game. They pushed us to work hard; they never let us quit a team and supported the coach (even when they didn’t see eye to eye). Through participation in sports we learned the value of hard work, the joy of winning and the agony of defeat. We felt what it was like to be both a champion and part of a losing team. As a result of sports we experienced the disappointment of having to sit on the bench and the pressure of batting clean up. We felt the pride of scoring the winning basket and the pain of making an error that cost our team the game. As adults, those memories and experiences are all relevant and important. The real and lasting value of participation in youth sports is the friendships made, the relationships built with adults who cared more about us then the X and O’s and the life lessons that sports provided.

This is why we start this ritual anew as parents and as coaches. Like my father, my brothers and I all coach youth sports teams. We do so because we love the game but more importantly we love what participation in sports can do for children. We also coach because we understand the value and lasting impact that one adult role model can have on youth development. Coaching involves much more than teaching the game; a great coach teaches life lessons while developing an athlete’s knowledge and personal skills. Liberty Mutual has a great website called Responsible Sports. The website offers terrific tips for coaches, drills and age appropriate skills, and strategies for making a lasting impact. The website is responsiblesports.com. In the coaching resource the ELM is introduced as a philosophical guide for youth coaches. ELM stands for Effort -- always give 100%, Learning -- improve constantly as you gain more knowledge and Mistakes are OK -- mistakes are how we learn. These are the life lessons that shape us into responsible, successful adults. Having more wins than loses does not make one a great coach. A great coach teaches athletes that hard work, focus, personal sacrifice, achieving personal goals and supporting each other as teammates is what makes a great team and a great athlete. I hope that when your child steps onto the field this season they have the opportunity to work with a great coach. If you happen to be that coach – best of luck and have fun!

The Importance of After School Programs

2010-03-18T07:52:00.000-07:00

High quality after school programs play an extremely important role in the development of a child's mind, body and spirit. Long gone are the days of being able to send a child home after school to an empty house. Times have changed and a new set of challenges and pressures are facing children in the United States. After school programs play a large role in providing children with the skills and support they need to avoid negative peer pressure and become productive, healthy adults.
Knowing that your child is safe and supervised during the after school hours has always been one of the top reasons that parents choose to enroll children in after school programs. Research is now showing that there are additional positive educational and social outcomes to participation in after school programs. Here are some of the other benefits of after school programming:

After school programs support a parent's ability to maintain employment. Parents have piece of mind knowing their children are safe and can concentrate more on their work. They have less childcare issues which can lead to a decrease in absenteeism from work.
After school programs support academic achievement and help children feel more connected to their school. Children participate in homework clubs and enrichment activities that focus on learning concepts in a fun, hands on way. Children who participate are less likely to be tardy or absent from school.
After school is a fantastic opportunity for children to learn social and problem solving skills. A group setting is the perfect venue for children to learn and practice how to interact in a positive way with children and adults from all backgrounds and cultures.
The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention states that quality after school programs can cut the risk of youth becoming involved in crime by up to 75 percent. Boredom that can lead to experimentation in risk behaviors or crime is eliminated by an adult supervised environment that provides activities that are of interest to children.

After school care is so much more than just babysitting. It has evolved into an environment for children to gain new skills, participate in activities that reinforce learning in a fun way while spending time with positive adult role models. The field of after school has truly turned into a profession with networks of professionals who are dedicated to positive youth development. I am very proud to be in this field and to work with the dedicated youth development staff here at the Middlesex YMCA.

Electronic Recycling

2010-03-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

Last Monday as I walked up the sidewalk to the YMCA I couldn't help but envision myself in Bambi; yes, the Disney movie. I felt as if I could be gallivanting through the forest with cute fuzzy animals in tow whistling chipper show tunes while orchestrating complex (for woodland animals) dance numbers. It was spring, and it felt great for those four days.

Flash forward to the disappointment of this weekend's washout. What is there to do in March when it's raining outside? SPRING CLEANING of course! I vacuumed, dusted, organized and washed. What did I discover after hours of scrubbing and moving? A computer, broken speakers, a Playstation, radio, a broken fan, and camera; all of which had long outlived their usefulness. These electronics had not been used, or usable in years, but I didn't know what to do with them until now.

Now is the perfect time to do your spring cleaning. Find all those old electronics because you can now recycle them for FREE at this weekends Electronics Recycling Drive held by the Middlesex YMCA Earth Service Corps! Here are a couple of reasons why you should recycle your electronics this weekend:

Old electronics take up a lot of useful space
Many places charge for the recycling of some electronics: this weekend it's FREE
Electronics can leak harmful chemicals into your house or a landfill if you throw them out: Arsenic found in some integrated circuits can cause damage to your digestive tract, and Beryllium found in battery contacts can be carcinogenic after long term exposure.
All cell phones will be donated to the New Horizons Domestic Violence Shelter. Help support those in need in your community.

So you found all your old electronics and you want to recycle them; what are the specifics?

The drive will be held at The Computer Recycler in Cromwell. The building is located west of the police department just off Rt. 372 at 400 Corporate Row.
The Drive is on Saturday, March 20th from 9am-2pm.
Bring your cell phones, computers, computer accessories, digital cameras, power tools, stereos, gaming systems, and most other used electronics (no TV's) and just drop them off.
Cell phones with chargers are appreciated, but not necessary. We will collect them and drop them off with the New Horizons Domestic Violence Shelter in Middletown.
For more info (including directions) visit www.midymca.org and scroll to the bottom right corner of the page, or go to www.thecomputerrecycler.com for a complete list of items, or go to Facebook and search for Middlsex YMCA Earth Service Corps.

