Young Mens Christian Association

TO PUT CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES INTO PRACTICE THROUGH PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT BUILD A HEALTHY SPIRIT, MIND, BODY AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING FOR ALL.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT- AFTER SCHOOL ADVENTURES AND CAMP: HELPING DEVELOP POSITIVE VALUES FOR LIFE IS SOMETHING PARENTS LOOK FOR AS THEY SEARCH FOR EXPERIENCES IN WHICH TO ENROLL THEIR CHILDREN. OUR AFTER SCHOOL ADVENTURES AND PRE-SCHOOL PROGRAMS DELIVER THIS NEED DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND OUR CAMPS DO SO IN THE SUMMER, PROVIDING A YEAR ROUND OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN AND GROW. THESE PROGRAMS STRESS THE YMCA CORE VALUES AND TEACH KIDS SOCIAL SKILLS THAT ARE SO IMPORTANT IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT. THEY PROVIDE PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES THAT BURN ENERGY AND CALORIES AND PROMOTE SOCIAL INTERACTION WITH THEIR PEERS. OUR CAMPS OFFER GREAT VARIETY, KEEPING KIDS ACTIVE, INTERESTED AND INVESTED ALL SUMMER. OUR CAMPS INCLUDE EQUESTRIAN, TEEN EQUESTRIAN, PRE-TEEN, TEEN ADVENTURE, PRESCHOOL AND SCHOOL AGE DAY CAMPS, KINDERGARTEN PREP, SPORTS CAMPS, TEEN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE, 4 SESSIONS OF WEEK-LONG RESIDENT CAMP, SKATEBOARDING, LEADERSHIP CAMP, JUST TO NAME A FEW. WE STRIVE TO GIVE BUSY PARENTS WHAT THEY NEED FOR THEIR KIDS. CANOEING, ARCHERY, SWIMMING, FIELD TRIPS, SPORTS, SCIENCE, GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY ARE ALL COVERED GIVING KIDS A VARIETY OF CHOICES AND EXPERIENCES. THE AFTER SCHOOL ADVENTURES PROGRAM ALSO OFFERS GREAT VARIETY AS WE DELIVER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND RELATIONSHIP BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES. FOR MANY OF OUR KIDS, WE PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION FROM SCHOOL TO THE YMCA. THE PROGRAM KEEPS KIDS SAFE DURING WHAT COULD BE THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE DAY, FROM AFTER SCHOOL UNTIL MOM AND DAD GET HOME. OUR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ALLOWS FAMILIES TO RECEIVE THE MEMBER RATE FOR ALL OF THESE PROGRAMS, MAKING THEM VERY AFFORDABLE. ADDITIONALLY, IN 2021, WE PROVIDED CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES ASSISTANCE WITH DISTANCE LEARNING, KEEPING THEM FOCUSED ON THE IMPORTANT WORK OF LEARNING.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY- MEMBERSHIP: A HEALTHY MIND, BODY AND SPIRIT IS AT THE CORE OF EVERYTHING WE DO AT THE MANKATO FAMILY YMCA. WE DELIVER A SAFE SPACE WHERE PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, ETHNICITIES AND FINANCIAL BACKGROUNDS CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE AS THEY STRIVE TO ACHIEVE THIS BALANCE. WE CONTINUE TO FIND MORE AREAS WITHIN OUR FACILITY THAT WORK WELL FOR SHARING AND INTERACTION BETWEEN MEMBERS. WE PROVIDE FREE COFFEE AND NEWSPAPERS TO PROMOTE SOCIALIZATION, WHICH STRENGTHENS FRIENDSHIPS, WHICH IN TURN UPLIFTS THE SPIRIT OF OUR MEMBERS. IN RECENT YEARS WE HAVE WORKED TO MAKE MORE AND MORE PROGRAMS A FREE PART OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP. THESE PROGRAMS BUILD RELATIONSHIPS AMONG MEMBERS, FURTHERING THE CHANCES OF HEALTHY MIND AND SPIRIT ALSO. MEMBERS CAN ALSO ENJOY FREE RACQUETBALL, HANDBALL AND PICKLEBALL, PLAYED WITH OTHER MEMBERS. OUR FULLY EQUIPPED WELLNESS CENTER, Y FIT GYM AND FREE WEIGHT ROOM ARE AVAILABLE AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE. OUR TWO GYMS AND POOL CAN ALSO BE USED WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FEES. WE PROVIDE 90 MINUTES OF FREE CHILD WATCH AT EACH VISIT FOR OUR MEMBERS, HELPING BUSY COUPLES ACCOMPLISH WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THEM. OUR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM MAKES ALL OF THIS AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE, REGARDLESS OF THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION. THROUGH EVERYTHING WE DO, WE STRESS OUR CORE VALUES OF CARING, HONESTY, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY AND FAITH, MAKING THIS A PLACE WHERE MEMBERS CAN FEEL WELCOME, SAFE AND EMBRACED.

