WestCookYMCA_090716

CO M E R E D I SCOV E R YO U R Y !

2016

West Cook YMCA

Special Advertising Section

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PAGE 2 | HEALTHY LIVING FOR ADULTS AND SENIORS PAGE 3 SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH: MEET THE NEW DIETICIAN PAGE 4

Aiyana Best and Kellen McLain put their STEM training to the test building a robot at the YMCA’s Thingamajig Convention at St. John’s Lutheran.

Your Journey of Rediscovery

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f you haven’t been to the West Cook Y lately, you’re in for some real excitement – and that’s why we invite you to “Come Rediscover Your Y!” One of the first things you’ll notice is “new.” New equipment, new member benefits, new personal trainers and fitness coaches, even new programs. We’ve been on a journey the last two years, investing more than $1.2 million into “new.” And we’ve done this with just one thing in mind: YOU. Like many residents of Oak Park and the surrounding communities, I was shaped at the West Cook Y. Many of my childhood memories center around summer camp activities. The difference the West Cook YMCA made for me ignites my passion to turn our 113-year history into today’s all-new and totally relevant Y for today’s children, families, adults and seniors.

Programs at the Y are all about helping you bring out the best version of yourself.

Our “best self ” is not a one-size-fits-all standard. Instead, it’s discovering for yourself what motivates you to be healthy, active and fulfilled. And that’s far more than simply hitting a target number on a scale or achieving a certain image that the popular press has determined is ideal for everyone.

Instead, we focus on nine different ways a member at West Cook Y can achieve well-being. This “well-being wheel” (see graphic on page 3) means you can find your own passion and commit to a process of rediscovering what makes you feel and be your very best self.

One of the important ways we can all increase our well-being is to learn what matters when it comes to vitality. Health professionals say we need to “increase our health literacy.” At the West Cook Y, that moves from an abstract term to real programs and real support. From the Diabetes Prevention Program to LIVESTRONG at the YMCA for cancer survivors, healthy aging programs to sports teams, and swimming lessons to after-school programming with a global arts perspective, our members rediscover that being healthy in spirit, mind and body is good for you – and just good fun.

So I invite you to join us and begin your own journey of rediscovery. Talk to us. Tell us what makes you feel like the very best Continued on page 4

Rediscover YOUR

YMCA

William Camargo/Staff photographer

STEM, BOOST Programs Spell Summer Camp Success for Youth

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By Lacey Sikora

t the West Cook YMCA, youth programming— from preschool, to after-school and summer camp— engages the entire child.

From physical fitness programs, such as swim instruction and basketball, to arts and crafts and skills-based learning like STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) programming, the Y is helping children develop healthy bodies and healthy minds.

Youth Development Director Elizabeth Lopez says the West Cook Y had one of its most successful summer camp seasons this year.

“We surpassed previous years’ numbers in terms of registered campers coming into the door and staying longer. It’s been wonderful to be at St. John’s in Forest Park this summer. We had a lot of flexibility in space, and it was a place that campers could call their own. From STEM activities to cooking classes in a full-fledged commercial kitchen, the kids enjoyed a very busy and fun summer.”

Lopez notes that STEM programming was a welcome addition to this year’s popular Y summer camps.

“This year we were selected as one of ten Y’s to receive a Thingamajig© grant. The Continued on page 2

2 West Cook YMCA 2016

Special Advertising Section

Building Community Through Social Responsibility

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By Lacey Sikora

t the West Cook YMCA, the focus is on developing the spirit, mind and body of members through quality leadership, programs and services.

That development isn’t limited by the four walls of the Y’s Marion Street headquarters in Oak Park.

Through new programs that impact the community and with improvements to traditional programs, the West Cook YMCA and its members are having a great impact on the community at large.

In September, the new Togetherhood program, which began in April, will launch.

This is a grass roots effort in which members will work together on community projects outside of the YMCA. The member-initiated projects will not only provide opportunities for members to work and organize together but will also affect positive change in the 10 west suburban communities served by the Y. Member Engagement Director Kyle Hartje says of the program, “Whether our members see a need for us to clean up a community park or serve meals to seniors, the Togetherhood program provides an opportunity to really go well beyond the walls of our building. We’ll expand our reach to the community and help others beyond just touching our members’ lives.”

Hartje is also excited about a new program that will benefit resident members of the West Cook YMCA. “We’re launching a series of new Life Skills Workshops for our residents. At the Y, we focus on the holistic health of all of our members. With the Life Skills Workshops, we will be identifying some of the needs specific to our residents, whether it is computer skills training or financial literacy classes.”

Favorite traditional programs, from fundraising to holiday celebrations, continue to build on community as well.

Thanksgiving at the Y is a free community event hosted every year for residents, members and local partners. Hartje notes that this annual event is a key part of the holidays for many. “We partner with Food for Friends to provide a delicious traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Through food and fellowship, we’re able to provide a memorable holiday experience for those

William Camargo/Staff photographer

Dylan Owens and Jalen Kiarie test how barriers such as pencils can prevent water from spilling out of plastic bags during a Thingamajig© Convention experiment.