Now you have all the info you need to keep your community clean and safe. We hope to see you there on Saturday!

Green Eggs and Ham Literacy Event

2010-03-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday March 10th the Phelps Ingersoll Center for Children's child care center at the Northern Middlesex YMCA, hosted an evening with Dr. Seuss. Dr. Seuss's birthday was this month and the center has been working on curriculum development around literacy and using the books Dr. Seuss created. Literacy is a very important component of the center and the teaching staff wanted to create an event around literacy, that would be beneficial for parents and children.
For the past couple of weeks, teachers have been working with the children reading Dr. Seuss books, such as Green Eggs and Ham, Cat in the Hat, The Foot, and Sneetches and tying them to learning activities in the classrooms. On Wednesday night, Parents, Grandparents and Children were invited to the center for a dinner of "Green Eggs and Ham" which was followed by some of our Middletown community partners LT. Heather Desmond of the Middletown Police Dept. and Asst. Fire Marshall Matthew Scarrozzo to read the story "Green Eggs and Ham" to all 3 preschool classrooms of children and families. After the story, Parents were invited to participate in an activity that their children have been doing in the classroom. In the Jungle room, children and parents created their own plate of green eggs and ham using art materials. In the Ocean room, parents and children got to make a "Cat in the Hat" hat. In the Orchard room, parents and children made individual puzzles from their favorite picture in the Green Eggs and Ham book.
The evening ended with some words from the teaching staff to parents about the importance of reading daily to children and having children becoming life long reader. Parents were sent home with a list of popular and appropriate books for preschool aged children. A good time was had by all!

Why I Love the NCAA Tournament

2010-03-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of March I start to get this itching feeling that something exciting is about to happen. My foot taps wildly to the beat of some unheard music. And I seem to have the urge to eat pizza and chicken wings.
It's NCAA tournament time and besides maybe Christmas and Memorial Day it's my favorite time of the year. I've never really thought about why I love it so much, I just assumed it was the natural inclination of every man or woman that ever attended the University of Connecticut. But now that I have children I find myself being much more contemplative, so I spent some time examining why March Madness is so great...and here's what I came up with:

Spring is in the air.- The tournament is in harmony with the seasons. I don't think that it is a coincidence that teams are "seeded" at the same time that my lawn and garden are also.
Brackets are fun and easy.- It is very complicated to try to explain to my wife all the different conferences and automatic bids and at large bids and so forth (most of the time I don't understand it either) but once the 65 teams are chosen and put into the bracket, it is very easy to follow along.
Shared knowledge (or lack of it).- Since almost no one knows about IUPUI or Mount St. Mary's or Robert Morris, we are all in the same boat when we choose our winners.
Upset Specials.- Let's face it we love the underdogs. We root for Davey vs. Goliath and we hope that the small school with no scholarship players can beat the NBA factory school.
Healthy Competition.- Sometimes I do get a little tired of hearing about the multi-million dollar contracts that professional athletes sign and it's nice to just watch young men and women that are playing hard for their team and their school. I'm sure winning the championship comes with certain "rewards" but in essence they are playing for bragging rights.
Great stories.- Each year there are always a few incredible stories about individual players that have battled difficult circumstances in order to attend college and play basketball. They may not have an NBA career ahead of them, but then neither does my son, and I'd rather have him look up to a young person whose tenacity and character shines through more brightly than their basketball skills.
Connecticut- Okay, so I'm a homer. I'm a UCONN fan (a disappointed men's fan and an amazed women's fan).

For me the NCAA tournament is a wonderful display of great physical feats and riveting emotional intensity.
And since UCONN is out, I need to find a substitute to root for...any suggestions?

Spend Time With Your Family This March

2010-03-05T06:56:00.000-08:00

"Time flies," as the old saying goes, but in today's fast-paced world, it's never been so true. How many times this winter have you put off building a snowman or sledding with your family, and thought "We'll do it next week"? Before you know it, all the snow is gone, spring is right around the corner and that snowman was never made. Most parents realize the rewards of close family ties, yet the demands of jobs and day-to-day household activities can be stressful and tiring. It's easy for quality time with our kids to get left out. You don't want to waste another season thinking about that family hike you never made it to.

Spending time with your children gives you a chance to shape their values. As your children get older, you can provide a good frame of reference as they are exposed to the growing influence of peers and popular culture. The more time you spend with your children, the more you will be able to help them tune in to their abilities, skill-building activities, and healthy friendships.

This time of the year is a great time to get in some quality time with your family. Spring brings the renewal of love for the outdoors, spring cleaning, Easter eggs, St. Patrick's Day and of course the Shamrock Shake. However, did you know that March is National Craft Month? What a better way to spend time with your family than celebrating with your family with a few St. Patrick's Day and Easter themed projects. Check out kaboose for some great craft ideas that you can do right at your home!

If you are looking to get out of the house, Visit New England and Uptake have easy to read lists of family friendly events in our area and beyond. Of course YMCA Camp Ingersoll's Egg-Stravaganza, Saturday March 27th is a great way for young families to enjoy time together.

Don't spend this spring putting off the things family memories are made of. Let's get outside, spend time together and have fun!

2010-02-26T06:26:00.000-08:00

Richard is the perfect example! Look at his picture and ask yourself:”What would I give for that smile”? He’s one of ours and we are all part of the village that it takes to help him grow safe and strong.

Not long ago Richard didn’t know how to swim but now he has a good start on the basics thanks to some great teachers, a pool conveniently located near his pre-school here at the Middlesex Y and a generous donor.