HEALTHY LIVING- WELLNESS: IN 2021 WE ADDED THE FOREVERWELL PROGRAM, WHICH FOCUSES ON KEEPING THOSE 55 AND OLDER HEALTHY, ACTIVE AND CONNECTED. WE HAVE ADDED VIRTUAL GROUP FITNESS TO OUR EXTENSIVE MENU OF FREE CLASSES. THIS FORMAT ALLOWS US TO DELIVER GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES TO AS SMALL A GROUP AS 1. IT ALSO MAKES IT EASY FOR US TO PROVIDE CLASSES AT A TIME THAT PREVIOUSLY MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE COULD NOT FIND INSTRUCTORS. WITH THE ADDITION OF THE VIRTUAL OPTION, OUR YMCA NOW PROVIDES OVER 75 FREE GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES A WEEK. WHILE DELIVERING WHAT IS NEEDED FOR HEALTHY BODY, THESE CLASSES ALSO PROMOTE SOCIAL INTERACTION, LEADING TO FRIENDSHIPS THAT DEVELOP A HEALTHY SPIRIT. AS ALWAYS WE HAVE MANY AREAS EQUIPPED WITH FITNESS EQUIPMENT THAT MEMBERS MAY USE AS A PART OF THEIR MEMBERSHIP. OUR LES MILLS CLASSES PROVIDE A WELL THOUGHT OUT, ANATOMICALLY BENEFICIAL OPTION TO OUR GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES. THESE WORKOUTS ARE ASSEMBLED BY NATIONAL LEADERS IN EXERCISE AND PROVIDE A BALANCED, SENSIBLE, EFFECTIVE WORKOUT. OUR SPINNING CLASSES ARE FREE WITH MEMBERSHIP. WATER AEROBICS ARE AS ALWAYS, VERY POPULAR AND PROVIDE GREAT EXERCISE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION. WE CONTINUE TO STRIVE TO GIVE OUR MEMBERS VARIETY IN THEIR WORKOUTS SO THEY STAY ENGAGED AND INVESTED IN BECOMING HEALTHY IN A VARIETY OF WAYS.

OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES: WE ARE ALWAYS PURSUING WAYS THAT WE CAN FILL IN THE GAPS WHERE COMMUNITY ASSETS DO NOT COVER A COMMUNITY NEED. OUR YMCA DELIVERS COMMUNITY BASED, SCHOOL BASED AND GROUP BASED MENTORING TO AREA YOUTH. WE PROVIDE SEVERAL YOUTH SOCIALS EVERY YEAR TO GIVE KIDS A FUN, SAFE OUTLET WHERE THEY CAN INTERACT WITH THEIR FRIENDS, OR MAKE NEW ONES. WE PROVIDE SEVERAL NON-SCHOOL DAY CAMPS SO KIDS HAVE SOMEWHERE TO LEARN AND GROW WHEN SCHOOL IS OUT FOR THE DAY. BIRTHDAY PARTIES AT OUR YMCA HAVE GROWN CONSIDERABLY OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE PROVIDE A FUN, AFFORDABLE EXPERIENCE TO CELEBRATE THE OCCASION. OUR PARENTS NIGHT OUT EVENINGS GIVE PARENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS AS A COUPLE, KNOWING THAT WHILE THEY DO SO THEIR KIDS ARE SAFE AND ENTERTAINED. OUR YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS EMPHASIZE FUNDAMENTALS AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. WE PROVIDE A SPACE FOR OTHER LOCAL NON-PROFITS TO HOLD THEIR EVENTS, INCLUDING THE UNITED WAY READING FESTIVAL AND MULTIPLE RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES PER YEAR. WHERE THERE IS A NEED, IF THERE IS A WAY, WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO FILL IT IN THE NAME OF BUILDING A STRONGER COMMUNITY.