April 2008
Volume 2, Issue 4
OUR NEWS
Wilkes-Barre YMCA, 40 West Northampton Street
Phone: (570) 823-2191 www.wbymca.org
Youth Programs… Summer Camp… and Towels!
YMCA Announces New Youth Director
We are proud to announce the hiring of Matt Sharpley as our new Youth Program Director. Matt comes to us from East Stroudsdburg University. His background includes soccer and wrestling but his enthusiasim to bring new ideas and programs to our YMCA is unmatched. Already in the process of being developed are programs for Karate, Golf, Floor Hockey and Basketball just to name a few. If you have any questions or suggestions for Matt he can be reached at ext. 136.
YMCA Summer Camps
The YMCA Summer Camps are in full swing preparing for the Summer of 2008. If you or your children have never been involved with the Summer Camps of the Wilkes-Barre YMCA you should really take a look. Between day and resident camps out at our beautiful camp on Beaver Lake to our day camp at Francis Slocum Park to our in house programs like Kindergarten Camp there is something for everyone! We even have counselor in trading programs for kids in their mid-teens. Check out all of our summer programs at www.wbymca.org or call our Camp Director
Katia at extension #152 or our Child Care Director Heather at extension #140.
Towels in the Men’s and Women’s Fitness Centers
During the Month of May the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA will change its procedure for distributing towels in the Men’s and Women’s Fitness Centers. Instead of each individual locker having their own single towel, there will be stations of towels for each member to use when necessary. This system will give the member the opportunity to have more than one towel during their visit and help us at the YMCA keep an appropriate inventory. This system is modeled after other YMCAs and health clubs in our area who have similar fitness centers. If you have questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact Matt in the Membership office at ext. #125
What’s Happening @ The Wilkes-Barre “Y”
- Leisure Golf on Wednesdays Starting April 30th
- Karate for Kids Through the Month of May
- April Personal Training Specials…contact Linda at
- ext.222
- Leadership Award Dinner…May 6th…Genetti’s Hotel
The Mission of the YMCA
Building Stronger Communities
The YMCA is known internationally as an organization that strives to meet the unique needs of each community in which it operates. Because they are led by local staff and volunteers, YMCAs are in tune with the critical issues that their communities face. In the U.S., this means encouraging healthy behavior, providing important childcare services, or reaching out to underserved children and families in low-income neighborhoods. In South Africa, it means educating young people about HIV/Aids; in Bangladesh, it means supporting small business initiatives led by women; and in Nicaragua, it means working with gang members. Each Y finds itself leading unique programs, but all YMCAs work towards the ame goal: building better and stronger communities.
Building Stronger YMCAs
For YMCAs to be effective, they must be strong organizations. The best way for a YMCA to remain strong is to learn from and share with
other Ys around the globe that have demonstrated great success in serving their communities. Recognizing this need, the World Alliance of YMCAs in Geneva, Switzerland, has led the effort to help connect Ys from different nations to share their expertise. Their plan helps all YMCAs
focus on 3 key areas:
- Understanding and fulfilling their YMCA mission
- Providing services that meet the community needs
- Making sure that the YMCA is available for future generations
YMCAs around the world, through the simple exchange of ideas and talents, will grow stronger, serve more people, change children’s lives
and continue to be a refuge of hope for many people of various nations.
Did You Know?
- The receipients of this year’s leadership awards are Ray Ostroski and WBRE television
- The Changing Room in the weight room between the Men’s and Womes’s Fitness centers is there for Families to use.
- Father’s Day; African-American History Month; the Boy Scouts; the Peace Corps; the USO; English as a second language courses; the G.I. Bill; the sports of basketball, volleyball, racquetball, and water polo; group swimming lessons, Jazzercise, the first professional football game and Toastmasters International all had their start at the YMCA.