Richard is the perfect example of the win win nature of philanthropy; Richard gets to learn how to be safe around and enjoy the water. Our generous donor who helped to make this possible gets to see a smile that brightens her day each and every time she sees his picture. What would you give for that smile?

Our Y is a charitable organization that puts your dollars to good use supporting families, building character and promoting wellness. Join our cause!

Rise of Triathlon

2010-02-25T08:50:00.000-08:00

Triathlon ~ the rise of a sport

According to the USAT (USA Triathlon Organization), the sport continues to gain popularity despite hard economic times. People are signing up for races in record numbers; annual USAT membership increased by 14.2% just in 2009, with more than 125,000 belonging to the organization.
It has been the fastest growing sport in the US since it first appeared at the Olympics in 2000. One of the reasons for it popularity is the fact that there is a race for anyone who is willing to train. Distances range from the very short, or “Sprints” to extreme endurance “Ironman” to the in between, “Olympic” and “Half-Iron” distances. Races may be either on or off road. It is possible to race as and individual or to compete as a team in a relay with one person doing each leg. Really the sport offers something for everyone. There are also other multi-sports venues for those who are not fond of the swim, bike, run. For the non-swimmer, there is the Duathlon, which is a run, bike, run, or there are a multitude of Adventure Races, which may include things like paddling, climbing, and repelling.
If you are interested in training for your first multi-sports event or you are an experienced Triathlete the Middlesex YMCA is a great place to train, and to meet training partners. The Middlesex Y is hosting a number of triathlon, and multi-sports focused events including a Fitness Contest, with the goal of completing the Ironman Distance in less then a month (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run), an indoor winter sprint series on February 27th, March 13t, hMarch 27th, and April 10th (email: kchampagne@midymca.org for details). We will also be hosting our first YMCA Camp Ingersoll Off Road Duathlon on April 24th 2010, and our 3rd Annual Camp Ingersoll Youth Triathlon on August 8th 2010. Hope to see you there!

Benefits of Summer Camp

2010-02-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

For both parents and kids it’s never too early to start thinking about summer vacation; though they may think about it for different reasons. Parents are concerned with ensuring that their children are safe, supervised, and engaged in activities that develop skills and keep their minds and bodies active when school lets out for the summer. Youngsters eagerly anticipate the free time, simply want to have fun, learn something new, and make friends. The right summer camp will be able to provide all of these experiences for your family.

Gone are the days when day camp meant simply tying knots or making pot holders Today, summer day camp programs are as unique as the campers themselves. We still provide arts and crafts, but we also offer kids exceptional opportunities to enjoy activities and resources that are often unavailable to them during the school year. Campers can go for a hike, play sports, climb the tower, learn how to maneuver a canoe, dress up as their favorite superhero and much more!

Camp programs are always designed to provide opportunities for physical activity. This is vital due to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting that 9 million young people between the ages of 6 and 19 are overweight and on a very unhealthy path to adulthood. The number of overweight children in the U.S. has more than doubled since 1980. Increasing the levels of physical activity in the lives of our children is a critical component of this country’s efforts to help children get healthier. Children are at less risk at camp where they have a sense of community, develop intergenerational relationships, and learn through first-hand experiences. Camps help children grow and learn by providing a supervised, positive environment that has building strong minds, bodies and spirits as a primary commitment.

Day camps are positioned to help young people get healthier and feel connected to their communities during summer months. I want to encourage parents and kids to experience our longstanding commitment to strengthening the spirits, minds and bodies of kids firsthand.

Middlesex YMCA Strong Kids Campaign

2010-02-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

Did you know...

The YMCA of Northern Middlesex County was established in 1886. In 1928, a new building was added to meet growing enrollment, offering a swimming pool, two gymnasiums, billiards, bowling lanes and 64 dormitory rooms. This building remains today as the primary base of operations. In 1972 the building was expanded, adding a second pool, health center, and additional racquetball courts to the facilities. Here are some other little known facts about the Middlesex YMCA:

- Thirty percent of our memberships are families.
- We are the largest before and after school childcare provider in the area.
- Over 1,000 campers attend YMCA Camp Ingersoll and Outdoor Center each summer.
- We have an aquatics program for people suffering from arthritis.
- Many use our pool for physical therapy purposes.
- Our Mentoring Program helps children with special social and behavioral needs.
- Our Phelps Ingersoll Center for Children provides preschool and school readiness for 45 children.
- The YMCA Barracudas swim team has a roster of 130 kids that pound the water in our winter swim season and 75 kids in our summer season.
- We still provide 62 units of safe, affordable housing for men.
- We have a membership of over 3,370.
- Over 300 individuals receive financial assistance based on need.

Did you also know that...

The Middlesex YMCA awards over $300,000 of financial assistance to families each year. The Strong Kids Campaign is an annual fundraiser whose proceeds benefit our YMCA Open Doors Financial Assistance Program. The fist leg of fundraising is our Employee Campaign. Middlesex YMCA employees have thus far donated over $12,000 to ensure that all families and children have access to YMCA programs at affordable prices. Employees who donated were given a leaf to proudly display on our Strong Kids Employee Giving Tree located in our lobby. Thank you to all employees who supported this great cause! This is just another example of how the Middlesex YMCA is a Community of Caring People Who Support Families, Build Character and Promote Wellness.

The employee campaign is just the beginning of the fundraising. On February 11th we began our Strong Kids Community Campaign. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful volunteers who share their YMCA stories and spread our message throughout the community. We are extremely grateful for the generosity of the following businesses who are showing their support to our Strong Kids Community Campaign by offering matching funds:

A & A Office Systems

Best Cleaners

Citizens Bank

Comcast

Daniels Oil

Liberty Bank

May, Bonee & Walsh

Suburban Office Products

Generous donors make it possible for our Open Doors financial assistance program to respond to the needs of all community members. If you know anyone who is interested in making a charitable donation, please have them consider the Middlesex YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. If you have any questions about our campaign or for more information please contact Bob Spencer at (860) 343-6232.

