For A Better Us

Submitted by: Jennifer Ryan / Executive Director, Ponte Vedra YMCA

Members of the Ponte Vedra YMCA’s Flyers Swim Team recently gathered to celebrate a very successful 2015/2016 year with an award ceremony, and kicked off the new season with an Olympic-themed party. More than 40 swimmers enjoyed treats and fun with their teammates. The Flyers team has grown dramatically in the past two years under the coaching of Jennifer Salles-Cunha. So many swimmers wanted to join that an intermediate division was added in the Fall of 2015 under new coach Monique Salles-Cunha.

At the award ceremony, Coach Jen and Coach Monique presented their swimmers with Bronze, Silver and Gold medals. Bronze medals went to swimmers that participated in USA Swimming Competitions, Silver was given to those swimmers who competed in individual events at a championship meet, and Gold medals were awarded to the top two swimmers in each age group:

The Coaches also welcomed several new swimmers to the team. With the presentation of the medals, the coaches took a moment to acknowledge their accomplishments as well as their potential for the new season.

• Highlights from the 2015/2016 Season include:
  Jesse Hagy taking 10th place in the 100 yard Breast Stroke and 7th place in the 50 yard Breast Stroke with a time of 28.55 seconds.
• Jason Hepfer dominated his age group by placing in the top ten in six events, most notably winning first place in the 100 yard Butterfly with a time of 57.31. Jason also took 2nd in the 50 yard Butterfly, 3rd in the 100 yard Individual Medley, and 3rd in the 200 yard Freestyle.
• Reilly McCabe excelled in the 50 yard Freestyle and 50 yard Back Stroke, taking 7th and 8th places, respectively.
• Lilly McCabe was also in the top ten in the 100 yard Breast Stroke with a time of 1:09.59.
• The Sectionals event was attended by Jesse Hagy participating in three events and Lilly McCabe swimming in five.
• At the Summer Flags Event, Tristan Lewers did great in the Back Stroke, taking 9th place in the 100 yard and 7th place in the 50 yard, with a time of 38.35.
• Reilly McCabe shined by getting in the top ten in four events, most notably taking 2nd place in the 50 yard Free Style with a time of 28.23, the same event that she won when she was a ten-year-old.

The new season started in September and the coaches and swimmers of the Flyers Swim Team are anticipating a fun and successful season for 2016/2017. Click here to learn more about YMCA Aquatic Programs.

By Beth Reese Cravey

James H. Winston, a Jacksonville civic leader, real estate developer and philanthropist, has been a YMCA devotee for 50 years.

The Y, he said, was “what we used to call gym and swim.”

But Friday he helped cut the ribbon to open the YMCA of Florida’s First Coast’s new flagship branch bearing his family name, which offers far more than a gym and a pool. The $21 million, 72,000-square-foot Riverside showplace will have programming for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility and be a hub for the area Y’s efforts to reduce chronic illnesses such as cancer, stroke, heart disease and diabetes, in a partnership with Baptist Health, Brooks Rehabilitation and Florida Blue.

“It’s going to have everything you can think of,” said Winston, 82, who has served the First Coast Y in various leadership roles, including chairman of the corporate board. “It’s probably not duplicated anywhere in the U.S. It is an honor to share my family name with this fabulous facility.”

To continue reading, click here.

By David Jayo, Senior Adviser to Interior Secretary Sally Jewell 

In 51 cities across the country from Anchorage to San Juan, young people are charting their own paths in America’s great outdoors. They are cleaning beaches in San Diego, planting gardens in Houston, paddling rivers in Minneapolis and dissecting invasive lionfish in Miami.

Through the Department of the Interior’s Partnership with the YMCA of the USA, American Express, local governments and hundreds of nonprofit organizations, Let’s Move! Outside is getting millions of kids to play, learn, serve and work outdoors. Through hard work, strong partners, leadership and vision, we have not only met our ambitious goals – we have exceeded many of them.

To Read More, Click Here.

Cheers rang out in the halls of Edward Waters College, as 700 YMCA campers from across the First Coast sat awaiting the start of Thingamajig. First Coast YMCA puts on the Thingamijig convention in hopes of educating youth aged 7-15 about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) through a hands on approach.

This year’s second annual Thingamajig was sponsored by Vystar and featured activity booths from Florida Public Archaeology Network, JEA, Mathnasium, Johnson Teens, VyStar, Claim It App, Baptist Health, Safe Kids Coalition, Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Chick fil A of Mandarin, Firehouse Subs, Sratchwerks, Enviroscapes by AmeriCorp, SeeDifferently, Edward Waters College, Florida IT Network, and UNF School of Computing, Engineering, and Robotics.

Children spent the day in 16 hands on workshops, and they participated in challenges that allowed them to build marble roller coasters, create their own inventions and even launch off their own bottle rockets.

