2013 Summer Donor newsletter

IMPACT

Living Our Cause. Strengthening Our Community.

YMCA OF THE PIKES PEAK REGION Dear Friends, The YMCA had an outstanding first half of the year focusing on the health and well-being of our community. Y staff continued to engage children, families and seniors in a variety of activities to reach their wellness goals and connect with others. A healthy lifestyle is a life-long journey and we feel blessed that so many people choose the Y to walk by their side.

The 2013 Community Support Campaign engaged 184 campaign volunteers, who reached out to our community with an invitation to support the Y. To date, $540,000 has been raised! Your gift to the Community Support Campaign ensures the Y will continue to meet the growing needs of our community by never turning away any child, family or senior experiencing financial hardship. Thank you! If you have not yet had an opportunity to give to the Y, please do so by visiting a local branch or going online to www.ppymca.org. Your donation to the Y is vital and will help us strengthen our community.

In February 2013, we launched a new website to provide easy navigation to membership and program information. While development of the site is ongoing, Google Analytics show increased visits, time spent on the site and page views. If you haven’t used the “schedule” option, I highly recommend it as a tool to optimize your time at the Y with family and friends. In addition, viewers are now able to join the Y online and order their 2013 Outdoor Pool Season Pass. Visit www.ppymca.org often and send us your feedback via the webmaster@ppymca.org link located on the home page.

In other news, YMCA staff and volunteers are eager to welcome you and your family to a summer of fun and healthy options at the Y. Many memories will be made while enjoying barbecues, movie nights, tween & teen nights, parent’s night out, potlucks, swim lessons, youth sports, day camp, Camp Shady Brook and more. We remain steadfast in our focus to promote family stability, youth and teen development and senior well-being and we thank you once again for your ongoing support of the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region.

With Regards,

Dan Dummermuth President/CEO

Summer 2013

YOUR DONATIONS AT WORK In 2012, the YMCA awarded $1,487,412 in financial assistance providing access to much needed YMCA programs and services for many children, families and seniors in the Pikes Peak Region. Access to these programs and services are made possible through many generous donors to our Annual Community Support Campaign as well as program-specific grants.

Childcare 6%

Downtown 24%

Southeast 27%

Fountain 3%

Garden Ranch 16%

Camp 8%

Briargate 10%

Tri Lakes 6%

The need for financial assistance is present in every community. This chart shows how YMCA financial assistance was awarded in 2012. The Y is on pace to provide a similar amount in 2013.

YMCA OF THE PIKES PEAK REGION 316 North Tejon Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903 www.ppymca.org

Mission Advancement email: cbair-norwood@ppymca.org 719.329.7217

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YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

MAKING NEW FRIENDS AND MEMORIES AT CAMP YMCA Day Camp and Camp Shady Brook overnight camp, like many Y programs, are about learning new skills, developing character and making friends. But few environments are as special as camp, where kids engage in physical, social and educational activities while learning how to be more independent and how to contribute to a group.

Our counselors are dedicated to making sure camp is an amazing experience for every Y camper.

CAMP SHADY BROOK YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region’s Camp Shady Brook overnight camp provides the ultimate get-away for youth to create their own adventure and gain independence while spending a week or two away from home. At Camp Shady Brook we believe every camper should have the following opportunities:

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YMCA DAY CAMP

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Day Camp reservations are up this summer and on track to be one of our most attended yet, with a projected 250 campers per week. Our day camps provide fun, child-centered activities and opportunities for learning through discovery.

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This year, twelve weeks of camp are being offered at six YMCA locations. Parents may choose weekly themes and add sports clinics to enhance their child’s camp experience. Field trips, hands-on learning and weekly excursions to the pool are included. There is no better place to be while Mom and Dad are working than at the Y’s Day Camp, where friends are made and confidence-building activities are in abundance.

Responsibility means “that I make good decisions, am trusted by other people, and people can rely on me to help out when needed.”

We put these beliefs into practice every day! We also believe that every child should be able to experience camp regardless of their family’s financial situation. The summer of 2013 at Camp Shady Brook promises to be “the world as it should be” and will positively impact approximately 135 campers per week.

Brad, Age 14 2nd Year Camp Shady Brook Camper

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Participate actively in a community in which all are accepted Receive guidance and support in setting and achieving goals Increase self-awareness, self-confidence, self-reliance and self-esteem Expand a sense of responsibility for the shared experiences of the community Develop healthy, supportive relationships with peers and mentors Explore and appreciate nature in a beautiful outdoor setting Explore and expand new and existing skill sets

This year we anticipate 30% of campers will need financial scholarships. Your support will give them memories that will last a lifetime.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

LEARNING TO SWIM FOR SAFETY AND FUN Summer of 2012 brought a new collaboration with the City of Colorado Springs that allowed the Y to utilize its aquatic management expertise to serve even more people in our community. After a very successful first season, Y staff prepared to make an even greater impact this summer by creating new programs to train youth in water safety and swimming skills, including combined swim and soccer clinics and Rising Stars, a new swim team clinic for ages eight and up.