STEM from page 1

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Paige Clincy, Case Manager (center), works with West Cook YMCA residents during a Life-Skills class on computers. who don’t have that opportunity,” Hartje said.

The West Cook YMCA’s annual Christmas tree sale, now in its 44th year, is another community favorite that also supports the mission of the Y. The Y makes purchasing a Christmas tree a fun family event, that this year will include an offer of a YMCA signature coffee blend plus a holiday goody bag for children with the purchase of each tree. Proceeds of the sale support bringing Y membership to those who would not be able to afford the Y’s services.

Likewise, Tara Lenardi, Financial Development Director, notes that the West Cook YMCA’s Annual Gala, set for Saturday, November 12 at the Oak Park Country Club, will raise funds to support the Y’s mission and allow the Y to serve those who would not be able to afford membership on their own. “We never turn anyone away for their inability to pay. Every dollar donated during our Annual Support Campaign and at our Annual Gala stays within our community. When you give, you’re actually supporting your own neighbors,” Lenardi says.

$5,000 grant was meant to implement STEM programming at the Y during the summer programming. Two of our staff members, Rebecca Boblett, our School Age Coordinator and Kinyeta Porter, our Lead Camp Counselor and STEM Specialist, travelled to Washington D.C. for training,” Lopez explained.

This summer, all campers were exposed to STEM activities, and many of the campers participated in STEM through the camp’s new Boost activities, concentrated specialty classes with a more focused approach. Whether it was creating volcanoes that exploded or engineering race cars out of recycled materials, Lopez reports that the STEM Boosts were some of the more popular camp activities.

Summer camp STEM activities culminated

in a Thingamajig© Convention near the end of the camp schedule. Open to the community and to families of campers, the convention highlighted camp STEM activities and included science challenges, invention stations and strategic games.

According to Lopez, the STEM skills implemented this summer will spill over into the Y’s after-school and preschool programming this school year.

“Last year, we participated in a pilot program that added upgrades to our Afterschool Program. This year, one of the upgrades will be STEM programming. We’re going to have people from STEM professions come in and share with our students. Research shows that not as many females, minorities or people from low-income backgrounds work in the STEM fields. Exposing our children to professionals in these positions will help them envision themselves in these fields later in life,” she said.

West Cook YMCA 2016 3

Special Advertising Section

Healthy Living at the Y: Programs for Adults, Seniors Focus on Spirit, Mind and Body

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By Lacey Sikora

or generations, the YMCA has been helping members achieve wellness through physical fitness. As the definition of wellness expanded to encompass spirit, mind and body, the West Cook YMCA’s programs grew to a complete, holistic approach to member well-being.

Through new programming, the WCY is helping members attain well being and a greater sense of vitality.

This fall, on the heels of the success of the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program, the West Cook YMCA is launching “Take Charge of Your Diabetes,” a new program targeted at adults who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Through small group classes, the sixweek program will guide diabetes patients to make lifestyle changes to adjust their behavior to improve their health outlook.

Jennifer Allington, West Cook YMCA’s Registered Dietician, will be one of the facilitators of the new Take Charge of Your Diabetes program. She says that she has seen a marked interest in an initiative that address-

es the needs of those already diagnosed with diabetes. “The new program will focus on a lifestyle approach that addresses the overall face of diabetes, including a nutrition component, managing medications and dealing with stress,” Allington said.

This July, the Y also launched a new “EnhanceFitness” program for arthritis prevention and management. With four certified instructors, the classes meet three times a week for sixteen weeks for low intensive cardio and strength training.

West Cook YMCA Healthy Living Director Laura Olszewski explains that the program is not limited to those with arthritis. “The new program is geared toward seniors, but it is good for anyone with any type of mobility issue from arthritis to morbid obesity. You can perform the entire class from a seated position,” Olszewski explained.

Olszewski notes that the evidenced-based program provides tangible results.

“Ninety percent of the people who register for EnhanceFitness stay with it as long as they are at the Y, and 9 out of 10 participants say that they would recommend the program

YMCA to Host Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce Health & Wellness Lectures The West Cook Y will host the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce’s new Health & Wellness monthly speaker series. Opening event is Thursday, September 15 at 7 p.m., “Chronic Disease Prevention—You Can Do It!,” led by Laura Olszewski, Healthy Living Director and featuring Healthy Living Coordinator Sergio Perez and Jennifer Allington, Registered Dietitian.

Lawanda Shelton of Combined Insurance will speak about “Supplemental Health Insurance/Medicare Supplements.” Future events will focus on back pain, senior care and other key health and wellness issues.

Nine Dimensions of Well Being

to a friend. The benefits are measurable. Participants see increased strength, balance and decreased depression. They not only feel better physically, but it becomes a community within a community for the participants,” she said.

It is estimated that EnhanceFitness participants have significantly fewer hospitalizations, lower specialty care costs and lower adjusted healthcare costs compared to nonusers over 12 months.

