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Recreation

By Becky Cline
The Kishwaukee Family YMCA of today was incorporated in March 1958 as the DeKalb Family YMCA, with a location in the old Haish Elementary School. “There have been many changes since then…changes in the community, changes in our name and location, and many changes to the facilities,” explains Debbie Madeley, Membership Development/Marketing Director at the YMCA. “Within the changes, however, the ongoing commitment to our founding purpose has remained—to promote the physical, mental and spiritual welfare of all who enter the doors, regardless of race, color, creed or financial situation.”

Established as a local nonprofit organization, the Kishwaukee Family YMCA does not turn anyone away from membership due to inability to pay. “The Y believes that all people have a right to the life-enhancing programs, classes and facilities offered. No one is turned away for an inability to pay,” expresses Madeley. “Proceeds from our Strong Kids Annual Campaign help make Y membership and programs a reality for more than 2,500 local individuals a year.”

• The Y Facility
A membership of more than 10,000 people regularly takes advantage of the Y’s extensive facility and its modern amenities. The facility spans approximately 100,000 square feet of recreation, education and wellness spaces. Notable areas include the Multi Sports Center, the Youth Activity Center (complete with a climbing wall, four Nintendo Wii systems, Dance Dance Revolution, board games, books and more), the award-winning Wellness Center (featuring more than 45 pieces of cardio equipment, free weights and strength training equipment), and the KidZone Activity Center (a supervised child care center). The Y also houses two indoor pools, a gymnasium, an indoor track, two racquetball courts, an outdoor playground, adult steam and sauna rooms, special needs/family locker rooms, and a circuit training room.

• YMCA Programming
“The Kishwaukee Family YMCA is unique in its focus on children and families along with its commitment to helping people achieve their goals and working to combat the obesity crisis,” says Madeley.

Youth, adults and families have access to a wealth of unmatched programs through the Kishwaukee Family YMCA. Youth members are offered preschool programs, a range of youth sports, swimming lessons and an established swim team, martial arts classes, fitness classes, a Teen Leader Program, birthday parties, and more. Families take pleasure in such programs as the Adventure Guides program, a parent-child program created in order to cultivate a closer relationship. Adult programming highlights include 46 free weekly fitness classes, free equipment orientations, Commit to be Fit (a free eight-week motivational program), 30-minute express workout classes, massage services, and adult athletic leagues.

• OSCAR
The OSCAR before- and after-school youth care program came to life through a partnership with the Sycamore School District. The school district delivers the educational enrichment component to the OSCAR program, while the YMCA provides the wellness element in order to place the focus on the whole development of participating children. The OSCAR program was chosen as one of only three before- and after-school programs in Illinois to serve as a model for the entire state by the Coalition of Community Schools in 2008.

• YMCA Summer Day Camp
The YMCA Summer Day Camp is an all- inclusive camp offering drop-off times as early as 7 a.m. and pick-up times as late as 6 p.m. Lunch, a snack and weekly field trips to various local destinations are part of the package. “The YMCA Summer Day Camp designs its curriculum around instilling the YMCA core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility,” states Madeley. “It provides children opportunities to increase their developmental assets like self esteem, confidence, teamwork and socialization, which provide the framework for building healthy, productive and successful children who will grow to be our community leaders of tomorrow.”

• The Y in the Community
In an effort to promote healthy living, the Kishwaukee Family YMCA hosts a number of well-attended open community events year round. The annual Halloween Party, Healthy Kids Day, America On the Move, Fit Fest and Indoor Triathlon are popular events that encourage communitywide participation.

In addition, the YMCA provides staff and leadership to many organizations in the area. The Y partners with 17 local nonprofit organizations to deliver high-quality services and facilities. It also joins forces with a multitude of community organizations such as the DeKalb and Sycamore School districts with a mission to supply unmatched activities and character- strengthening opportunities for the youth of the community.

“The YMCA realizes that the future strength of our community relies on building Strong Kids, Strong Families, Strong Communities,” says Madeley. “Growing partnerships are providing a vision for the future of the Kishwaukee Family YMCA, which includes expanded programs, services and facilities to meet the growing demands and the spiritual, mental and physical needs of our community.”

According to Debbie Madeley, Membership Development/Marketing Director at the YMCA, the Kishwaukee Family YMCA is always looking to the future with a mission to enhance and expand upon its key initiatives. In the coming years, the Y seeks to:

•Increase Developmental Assets in Youth, which includes programs designed to establish positive values and build self-esteem, as well as help prevent substance abuse, crime and delinquency through the teachings of its four core values (Caring, Honest, Respect and Responsibility).

• Improve Community Health through new programs, classes and services, with special focus on addressing the growing obesity epidemic in the U.S.

•Improve YMCA Programs and Services through Outreach, allowing local area nonprofits and other organizations to take advantage of the YMCA facility in order to increase the success of their programs and the well-being of their participants.

•Enhance and Increase Partnership and Collaboration through the availability of multiple community events in conjunction with many partner organizations, which welcome area children, adults and families to visit the Y and learn about healthy lifestyles.