On May 25, we opened Monument Valley, Portal and Wilson Ranch Pools and Prospect Lake Beach with record attendance throughout the entire Memorial Day Weekend. Looking forward, more than 1,000 families have become 2013 season pass holders and will enjoy unlimited access to these outdoor aquatic centers all summer long. The pools provide our community with fun, family-centered activities and ways to stay healthy, active and cool. Additional Y programs include lap swimming, water exercise classes, beach volleyball, birthday parties, kid’s day out, swim lessons for every age and group rental packages. As one of the largest providers of water safety and swim lessons in the country, we are honored to collaborate with the City of Colorado Springs to bring our community more options for a fun, healthy lifestyle.

EXPERIENCE MORE SUMMER AT THE Y! Remember those hot summer days when you were a kid? The Y is still creating memories for youth that will last a lifetime when they participate in day camp, Camp Shady Brook, youth sports, swimming and so much more.

We’re looking forward to serving children and families over the next few months and giving them a summer to remember. Any way you look at it, this summer has the “Y” written all over it!

PREPARING FOR LIFE’S JOURNEY WITH Y HIGHER EDUCATION During the weekend of April 19-20, the Southeast and Fountain YMCA Teen Program led 17 high school students on a YMCA College Tour. Now in its second year, this program is geared toward teen success and was made possible through generous funding from the 21st Century After School Grant.

The goal of the YMCA College Tour is to expose high school students to colleges and universities across the state as a way to explore higher education options after graduation. This year’s two-day tour schedule was intensive with students visiting the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Art Institute of Colorado’s main campus and Culinary School, University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University at Ft. Collins.

After visiting the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design and the Art Institute of Colorado during the first day, the students and staff

enjoyed dinner on the 16th Street Mall in Denver and then saw the Blue Man Group perform at the Denver Center of Performing Arts.

The group finished by relaxing and camping out at the Schlessman YMCA, a branch of the Denver YMCA Association.

Staff and students arrived back at the Southeast Y on Saturday evening after two full days of exploring new possibilities and making friends. This was a oncein-a-lifetime experience for many of these young people and one that will help set a positive course as they move forward toward adulthood. Y staff are currently working with these high school students to complete college applications, financial assistance forms and explore scholarship options as a way to help their new dreams become a reality. Many of these high schoolers will be first time college-goers in their families and will have more opportunity than ever to make their dreams come true!

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SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

MEND EMPOWERS YOUTH TO MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES In April, the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region received renewed funding for MEND, the youth lifestyle program that empowers 7 to 13 year-olds, with the support of their families, to reach and maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.

MEND (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do It) is one of the world’s largest evidencebased, healthy lifestyle programs that helps kids and their families change unhealthy attitudes about food and activity (Mind), keep physically active on a regular basis (Exercise), learn how to

choose foods that are healthy, tasty and nutritious (Nutrition), and take action to maintain a healthy lifestyle for life (Do It! ).

The Y will offer twelve (10-week) sessions over the course of two years with the first session already underway. Registration is now open for the next two MEND sessions beginning June 18 and June 20 at Memorial Park Recreation Center and the Fountain Valley YMCA. Learn more at www.ppymca.org/programs/mend.

OF COURSE YOU’VE STILL GOT IT! 50 MOVING FORWARD Forget “50 is the new 40” or even “the new 30,” age 50 is about moving forward. That’s why the YMCA and Pfizer Inc launched 50 MOVING FORWARD, a healthy living plan designed to motivate adults 50 years and older with fresh ideas around behaviors that experts say are crucial to healthy aging: physical activity; preventive measures such as screenings and vaccinations; healthy eating; and social interaction.

50 MOVING FORWARD goes beyond the basic tenets of healthy eating and physical activity. It highlights the importance of preventing health problems before they arise and enjoying the health benefits of staying connected and socially

active. One of the most beneficial things we can do is take steps to prevent illness. Even those who already practice healthy habits should be aware of things that may affect their health because as we age, our immune systems naturally begin to weaken.

Our YMCA received grant support from YUSA and Pfizer Inc to launch 50 Moving Forward this past Spring in the Pikes Peak Region. We have more than 200 adults participating in this program since we launched April 4. This is an exciting program that is helping people connect in our community and focus on health in a fun and intentional way.

STAY CONNECTED WITH THE Y… This summer the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region is jumping deeper into the social media world. We are hiring a Director of Digital and Social Media to communicate more effectively with donors, volunteers, members and the entire community. We will be launching a mobile phone app this summer as well as Facebook pages for each of our Y Centers and much more! Who knows, maybe you will even be able to follow Dan on Twitter!

Stay connected with the Y as we continually update our website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube postings!

Keep an eye out for the Y’s monthly e-newsletter sent out to Y members and programs users during the first part of each month. It’s a great way to get the latest Y news about upcoming programs, special events and community gatherings. If you do not receive the monthly e-newsletter, go to www.ppymca.org and click the “Subscribe” icon. The process only takes a moment and your subscription will not be shared with any other organization.

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BE CONNECTED www.ppymca.org /ppymca /ppymca /user/ppymca