The Right Summer Camp

2010-02-09T10:25:00.000-08:00

Chances are you have already been inundated by flyers, brochures, and other promotional camp materials. I know what many of you are thinking: Is this guy really talking about camp a day before were about to get "walloped" (their words not mine) by a winter snow storm? Well I am. Camp registration is in full swing and if you don't start the process now you might be closed out of a program you really want.

If you have ever looked for a summer camp you know it can be a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. Here are some questions and tips to prepare you for picking the right camp for both you and your child.

Camp Philosophy: Does the camp philosophy match your opinion of a successful summer camp experience? Are you looking for a competitive sport camp, something adventurous and new, or a little bit of everything with emphasis on personal interaction?
Staff: How does the camp recruit and train staff? Are counselors certified in CPR and First Aid, and are there background checks? Also how much time does a camp spend training there staff and how are they prepared to handle your child?
Safety: You want to be assured your child is in a safe and fun environment. Who is the first aid provider, is there a certified nurse, how big are your groups, and what are your pick up and supervision policies? Are there any special schedules or precautions for adverse weather? Safety should be just as important to your camp as it is to you.
Activities and Schedule: Is it important to have a schedule with 8 periods a day where campers are led through various counselor driven activities? Does your child tire easily and need special accommodations to make it through the day? Some camps may offer a few choices of activities and others may make activities available to all campers. How important are specialized unique program such as Archery, Ropes, or Boating to you and your child?
Convenience: Children come to camp for many different reasons, which is why it's important to choose a camp that fits your needs. You may want to look for transportation, before and after camp, or lunch options. Will driving to a camp far away add more stress to your day, or is it worth the time spent?

So now you know what to look for, but where do you get the information? Call local camps directly, research online, and look in brochures to get an overall feel. Attend an open house, take a tour, and ask other parents for recommendations. If you do not know any other parents call the camp and they will often refer you to a parent willing to talk to you. Yes it's a lot of information, but now you know what to look for and just imagine the smile on your child's face after a fun day at camp.

Health Care Reform Starts with You

2010-02-02T07:38:00.000-08:00

All of the debate circling around Health Care Reform has led me to the conclusion that it is more important than ever to be as healthy as possible for as long as possible. I want to avoid costly medical expenses, I don't want to be a burden on the system and I want to have enough energy and vitality to enjoy my family time.
So, I'm taking the responsibility of making my own health care reform. I haven't had any committee meetings, and haven't done extensive research into new solutions (although I would admit that this plan has been bogged down for a few years.) I am starting with what seems to make sense for me, I am trying to eat better and exercise....not revolutionary concepts.

Beginning in November I have been trying this new strategy and two things have happened:
#1- People are very supportive and some are even inspired to do something, too.
#2- I feel great, and that has given me momentum to do more in hopes of getting even better results.

So, put down the Big Mac Snack Wrap, lace up your sneakers and getting started. If you need help or a coach come down here to the YMCA and we'll do it together.

Winter as it could be

2010-01-21T06:45:00.000-08:00

When you were a child what made winter something to look forward to rather than dread? It was the snow: transforming what was known and ordinary into a new world filled with mystery, intrigue, and adventure. Fast forward to the present: are you stressing about tomorrow's commute in the snow, desperately making backup plans for a school delay, or counting the days until this uncomfortable inconvenience will end? For a lot us the wonder of winter has become a burden and our whole mentality takes a negative slide. We don't enjoy the season like we used to: our exposure to the sun lessens, we might exercise less, and activities we love are no longer available.

Why not learn a new winter skill? Skiing or snowboarding can change your whole outlook on the coming of winter. Now I know what you're thinking: it's expensive for the family, it's cold, and I don't know how. Well here are some tips to get you started:

Join a ski club. Aetna has a ski club available for anyone. A thirty dollar membership can save you close to 50% on a lift ticket. It also provides discounts at local ski shops (Alpine Haus).
Rent equipment. Ski equipment doesn't need to be expensive. Rent at a local ski shop and get huge savings compared to mountain rental prices.
Take lessons. Learning can be difficult, but think of the memories your family will be making together as you experience your first snow plow or carve. They cost money, but you can get discounts through ski clubs and it's the fastest and easiest way to learn.
Plan an outing. Take time to prepare and plan your experience. Some mountains might be close, but have bad conditions, others might be known as family mountains (Okemo). Avoid busy weekends and holidays; you don't want to learn in the middle of thousands of people. Early and late in the season offers discounted lift tickets and more comfortable weather.
HAVE FUN! Learning any new skill can be challenging, but whether you're with your family, friends, or yourself think about the benefits. Enjoy the outdoors, get a sense of accomplishment as you get off your first lift, experience a whole body workout, and enjoy the picturesque scene you remembered as a child!

The benefits of skiing do not end on the slope. If you do enjoy skiing you might find yourself more motivated to work out in the winter. Now when you come into the YMCA it won't be forced, but an extra incentive to improve your skiing. If down hill skiing isn't for you try other sports like: cross country skiing, snowshoeing, indoor rock climbing, indoor triathlons, and park and rec leagues. Most importantly, find something you can enjoy and look forward to doing in the winter!

Keeping that Resolution

2010-01-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

Over the Holidays you ate with carefree abandon, knowing full well that you had committed to starting an exercise routine in the new year. And this year would be different because you didn't just tell yourself that you would start but you told EVERYONE. You even went down into the basement and found your old gym bag, you know the one, with the Reebok high tops and the Champion sweatsuit. You even joined the YMCA.

