HealthyKids Day at the Stamford YMCA

Over a dozen vendors and health care professionals were featured in the Stamford YMCA's Healthy Kids Day festivities in the newly-renovated YMCA gymnasium on Saturday, April 17th. Stamford YMCA CEO Mark Ketley reports that General Electric, Stamford Hospital, the Girl Scouts, and Rex Marine were among the presenters.

ESPN CEO Keynotes New Britain YMCA Annual Meeting

George Bodenheimer, CEO of ESPN and ABC Sports, keynoted the 126th Annual Meeting of the New Britain-Berlin YMCA this week. When the central Connecticut resident (born in Meriden, CT) started in the mailroom as a driver at ESPN in 1981, he lived at the New Britain-Berlin YMCA for several weeks. Subsequently, Bodenheimer has brought his sons to the New Britain YMCA for a recreational basketball league. Mr. Bodenheimer spoke on the values and competitive advantage of ESPN - "hardwork, caring for others, and passion".

Rhode Island YMCAs Host Advocacy Day 2010

Volunteer and employed leaders of the six YMCAs in The Ocean State gathered at the State Capitol in Providence on April 14th for Rhode Island YMCA Advocacy Day. High School students, enrolled in the Champion Our Students law mentoring program of the Greater Providence YMCA joined with the YMCA leaders in telling the YMCA story to the state senators and representatives in the Rhode Island General Assembly. Champion Our Students is funded through the federal Department of Justice and the American Bar Association.

Busy Beavers At YMCA Camp Mohawk

A colony of American Beavers (Castor canadensis) nightly builds dams on a pond on the YMCA Camp Mohawk property, resulting in the flooding of the camp's entrance road and sports fields. Camp Mohawk YMCA Camp Director Patrick Marchand used a John Deere backhoe one morning this week to break up the dam.

Regional YMCA Welcomes New Board Members

The Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut this month welcomed ten individuals to the Association's governing board.
Front Row (L-R) - Vivian Maletzky, Joni Park, Marge Davidson, Elio Petta; Second Row (L-R) - Bryan Luizzi, Steve Polizzi, Scott Shockley, Michael Daglio, John Phelan, Shawn Palmer.

Stamford Family YMCA Ribbon-Cutting

Formed in 1868 and Transformed in 2010, the Stamford Family YMCA re-opened on March 23rd with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its 909 Washington Boulevard facility.
Pictured (L-R) are: Connecticut State Representative Patricia Billie Miller (145th Assembly District), Connecticut State Representative Gerald M. Fox, Assistant Majority Leader (146th Assembly District), Stamford Mayor Michael Pavia, Stamford YMCA Executive Director Mark Ketley, Connecticut State Senator Andrew J. McDonald, Deputy Majority Leader, and Stamford YMCA Chief Volunteer Officer Tom Albee.

YMCA Brand Revitalization

Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut CVO Bob Belden and Board Member Mark Propper discussed with YMCA of the USA National Executive Director Neil Nicoll the details of the YMCA of the USA's brand revitalization, governance re-structuring and membership standards amendments at a recent regional educational forum conducted in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut Immediate Past CVO Michael Matson served on the YMCA of the USA's Governance Review Task Force.

Soundview Family YMCA Takes Shape

The Central Connecticut Coast YMCA's newest branch facility - the Soundview Family YMCA Branch in North Branford, Connecticut - is taking shape. Branch Executive Doug Shaw is looking forward to a summer opening.

Darien YMCA Advances PHC / RWJF Initiative

The Darien Community YMCA is advancing its planning as a Pioneering Healthier Communities YMCA, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The YMCA has assembled a community team comprised of (L-R) - Kathy Risley, YMCA Special Needs Director; Terrie Wood, Connecticut State Representative; Mora Romaine, Community Relations Director at Norwalk Hospital; Stephanie Fairleigh, Junior League; Carol Wilder Tamme, President, Darien Chamber of Commerce; Don Fiftal, Superintendent of the Darien Public Schools; Pat Morrissey, Darien Community YMCA CEO; Martha Rhein, VP of the Darien Community Fund, Partner Coach; and Aidan Gaffney, Darien YMCA Fitness Director.

CT State Senator Donald DeFronzo

Connecticut YMCA Alliance Chair Judy Jameson, Executive Director of the New Britain-Berlin YMCA, greets State Senator Donald DeFronzo, Assistant President Pro Tempore of the Connecticut State Senate, at today's Legislative Advisory Council Luncheon. Senator DeFronzo serves the 6th Senatorial District - New Britain, Berlin and Farmington.

House Republican Whip Pamela Sawyer Serves on LAC

Greater Hartford YMCA Chief Operating Officer Jim Scherer welcomed State Representative Pamela Z. Sawyer to the 2010 Legislative Advisory Council Luncheon hosted by the Connecticut Alliance of YMCAs. Sawyer serves the 55th Assembly District (towns of Andover, Bolton, Hebron and Marlborough). Susan Joyse, Vice President for Advancement at the Greater Hartford YMCA is pictured at the right. Representative Sawyer was honored in 2008 by the State YMCA Alliance as a YMCA Legislator of the Year.

Northern Middlesex YMCA's State Rep Attends LAC Luncheon

Connecticut State Representative Matthew L. Lesser, representing the 100th Assembly District, joined with Northern Middlesex YMCA President Frank Sumpter at today's Legislative Advisory Council Luncheon.

Assistant Majority Leader Chris Perrone Serves on LAC

Connecticut House of Representatives Assistant Majority Leader Chris Perrone, who serves Norwalk's 137th Assembly District, chats with Philip J. Dwyer, President of the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA and Vice Chair of the State YMCA Alliance's Public Policy Committee at today's Legislative Advisory Council Luncheon in the State Capitol Building.

