Middlesex Y Members: Participation Makes a Difference

During the month of March, more than $3,800 was raised for our 2012 Community Support Campaign, thanks to our incredibly committed and supportive Y members!

In planning for our annual campaign, a highly passionate and dedicated group of Y staff members planned, worked and held exciting and fun events to help raise funds and awareness for our Community Support Campaign. From BINGO to a swim-a-thon, spin-a-thon; a Hoop and Shoot Contest; to a Hip Hop Party and Dodge Ball Tournament, the month was filled with exciting new ways for our members to stay fit and become involved in making a difference for their Y, their community. 

Thank you to everyone who helped to make our fundraising events such a success!  It is because of your efforts, our supporters, members and friends, that the Y will remain an essential part of our community, providing accessibility to all.

The Y Needs You

It’s not too late to participate!  Our 2012 Community Support Campaign continues and each and every dollar raised is vital to ensuring that the Middlesex Y remains an accessible and vital part of this community for everyone.  And as a non-profit organization, the Middlesex Y relies on the generous contributions from you, members, friends, participants and community members. 

To learn more about how you can contribute to the Middlesex Y’s 2012 Community Support Campaign or to make a secure donation online, please visit: www.midymca.org/giving.html . 2012 Pledge Cards are also available online for those who do not wish to make your gift via the internet.  For more information, please call (860) 343-6232 or email jcarso@midymca.org 

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES

Did you participate in one of our fundraising events in March?  Share your story by replying in the comments section below.

Make Summer Count with Camp

Lately I have heard a lot of talk about Summer Learning Loss and how it affects our children during the summer months. Summer Learning loss is an actual loss of academic skills and knowledge during summer vacation. The loss varies across subject matter, child’s grade level and family income. 100 years of research show that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004). All children experience learning loss when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer and due to the cost of summer programs, children that come from lower income families experience more of a loss (Alexander et al, 2007).

According to the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), summer camp programs can help stem summer learning loss. Camp is the experiential classroom. It is a place where children learn how to solve everyday problems that relate to social situations and how to managing time. Camps also provide them with opportunities to take calculated risks such as participating in the High Ropes Course or sing a camp song in front of peers. Numerous studies show that camps positively affect children’s self esteem, confidence and motivation, all which lead to improved academic performance.

Finding the right summer program for your family can be challenging. Indicators of a quality program include: licensing or accreditation, age of counselor and camp leaders, counselor to camper ratio and site or facilities. Of course other factors to think about are location, price and hours of operation. For a complete list of currently licensed programs visit: http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3151&q=400928&dphNav=|&dphNav_GID=1863.

Of course with programs such as Mega Science, Rocketry Camp, Film Making and our Reading Program, YMCA Camp Ingersoll intentionally supplements its traditional camp experience with enriching and educational experiences. Our Open Doors program also ensures that no one is turned away base on their ability to pay. For more information about YMCA Camp Ingersoll and nearly 20 camp programs visit www.campingersoll.org.