50/50 Fitness Competition - Camp Director Challenge #4

Another fine Monday Morning!

Since this is the Final Week and the Final Challenge, let's put all the pieces together! For this week's challenge we're gonna complete a full body workout and throw in some running. Take a look:

Tony's Challenge

Complete a 30 min Upper Body Workout
Complete a 30 min Lower Body Workout
Complete a 15 min Ab/Core Workout
Run at least 10 miles

You can do your own exercises, I will be doing mostly body weight resistance, push ups, pull ups, lunges/swats, etc... Contestants must complete all the workouts to receive the bonus points, partial points will not be awarded for individual workouts.

Good luck and stay fit!

50/50 Fitness Competition - Camp Director Challenge #3

Happy Monday Morning!

Not only is today Monday, but it is also the first day of Open Registration for YMCA Camp Ingersoll! Another sign that summer will be here before you know it.

If you are like me, you spent the day yesterday eating foods that you maybe should have turned down at a Superbowl gathering. For me, let's just say that my body is regretting all the home made nachos, wings, pizza and other appetizers I ingested during the game. I need to burn it all off this week!

Camper Director's Weekly Challenge:

Workout at the Y 5 times.

You can run, swim, lift, use the elliptical or whatever you want, but get into the Y. We're halfway through and this is the week to put the time in.

See you at the Y and stay fit.

Kids' Korner Gives Back: A Look at Community Service

Caring, honesty, respect and responsibility are the four character values embraced by the YMCA. Our Kids’ Korner before and after school programs are committed to teaching children the importance of helping others. Our sites have been completing community service projects throughout the school year that have made a difference. Check out what we have done so far!

Bielefield: Children and staff coordinated a coat drive this winter. Families were asked to bring in gently used coats that were donated to the Goodwill.

ECS: The kids at ECS recognized that the cleanliness of their school grounds and play scape was becoming an issue. They decided to take matters into their own hands and dedicated a day to cleaning up garbage up on the playground and school yard.

Farm Hill: Staff and children created crafts around the holidays that were donated to local senior centers to brighten the decor!

Lawrence: Children are writing and designing their own books based off of the February theme of caring. Once these books are completed they will hopefully be able to read them in classrooms of younger kids at Lawrence.

Macdonough: The children and staff recently held a Dental Drive to benefit Amazing Grace Food Pantry. They visited the pantry, advertised their drive and collected new toothbrushes, dental floss, mouthwash and toothpaste. They recently delivered over 85 pounds supplies to Amazing Grace!

Snow: Snow School Kids' Korner had their Annual Sandwich Day. Parents, staff, and children participated in a service learning project where they assembled over 250 sandwiches that were donated to St. Vincent De Paul Place. Donations for sandwiches are contributed from Kids' Korner families and staff.

Spencer: The children at Spencer are collecting baby care supplies for the ABC Women’s Shelter in Middletown. They are collecting items such as baby wipes, food, formula and diapers. If you would like to help them, please let us know!

Valley View: Children and staff coordinated two different food drives, one for the Amazing Grace Food Pantry and one for a local animal shelter. They collected non-perishable food items for humans and pet food and supplies for our 4 legged friends.

Wesley: The staff and children held a bake sale during parent/teacher conferences. This bake sale was truly a group effort; families and staff donated baked goods, the youngers advertised and the olders perfected their sales pitch and sold the baked goods. They raised $295.00! The kids decided to donate the money to the Meriden Humane Society and a local church to help provide Christmas presents to local families.

Woodside: The kids and staff created a Mitten Tree at the program. They asked people to bring in new mittens, hats and gloves to donate to a shelter in Middletown. Thank you to the teachers, families and Kids’ Korner staff at WIS for helping collect 60 items to donate!

We are proud of the children, families and staff who have completed these projects! Please stay tuned for more upcoming projects.

50/50 Fitness Competition - Camp Director Challenge #2

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

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

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:

1. 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!
2. Be real with yourself. You’re most likely not going to lose weight, adjust your goal to try to avoid gaining weight.
3. 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!
4. 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.
5. 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

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

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

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

“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^th girls 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?

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

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.