Well, it' been 2 weeks...how's it been going? Have you started with the excuses? "I'll just skip today because I need to go grocery shopping." "I'll go tomorrow, I really have to take down these Christmas decorations." "Isn't American Idol on tonight?". Before you know it you've given up. Of course you're still telling yourself that you haven't...but you have.

If this describes you, it's not too late. Before you give up, try this: work with a personal trainer. There is a reason why celebrities exercise with personal trainers and it's not because they're wealth, it's because they get results. A personal trainer can help you set and reach your goals. Your trainer will make sure that you are optimizing your time and efforts. Your trainer will motivate you by making you accountable and helping you measure your successes.

So, it's time to take your fitness personal. For info on personal training email Kristin Champagne kchampagne@midymca.org or ask a YMCA fitness staff member.

The Ribbon Project at Kids' Korner

2010-01-08T13:01:00.000-08:00

Students of the YMCA Kids’ Korner at Macdonough School had the opportunity to show caring and compassion by creating handmade pink ribbons for breast cancer patients in Connecticut.

The Ribbon Project is a community art project founded by Miss Porter’s School senior, Jenny Roach. Participants craft handmade pink ribbons using non-ribbon materials. These “ribbons” are then distributed by Jenny to breast cancer patients in local hospitals and cancer treatment centers. The Ribbon Project connects nicely to our YMCA positive value, CARING, which is also featured as #26 on the Search Institute’s List of 40 Developmental Assets.

Our Kids’ Korner program contacted Jenny Roach via The Ribbon Project website (http://www.theribbonproject.webs.com/) after the Hartford Courant had posted an article about her work. Jenny immediately sent our site a publicity packet, including posters, postcards and websites about the project. (You can find The Ribbon Project on Facebook!) We also placed a PINK DONATION BOX on site, looking for donations of fun pink materials for Jenny. She accepts a variety of materials, including fabric, ribbon, beads and fake flowers. Soon after, Jenny agreed to visit our site and speak to the children about creating and planning service-learning projects, including how she turned her inspiration into a reality.

On Friday, December 18th, Jenny brought along pink foam sheets that she had formed into ribbon shapes and bag full of decorative pink objects. Every Kids’ Korner student worked together to create several ribbons that Jenny was then able to take for distribution. To date, The Ribbon Project has created well-over 1000 “ribbons” for Connecticut breast cancer patients. Our program is glad to have contributed to this achievement.

Kids' Korner Visits Coffeehouse Recording Studio

2010-01-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

Twelve Macdonough School Kids' Korner students participated in their second Kids’ Korner CD Production Club with Michael Arafeh of the Coffeehouse Recording Studio. The first project was an updated version of the school song, “Knowledge is Power.” This second CD, Holiday Songs, features four tracks and includes holiday classics such as “Jingle Bells,” “Deck the Halls,” and “Auld Lang Syne.” The final song on the track, “Auld Lang Syne” features several well-wishes from the students. There is also a special reading of Moore’s poem, “T’was the Night Before Christmas” where each child read lines from the story. While walking to and from the Main Street studio, the children wassailed and delighted several people with their holiday cheer. Each child who was involved with the project received two copies of the CD, one copy for themselves and a copy for gifting this holiday season. Also, CD sales to Macdonough Staff went quite well. Hopefully these joyous carols will delight for years to come.

Try the Y Week!

2010-01-08T09:55:00.000-08:00

I read a blog written by Seth Godin everyday. For a long time I kept it to myself, and just walked around with this feeling that I knew something that very few others did.
Then it struck me, I need to share this so that other people could get the same benefit that I do. That got me thinking about our YMCA. So many people LOVE our YMCA, but they often keep it to themselves. Well, we are trying to change that.
Beginning on Monday, January 11th we are having "Try the Y" Week and it is an opportunity for our members to "show off" and "brag" about their YMCA. We want them to bring a friend to an exercise class or have another family join them for Open Swim. There are so many wonderful things that happen here at the Middlesex YMCA and so many benefits to be had, we need to share the experience with others.

So, please visit our website for complete details www.midymca.org and a schedule of "Try the Y" Week.

And just for the record, you might like Seth's blog, too.

The importance of Family Dinner

2010-01-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

It's hard to believe the heart of the holiday season is already past us; but it is, and now we look forward to fulfilling those New Years Resolutions. Seemingly, every year we make heartfelt goals and most years, I at least, fall short: there's no time, it's not that important, or maybe I just forgot. With that being said, why not choose a resolution that benefits your family while being attainable.

The article "Family Dinner Linked to Better Grades. . ." on the ABC News website reviews a Columbia University survey that has concluded family dinners are beneficial to your children. In addition to limiting some negative social pressures associated with growing up; family dinners, or any meal in general, also "were associated with better school performance, with teens 40 percent more likely to get A's and B's". A professor of child development at Tufts University states: "At a time when kids are under a lot of stress for a lot of different reasons, having that regular mealtime that they can count on, that their parents are there for support, that can be very helpful". So we all knew dinner with the family was a good thing, but now we have proof and with our hectic schedules of practices, clubs, and play dates it's never a bad time to take a deep breath and spend some quality time with your family.

Family Dinner Linked to Better Grades

University of Columbia Research Study Results

Sundays are FUN Days at the YMCA

2010-01-04T13:04:00.000-08:00

Eight years ago, Tony Sharillo, Camp Director, and I would spend Sunday afternoons trying to find the best place to watch football. The criteria were simple, lots of TVs, good wings and something to do when the games got boring, like Golden Tee video golf. Sundays were a good day.