Although a great opportunity for summer fun, these activities also help to open the doors to strategic thinking, creative expression and great careers. At the Y, young people have numerous opportunities to learn, play and be inspired through STEM. Thingamajig is just one example of how we’re opening children’s eyes to the wonders of science, and how we’ve worked to make a difference in the lives of the children of our community this summer.

To view more photos of Thingamajig fun, click here.

by Lauren Crawford

Summer camp is often thought of as a place of fun- where lifelong friendships are made and kids have a chance to learn new things. That’s exactly what I found when visiting Camp Immokalee this summer. Immediately I was greeted with a sense of community, and I could tell that the kids shared a special bond with one another as they worked together with teammates in their daily activities.

Camp Immokalee is a First Coast YMCA resident camp where kids can participate in physical, social and educational activities such as fishing, canoeing, talent shows, archery, arts and crafts, and other teambuilding activities designed for personal enrichment.

Camp Immokalee Lifeguards

YMCA of Florida’s First Coast also partners with the Bridge of Northeast Florida in order to provide Camp Immokalee stays for Bridge program participants. The partnership is annually funded by the Deerwood Rotary Club and makes it possible for kids of diverse backgrounds to have opportunities that they might not otherwise have access to.

Camp Immokalee is one of the ways that the Y hopes to impact kids of our community, teaching them self-reliance, a love for nature and the outdoors, and the development of attitudes and practices that build character and leadership, and meaningful relationships.

For more information about camp Immokalee or other camp programs, click here.

After years of planning and construction, the new Winston Family YMCA is near completion and should open as expected Aug. 26. Construction is on schedule and the facility is about 85 percent finished.

Crews are working 13-hour days, seven days a week, according to Haskell project manager Alfonso Cawthorn…
READ MORE

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Planning to host a kid-friendly July 4th bash or summer party? Try these quick fixes for turning high-sugar, low-activity rituals into fresh ideas and healthy fun!

1. Serve a Watermelon Cake
Kids are sweet enough without added sugar. Redefine dessert by showing off fruits and veggies in a fun way! Slice up a thirst-quenching, naturally-sweet melon and invite campers to dig in. Watch these instructions to get started.

2. Jump in!
Kids who burn more, learn more. Rather than celebrating with a movie (passive connection), choose a pool party (active connection) for kids to interact and be stimulated. They will also sleep better after physical activity.

3. Invite the Family
Provide opportunities for families to bond and strengthen their social-emotional and cognitive development. This may work best at the end of the camp day or during pick up. Involving camp staff in play is also a good way to stimulate interpersonal skills and connection.

Blazing summer heat didn’t deter 10-year-old Destiny Gonzales. A participant in the summer program at Dupont YMCA, she wanted to make sure the thirsty seedlings she had helped to plant would thrive. As a part of the SEEDifferently program initiative started at the First Coast YMCA with Atlantic Urban Beach Farms, summer program participants like Destiny have learned the value and importance of gardening through use of hydroponic growth towers.

The ultimate goal of SEEDifferently is to increase interest in the gardening process amongst children and families while teaching about nutrition, sustainability, diversity, and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Destiny became interested in urban gardening after seeing the towers one day while at the Y. “I remember watching [it], and me and my friend went up and asked if we could help”, said Gonzales.

“I just remember looking at it and being intimidated- it was this beautiful structure and I didn’t have any gardening experience”, said Katherine Cox as she recalls her first time seeing a growth tower.

An AmeriCorps worker, Cox explained that the science behind the unusual-looking towers is what makes the process revolutionary. “The 6 feet tall cylinder structures recycle water, take up little space, and are relatively easy to maintain. After seedlings are planted, produce forms within 3-4 weeks, making it much more efficient than traditional soil-based gardening methods”, she explained.

Cox has seen SEEDifferently bloom into a program that has really positively impacted families in our local Duval community who do not have easily obtainable and affordable nutritious foods available.

“I realized that food deserts and food security was a really big problem”, said Cox. In order to help, she decided to create a harvest lottery for families- drawing names and donating fresh produce that was grown on site. Soon other YMCA staff and schools in the community (including Tiger Academy Charter School) began learning about the initiative and have also implemented Seedifferently and harvest lottery programs.

To learn more, click here.

With increased access to beaches, lakes and pools, summer fun can quickly turn to danger for kids across the country. Swim lessons are an important youth development opportunity that ensure young children have self-rescuing skills, but adult supervision is always necessary when it comes to water safety.

Four tips that will save kids’ lives this summer:

1. Teach children to always ask permission to go near water

2. Never leave a child unattended in a bath tub

3. Empty kiddie pools immediately after use

4. When visiting a new home, check the premises for potential water hazards

Looking for more tips and support?

The YMCA is committed to nurturing kids’ full potential by keeping them safe during summer camp and every day year-round. Click here to learn more about our Safety Around Water swim programs.