Spirit, mind and body: Snoqualmie Valley YMCA named ‘Best organization to join’

Published 10:06 am Saturday, March 31, 2012

According to Dave Mayer, director of the Snoqualmie Valley YMCA, the Y’s mission is to build a community where all people, especially the young, are encouraged to develop their fullest potential in spirit, mind and body.

The Y was recently named ‘Best Organization to Join” by Record readers in the Best of the Valley poll. Mayer shared his thoughts on the organization’s beginnings, mission and reach.

“At the Y, strengthening community is our cause,” he said. “We do this intentionally with programs that center around Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility.  We work side-by-side with our neighbors throughout the Snoqualmie Valley to help kids and families thrive—and apply their positive behaviors and goals at home, school, the workplace and beyond.”

Being healthy means more than simply being physically active, Mayer says. It’s about maintaining a balanced spirit, mind and body.

“The Y is a place where you can work toward that balance by challenging yourself to learn a new skill or hobby, fostering connections with friends through our lifelong learning programs, or bringing your loved ones closer together through our many family-centered activities,” he said. “It’s not about the activity you choose as much as it is about the benefits of living healthier on the inside as well as the outside.”

The generosity of others is at the core of the Y’s existence as a nonprofit.

“It is only through the support of our hundreds of thousands of volunteers and public and private donors that we are able to support and give back to the communities we engage,” Mayer said.

To date, nearly 2,800 people have joined the local Y.

“The Y is a membership organization open to all people,” Mayer said. “We welcome women and men, girls and boys of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientation, abilities and financial circumstances. Programs and branches embrace diversity, reflecting the needs and composition of the communities they serve.”

Financial assistance, to the extent possible, is available for those in need.

Q&A

How are you connecting with families and children?

“We are connecting with families by bringing them together in a community environment where they can interact with each other in a healthy and positive setting.  Families have the opportunity to play basketball, go on a hike, take a group exercise class and just have fun with each other on a day-to-day basis through engaging programs.  Kids are connected through a variety of youth and teen programs like After Zone (for teens) and Kids University (school-age children).  They have the ability to get a youth fitness orientation, participate as a volunteer and have fun playing dodge ball in the gym. We also give parents the opportunity to get a great workout in and take a class while there kids are cared for in our free Kids Zone Care where great staff keep them safe and have fun!

What does the future hold for the Snoqualmie Y? Any new visions or plans?

“We are looking forward to our first full summer and all the great programs and activities that go along with that.  We have an array of summer programs that parents can check out at ysummer.org or stopping in at the branch.  We are also looking forward to developing programs for preschool age children and getting our youth sports programs going. We will also be releasing “Get Outside with the Y” for some fun and interactive outdoor activities during the summer months that the whole community can be involved with.  We will continue to hold focus groups to make sure we engage our community the right way with programs and activities.

How can others get involved?

The three best ways to get involved are:

• Join the Y:  Stop in at our Membership Desk for a Tour and become a member.  You can also call for more information at 425.256.3115. Check us out on our Snoqualmie Valley YMCA Facebook page.

• Volunteer at the Y:  There are an array of volunteer possibilities from working in our Kids Zone to After School Programs to Teens Programs to helping out at the membership desk.  Please contact Stacy Holdren at sholdren@seattleymca.org

• Participate in a YMCA Community Family Activity: We have a variety of programs that are open to the community from Family Camp to Family Hikes and Service Projects.  Please contact member services at 425.256.3115

How does it feel to be selected as Best Organization to Join?

We feel humbled in the short amount of time since the Y has been open that we are making an impact on the community in the way that we hoped!  We are looking forward to all the great things to come and continuing to meet the members of the Snoqualmie Valley community in all of our programs and activities!