We still look for things to do on Sunday, but now that we have young children the criteria are different...affordable, safe and something that our family can do together. That was the basis behind creating "Sunday FUN Days" at the Middlesex YMCA.

This Sunday, the YMCA Staff member, Kevin, helped us take out the gymnastic mats so that our kids could practice tumbling and then pulled out some hockey sticks and we knocked a puck around. Tony then took his son to a swim lesson, while I took mine to the family center to play some games. Sunday is still a good day.

Next week we're going to take the family fitness class and stay for Open Swim.

Why don't you bring your family to the YMCA this Sunday?

Kids' Korner Helps Amazing Grace Food Pantry

2009-12-23T09:11:00.001-08:00

YMCA Kids' Korner Before and After School Programs located at the elementary schools in Middletown, Cromwell and Portland were given the challenge of helping local families during the holiday season by donating food items to Amazing Grace Food Pantry. This friendly competition to "stuff the YMCA van" turned into a collection of over 600 items that were delivered to Amazing Grace on Wednesday, December 23rd. Parents, children and staff at Kids' Korner worked hard to collect items and teach the children about the spirit of giving.

While all our Kids' Korner sites contributed food donations, Moody School Kids' Korner was the big winner with over 150 items donated. Not far behind was Woodside Intermediate School Kids' Korner in Cromwell with 100 items. For their tremendous efforts, Moody Kids' Korner will be enjoying a special movie and popcorn party for their half day this afternoon.

Thank you to all our staff, parents and children who helped to make this project a huge success. This is a great example of how the Middlesex YMCA is a community of caring people who support families, build character and promote wellness. Have a safe and happy holiday season.

Active Older Adult Reception

2009-12-18T10:41:00.002-08:00

On Wednesday, December 16th our Active Older
Adult Aquatic Instructors were recognized for their years of hard work and outstanding service.
Those recognized and their years of service are:
Perry Kollias, 14 years; Mary Dickes, Denise Levy and Mary McGiveron all with 12 years; Evelyn Siewert, 11 years; Carmen Scollo, 8 years; Sue Bright, 7 years; Shirley Pattavina, 3 years; Reed Bartman, 2 and lastly Susan Dunn, Sarah Pickert and Frances Helfrant all with one year of outstanding service.

Preschooler's Swimming

2009-12-15T11:42:00.001-08:00

The Preschool children at the Phelps Ingersoll Center for Children at the Northern Middlesex YMCA have been enjoying there new activity of taking swimming lessons and learning about water safety. For many of the children, this has been their first experience with water and learning to swim. Almost everyone has taken to the experience like ducks to water. The children have been learning about safety around the water and in the water. As the pictures show, Ms. Liz is going over some safety rules with the children and then the children get to practice the skills they are learning in the water. Two of the three classroom have gone through the 5 week session of lessons and the last classroom will start their lessons on January 4th.

This has been a great opportunity for our children, and parents have been excited that the center would offer swimming. A donation was given to the center to provide the initial experience and the center hopes that parents will take advantage of a sliding fee scale to sign up for another round of lessons. Many of the families are on fixed incomes so any discounts are greatly appreciated to offset the cost. For many families this has been the first time their child has been around the water. Helping children feel comfortable and make safe choices around the water will be a useful lesson throughout their life and the center is happy that we could be a part of it.

If you are ever at the "Y" on Monday's from 10-11, come check out the small pool and see us swim!

WE ALL HAVE A YMCA STORY

2009-12-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

I have just celebrated my 19th year with the Northern Middlesex YMCA. What a journey it has been. When I started at the Y my colleagues teased me that I would be following in the footsteps of my Aunt Jane Sullivan who worked at the YMCA for over 40 years. The thought of being in one place for an extended period of time did not appeal to the 24 year old version of me. The Y has a way of sucking you in! The Y became home, a place that has been both nurturing of my individual strengths and demanding of personal growth and dedication. My Y story is simple; I met my husband at the YMCA Camp Ingersoll, brought both my children into the world while employed at the YMCA, and made lifelong friendships. I am extremely proud that my work and effort has positively impacted thousands of young people. I can’t imagine the last nineteen years without the Y in my life.

I am proud of the impact the YMCA has on the overall wellness of the community. The YMCA impacts so many lives through health and fitness programs, our men’s residence, high quality early childhood education and before and after school programs, mentoring at risk youth, camp and summer programs, swim lessons, and more. If you ask a YMCA staff person why they work for the Y they will talk about the people that they meet, help, and provide encouragement to each day. There are so many stories of how the YMCA has enriched people’s lives and those stories are important to share. Your stories are examples of how the Y is a community asset providing value to members and their families, to employees past and present, and to the community as a whole. I hope that you will consider sharing your Y story with us. How has the YMCA made a difference in your life? Send your Y story to mrulnick@midymca.org and I will post it on our blog. I can’t wait to read about the different historical perspectives and impact that the Y has had over the years.

Kids' Korner Honors Role Models

2009-12-15T11:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, students of the YMCA Kids’ Korner Before and After School Programs at Macdonough School honored the adults that inspire them.

Each child created a special “You Are My Role Model” certificate which included a personalized message and/or picture. The students wrote very appreciative and moving messages to their adult role models that expressed the reasons why they find them important. Attached to the top corner of each certificate was a lapel-button that could be removed and worn by the recipient. The pins are simple black on white and say "I'm Someone's Role Model."