Wallingford's 85th Assembly District Representative Serves On Legislative Advisory Council

Wallingford Family YMCA Executive Director Sean Doherty greeted Connecticut State Representative Mary Mushinsky, who serves Wallingford's 85th Assembly District in the Connecticut General Assembly, at the YMCA State Alliance's Legislative Advisory Council Luncheon, as the Connecticut General Assembly opens its 2010 session on February 3rd.

American Savings Foundation President Attends YMCA LAC Luncheon

Connecticut YMCA CEOs Jim O'Rourke (Greater Waterbury YMCA) and Judy Jameson (New Britain-Berlin YMCA) welcomed American Savings Foundation President and CEO David Davison to the Connecticut YMCA Alliance 2010 Legislative Advisory Council luncheon today at the Connecticut State Capitol Building in Hartford.

Connecticut YMCA Alliance Public Policy Leaders

Sean Doherty, CEO of the Wallingford Family YMCA, was introduced today at the annual Legislative Advisory Council Luncheon, as the Vice Chair-elect of the Alliance's Public Policy Committee. YMCA Alliance Chair Judy Jameson noted that Sean will commence his duties July 1, succeeding Philip J. Dwyer, President of the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA, who has served ably in that role for six legislative sessions. Pictured (L-R) are Sean Doherty, JudyJameson, Morag Vance (Chair, Public Policy Committee) and Philip Dwyer.

Wilton Family YMCA PHC Team Readies For Washington

The Wilton Family YMCA Pioneering Healthier Communities team is preparing for the Activate America Pioneering Healthier Communities Conference in Washington, DC February 17-19, 2010.
Seated left to right - Dr. Meredith Renda of Doctors Pediatric, Lisa Bogan of Vision 20/20 and Y Board President, Carol Johnson of Fairfield County Bank and Wilton Rotary, YMCA Developmetn Director and Y PHC Coach Karen Strickland.
Standing left to right - Colleen Fawcett of Wilton Youth Services, Eve Kessler and Carol Kennedy of SPED*NET, Bob McDowell, CEO of the Wilton Family YMCA, Steve Pierce of Wilton Parks and Recreation, Ed Staunton of Nowalk Hospital, Bill Glass of Trackside Teen Center, Assistant School Superintendent Arlene Gottesman, and Wilton Chamber of Commerce Director and PHC Community Coach Stephanie Barksdale.

RWJF Pioneering Healthier Communities Teams Head to Washington

Connecticut's six Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant-funded Pioneering Healthier Communities teams are preparing to head to Washington, DC, February 17-19 for the Activate America Statewide Pioneering Healthier Communities Conference.
The Darien Community YMCA, Greater Hartford YMCA, Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA, Wallingford Family YMCA, Greater Waterbury YMCA and the Wilton Family YMCA are engaged in this enterprise aimed at affecting public policy change to address childhood obesity.
Pictured is the Wallingford Family YMCA community team.

Polar Plunge Yields $18,000 in COLD Cash

The Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA's 2010 POLAR PLUNGE in the pond at YMCA Camp Sloper has netted $18,000 to benefit the Association's Strong Kids Campaign,, which provides financial assistance to families for children to participate in YMCA Camp Sloper in the summer.
Southington-Cheshire Community YMCA CEO John Myers and his wife Moi are pictured "taking the plunge".

Soundview Steel Rises

Steel is rising at the North Branford, Connecticut site of the Soundview Family YMCA Branch of the Central Connecticut Coast YMCA. Branch Executive Director Doug Shaw reports that construction on the 35,000 sf YMCA is on schedule, with an opening planned for the summer of 2010.
The accompanying photo shows the fund raising "thermometer" topping the $8.8 million mark! Already plans are underway for a $3.5 million Phase II.

Advocacy Take-Aways

Steve Conlan, Greater Providence YMCA Family Engagement staffer, reports out from one of the small group discussions at the Rhode Island YMCA Alliance Advocacy Workshop in Warwick City Hall.

Providence YMCA Youth Services Engages in Advocacy Discussions

Chadria Major Thomas, Family Engagement Coordinator with the Providence YMCA Youth Services, captures group comments on newsprint as Deniece Nunez and other PYS leaders engage in the Rhode Island YMCA Alliance Advocacy Workshop in Warwick.

YMCA Advocacy Focus of RI Alliance Workshop

Arianne Lynch, Managing Director Public Affairs for Advocacy Solutions, Karen Leslie, President of the Greater Providence YMCA, and Kristin Hurdle, Y-USA Director of State Government Relations, teamed to present a YMCA Advocacy Workshop to thirty-five YMCA leaders from the six YMCAs in The Ocean State.

Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian Greets RI YMCA Leaders

Warwick, Rhode Island Mayor Scott Avedisian welcomed Rhode Island YMCA Leaders to Warwick City Hall this week, as the State YMCA Alliance conducted a half-day public policy / advocacy workshop. Pictured with Mayor Avedisian is David Devault, Chair of the State Alliance of Rhode Island YMCAs.

Vancouver-Bound? OCY Skaters Take To The Court

The Ocean Community YMCA in Westerly, Rhode Island has converted a tennis court to a skating rink! With the Winter Olympics in Vancouver just weeks away, these YMCA skaters are aspiring to greatness.

Mountain Mist Outdoor Center Turning GREEN

Meriden YMCA CEO John Benigni points to the 109' wind turbine tower at the Association's Mountain Mist Outdoor Center. In mid-February, the Meriden YMCA's wind turbine will be operational, forecast to save the Association $20,000 a year in electric costs, AND contribute surplus energy to the regional power grid. The wind turbine is funded with a $100,000 Connecticut Clean Energy Grant.