Recognizing that healthy living encompasses the mind as well as the body, this fall the West Cook YMCA is launching SMART, an evidence-based, stress management and resiliency training program, through Massachusetts General Hospital that teaches self-care to help alleviate stress. Olszewski, who will be the first non-clinical lead of the eight- week program, remarks that for the Y’s large senior population, anxiety can be a big concern.

“We want to first help people see the connection between stress and health. Then, we’ll work on techniques to manage those two conditions.”

The West Cook Y will also continue to offer

its successful LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program for cancer survivors. Launched in March of this year, Olszewski says that participants have been very enthusiastic about the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program.

The 90-minute twelve-week fitness program is open to adults who have had any type of cancer in their lifetime, from patients still in treatment to those in remission.

“We help people reclaim their health. We have participants who run marathons and others who walk with the assistance of walkers.

All are able to be in a group and work at their own pace. We can also offer new experiences, like yoga or a spinning class, in an environment that is safe and comfortable.”

“This program helps participants build muscle strength, increase their flexibility and endurance and improve confidence and self-esteem,” said Olszewski.

“Every person’s experience with cancer is unique. Our approach is to tailor a program for each person’s needs and capabilities,” she explained.

The LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program is free to survivors, who also receive a oneyear membership to the Y.

4 West Cook YMCA 2016

Special Advertising Section

West Cook Y Spotlight on Health: Meet the New Dietician

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By Lacey Sikora

hen the West Cook YMCA hired registered dietician Jennifer Allington at the end of 2015, her newly created position tied in neatly with the Y’s holistic approach towards improving its members’ health and wellness. Recognizing that health encompasses far more than just physical fitness, the Y brought on Allington to serve a variety of roles.

Notes Allington, “My original role was to facilitate the new Diabetes Prevention Program that kicked off in December of 2015.”

The year-long program will see its third class begin in September, and Allington points out that the West Cook Y is the first YMCA in the Chicago area to offer this program. Members meet weekly for the first four months and then taper off to monthly meetings for the final six months of the program.

Allington says participants must meet certain criteria before joining. “People

10 Facts You May Not Know About YourYMCA

$1.2 million Amount invested in updating and

improving the West Cook Y since 2014

993

Number of children and adults who received scholarships last year for programs at the West Cook Y

3 We focus on 3 things – Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility

Provided

Registered Dietician Jennifer Allington (right) reviews possible menu items to control calorie intake. complete a risk-assessment questionnaire.

They must be at least 18 years old, have a BMI of 25 of higher and a blood test indicating they are at risk for diabetes.”

Once enrolled, participants learn how to approach diabetes prevention in a holistic manner. Allington covers stress reduction, getting started with physical activity, nutrition, and dealing with negative thoughts.

On the heels of the success of the Diabetes Prevention Program, this fall, the West Cook Y and Allington will begin a new program, Take Charge of your Diabetes, aimed at those already diagnosed with diabetes. “There’s a natural overlay to taking the next step and offering our services

to those who already have that diagnosis,” remarks Allington.

This September, through Allington, the West Cook Y also launched new dietician services for members. A variety of packages will be offered to interested members.

Allington says that the visits will cover a wide-range of nutrition topics from weight loss and high blood pressure to managing or preventing diabetes to cooking tips.

“We’re going to see what the need is and then tailor our offerings to what the community needs,” she says.

For more information, contact Jennifer Allington at jallington@westcookymca.org or 708.434.0249.

1,000 The number of seniors who come to the West Cook Y for exercise,

from page 4

healthy living guidance and friendship with like-minded seniors

our members as they travel

1972

That’s when we first offered fresh-cut Christmas trees for sale at the Y – and we still bring the best to you each holiday

Looking to brighten up your table with healthy and nutritious vegetables?

Some 26 recipes for tasty vegetable dishes presented at this summer’s Oak Park Farmers’ Markets are now on the Y’s web site www.westcookymca.org Check out such favorites as a Kale Salad with Dates, Parmesan and Almonds; a Spinach and Endive Salad with Pecans and Blue Cheese; Swiss Chard and Onion Tacos; and a Wok-Seared Asparagus with Chili, Garlic and Black Bean Sauce.

RECONNECT WITH YOUR Y COMMUNITY

85

The West Cook Y has been offering local boys and girls a summer camp experience for 85 years

2,700 The number of YMCAs across the country available to

West Cook Y’s Healthy Vegetable Recipes Available on Web Site

40

That’s how many free exercise classes we offer every week

69 Programs being offered by the West Cook Y this fall 100% The level of our commitment to help every man, woman or child who comes to the West Cook Y reach their own wellness goals

person you can be. Show us where we can improve. Let us teach you new skills and encourage you every step of the way.

We’re neighbors, you and I. We see each other at the Jewel, at church and on the sidewalks. We laugh together and we grow together as a community. So join me to Rediscover Your Y – and rediscover what it means to be part of a close-knit community of people who genuinely enjoy being together and want to help each other achieve their very best selves.

Phillip Jiménez President & CEO West Cook YMCA 708.383.5200 phillip@westcookymca.org