This project started as an assignment from Justin Carbonella of the Middletown Youth Services Bureau. Programs were asked to find a way to visually express some of the "40 Developmental Assets." Search Institute has identified 40 positive experiences and qualities that we all have the power to bring into the lives of children and youth. These "Developmental Assets" represent the relationships, opportunities and personal qualities that young people need to avoid risk behaviors and ultimately develop into healthy adults. Macdonough Kids' Korner chose to begin with asset “#14-Adult Role Models.” As the children started writing their heart-felt messages, it was clear that this project was an important learning experience.

The children have recognized over 30 adults, including their parents, family members and family friends, and several Macdonough School faculty and staff. The recipients’ responses have been overwhelmingly positive. One child’s mother announced that she was going to hang up her certificate at work. One teacher shared, “The role model note brought tears of joy to my eyes. It feels great to know I am appreciated.” Jeremy Hungerford, our school custodian said, “This is just so awesome!” Role Models are now sporting their “I’m Someone’s Role Model” pins on their shirts, and sweaters school-wide. Many others are taking notice of these well-earned accessories.

Other Developmental Assets our Kids’ Korner program will be working on in the upcoming months include #7-Community Values Youth, #33 Interpersonal Competence, and #40 Positive View of Personal Future. On the list of 40 Developmental Assets, “Adult Role Models” may be #14, but today in the North End, it is #1.

Another Great Family Event

2009-12-14T10:51:00.000-08:00

The Middlesex YMCA was full of Christmas cheer this Saturday as many families took part in our Breakfast with Santa. We had tons of fun making reindeers, Christmas trees, and our wish lists; all while enjoying a healthy continental breakfast. Santa surprised everyone as he arrived early to talk with the kids and watch as they worked on their crafts and letters. "All of a sudden everyone got this feeling that something magical was going to happen," said Melanie Carfora, "then he, Santa, came around the corner." Christmas carols could be heard from the lobby as everyone, inspired by the big guy, broke out into their favorite holiday song, Jingle Bells.

Children and their families then had a chance to meet Santa one on one as he sat in a rocking chair next to his Christmas tree. They gave him their Christmas letter, told him what they wanted for Christmas, and had their picture taken together. As the morning came to an end, Santa asked the YMCA to bring all the letters he collected to Macy's, who will donate $1 for every letter they receive to the Make a Wish Foundation. A generous end to a great event.

If you missed this Family Fun Event, please be sure to check our website, www.midymca.org for a listing of our up coming monthly Family Events. YMCA Family Events are a terrific way to share a memorable experience with your family and not break the bank doing it.

We hope that everyone has a fun and safe holiday together with their friends and family!

STRESS BUSTERS

2009-12-14T09:51:00.000-08:00

Are you feeling stressed out these days? If so, you’re not alone. A recent poll showed 8 in 10 Americans say that they feel stressed out. Based on my conversations with people from all walks of life, I tend to agree with the poll results. Given the state of our economy and the magnitude of challenges that our country faces right now, it is understandable that people are anxious and feeling stressed.

Stress, on a small level, is a good thing in that it triggers a rush of adrenaline to help deal with issues. Prolonged stress however can lead to health problems. So what are some simple things that you can do to help reduce your stress level?

• LAUGH! Indeed, laughter can sometimes be the best medicine, as borne out by a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic. Laughter can help to relax muscles, reduce blood pressure and increase heart rate, increase oxygen to organs, and relieve tension. It also increases the release of brain chemicals known as endomorphins, or the “feel good” chemicals. So watch a funny movie or surround yourself with people who have a good sense of humor that will make you laugh. Keep in mind that laughter is contagious, so the more the merrier. You’ll be helping yourself as well as others.
• EXERCISE. Like laughter, exercise has the same benefits of laughter with the added plus of keeping your body in shape. Exercise does increase the release of endomorphins. Have you ever noticed how you feel better after exercising, whether it be a brisk walk or a work out in the gym?
• SOCIALIZE. Isolation can tend to have people focus on the negative and the feeling that they are alone in dealing with stress related issues. By socializing, you may find that you are not alone and discover some tips that others have found helpful in dealing with difficult situations. Being with others may give you the opportunity to laugh more or find more enjoyment in exercise, both of which are helpful in reducing stress.
• EAT AND SLEEP WELL. Stress often leads to poor dietary habits and disrupted sleep, both of which can lead to a vicious cycle. Some of us react to stress by not eating enough and others eat too much. Likewise, stress can affect sleep, with some sleeping too little and others sleeping too much. Recognize which type of person you are and monitor your diet carefully, focusing on foods that are good for you and making sure that you are getting the right amount of calories and nutrition. Eating too soon before bedtime can interrupt sleep. Exercising during the day, but not before bedtime, can also help to give you a better night’s sleep.
• TRY TO KEEP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE. Notice that I said “try”. With what some people are facing, that may not be easy if you don’t have a job and are trying to figure out what bills you can or cannot pay. Nevertheless, it is still important not to “sweat the small stuff” and recognize things that you can or cannot change. Once you understand what you can change, you will feel a sense of empowerment as opposed to helplessness in a situation. This ties back to socialization, where talking to others can help you find some solutions to stressful situations. Also, consider volunteering your time for a cause you support. This can help increase your interaction with others and give you a sense of helping others, another “feel good” situation. If you are currently unemployed or underemployed, this is also something good to fill gaps in time, get yourself out of the house and shows well on resumes during a job search.

Hopefully, these simple tips can help you reduce your level of stress. If stress has taken over your life, it is recommended that you consult your doctor, since it can lead to health issues, depression or chronic anxiety.

Here at the Y, we are a community of caring people who support families, build character and promote wellness. We offer the opportunity for you to exercise, socialize, laugh and volunteer. Stop by and see how much better you might feel!

Ward Off Winter Weight

2009-12-11T10:33:00.000-08:00

Ward off winter weight gain. The average American gains 5 lbs between Thanksgiving and New Years. Don't wait for the New Year to get active. Get a jump on those extra pounds and stay fit through the Holiday Season. A great way to do it.... try one of the 45 free fitness classes available to YMCA members!

3 Minutes to a better routine

2009-12-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

Whether you are a beginner thinking about just starting out, someone just 'getting back to' exercise after a break, or a fitness regular looking for a new challenge. Spend 3 Minutes to read this and learn how to take your 'exercise routine' to a new level.

First, understand that your 'exercise routine' could be taking the stairs instead of the elevator once a day, or running for an hour before work. Whatever you do, Winter is the perfect time of year to add something new, not only to shape up for summer, but to keep the holiday sweets and winter blues in check. If you are reading this you are already in the right frame of mind so keep it up!

Second, whatever you do, you are far more likely to stick with it, if you have FUN while you are working out, so make sure what you are doing is making you happy. If you are new to working out, try a sports-related activity in a low-pressure environment (like the Y!). If you already have a regular workout, is it feeling too routine? Is the challenge gone? Focus on enjoying yourself first, you will get healthier and stronger as long as you make an effort.

Third, if you are new to working out, or if you are having trouble staying motivated, take a class or try sports-related exercise which can give you an immediate network of other people both like, and unlike, you who are pursuing their various fitness goals. In the case of team sports, participants are helping each other achieve their goals, even as they pursue their own.

Fourth, if you already exercise regularly, that is GREAT, but understand that our minds and bodies adapt to the workload we put on them, so if you are doing the same (old) routine, you will stay with the same (old) mind and body! If you push yourself to try something new, you will find there are profound mental and physical rewards that enhance the benefit of working out even further.

Fifth, new ways to exercise are all around you: maybe you will take the stairs, or the farthest parking spot; maybe a swim instead of a run; maybe a game instead of a 'workout'. Why not try Wednesday Winter Water Polo at the Middlesex YMCA? It's free to members right now, it's a lot of fun, it's probably something new to you and it's a great workout!

Join us Wednesday nights at 8:00 PM in the large pool (average temperature 81 degrees) for Winter Water Polo!

Holiday Hoops Clinics

2009-12-07T11:30:00.000-08:00

Monday December 28th and Tuesday December 29th J.R. Hargreaves from the New England recruiting report will be facilitating Holiday Hoops Clinics at the Middlesex YMCA from 9:00 to 11:30 AM. A great opportunity for aspiring ball player in 1st to 5th grade to spend time with friends, practice skills and learn new moves. Full day care is also available for an additional charge. Contact Melanie Carfora (860) 343-6208 or mcarfora@midymca.org.

Kids Night In

2009-12-07T06:52:00.001-08:00

If you missed this past Kids Night In last Friday you have another chance to take advantage of this fun, new family program.

This Friday, December 11th, parents can continue, or if you're like me, start your holiday shopping, go out to dinner or see a movie knowing that your child is safe and engaged in fun activities run by YMCA staff. While you're out, your children (ages 5 - 12) will have an opportunity to participate in gym activities, arts & crafts, Wii games, and tons of other fun games in the Youth Center. Pizza and juice will be served around 6 pm.

Cost is only $10 per child for YMCA members or $20 per child for non members. Families must complete a registration form. For more information please contact Melanie Carfora, 860-343-6208 or mcarfora@midymca.org.

BINGO a Huge Success

2009-12-01T08:27:00.000-08:00

The crowd was excited as each ball was read aloud. You could hear a pin drop as anxious children and families furiously scanned their cards to see if they had 5 in a row. As the cards filled up you could feel the pressure build until finally one lucky individual had that rare and wonderful sensation start as a tingle in their toes and work its way up through their body and exit their mouth as a loud, "BINGO!"

The Middlesex YMCA's first BINGO night was a great success and the survey results all agreed that these YMCA Family Events are a terrific way to share a memorable experience with your family and not break the bank doing it.

We hope you will join us on Saturday, December 12th at 8:30 AM for Breakfast with Santa. We will be having a light continental breakfast and you can bring a camera to take a picture with Santa. The cost is $5 per child or $10 family maximum.

Camp and Related News

2009-11-20T06:42:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

We just wanted to give a brief update about what has been happening out at camp.

On November 11th we had a volunteer day. About ten volunteers helped us install an erosion barrier on the Family Swim Beach. Check out what progress we made and the fun we had on our brand new facebook page.

In related news, on the volunteer day the Earth Service Corps (a brand new teen program) planted cherry trees in the staff parking lot for its first project. If you are interested in learning more about the Corps or getting updates become a fan on our YMCA Earth Service Corps page. There is also a link to our front page article in the New Haven Register!

Family Bingo Night!

2009-11-20T06:14:00.000-08:00

The classic game of fun and chance is here and it's free for your family. Please join some of your favorite YMCA staff as each one calls out a new and exciting game of BINGO.

And what's Bingo without prizes? Great prizes include one free Vacation Day Program, YMCA Camp Ingersoll gift certificate, one free personal training session, and YMCA and Camp gear!

Friday November 20, 2009 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the Middlesex YMCA Hazen Room.

See you there!

Middlesex YMCA now has a blog!

2009-11-18T12:19:00.001-08:00

Now everyone can follow all of the cool happenings here at the Middlesex YMCA.
This easy to use blog is going to be a great way for our staff to share information and happenings taking place inside the YMCA and throughout all of our program locations.

Check back often to see what's new at your YMCA.