YMCA Impact Fall 2015 Issue

p.5 Also inside this issue:

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY, p.14 NEVER TURNED AWAY, p.16

DVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE CONNECTING EOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES CARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION FULL CIRCLE RIENDSHIP FAMILY FUN GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCE HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING KNOWLEDGE UNGES LEADERSHIP MENTORS MUSCLES MILITARY OUTREACH NATURE CAMP NURTURE THE POTENTIAL OUTDOOR CTIVITIES OLDER ADULT WELLNESS PUSH-UPS QUALITY FAMILY TIME REBUILD SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SOCCER WIMMING TEAMWORK TENNIS UNLIMITED FUN VOLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERISM WELL-BEING RESPECT EXPRESSION OUTH DEVELOPMENT YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT ZIPLINE ADVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC CHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE CONNECTING PEOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES ARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION FULL CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP FAMILY FUN GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCE HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING KNOWLEDGE LUNGES LEADERSHIP MENTORS MUSCLES MILITARY OUTREACH NATURE CAMP NURTURE THE POTENTIAL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OLDER ADULT WELLNESS PUSHUPS QUALITY FAMILY TIME REBUILD SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SOCCER SWIMMING TEAMWORK TENNIS UNLIMITED FUN OLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERISM WELL-BEING RESPECT EXPRESSION YOUTH DEVELOPMENT YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH AND OVERNMENT ZIPLINE ADVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE ONNECTING PEOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES CARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION ULL CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP FAMILY FUN GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCE HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING NOWLEDGE LUNGES LEADERSHIP MENTORS MUSCLES MILITARY OUTREACH NURTURE THE POTENTIAL NATURE CAMP OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OLDER ADULT WELLNESS PUSH-UPS QUALITY FAMILY TIME REBUILD SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OCCER SWIMMING TEAMWORK TENNIS UNLIMITED FUN VOLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERISM WELL-BEING RESPECT XPRESSION YOUTH DEVELOPMENT YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT ZIPLINE ADVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC CHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE CONNECTING PEOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES ARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION FULL CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP FAMILY FUN GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCE HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING KNOWLEDGE LUNGES LEADERSHIP MENTORS MUSCLES MILITARY OUTREACH NATURE CAMP NURTURE THE POTENTIAL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OLDER ADULT WELLNESS PUSHUPS QUALITY FAMILY TIME REBUILD SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SOCCER SWIMMING TEAMWORK TENNIS UNLIMITED FUN OLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERISM WELL-BEING RESPECT EXPRESSION YOUTH DEVELOPMENT YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH AND OVERNMENT ZIPLINE ADVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE ONNECTING PEOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES CARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION ULL CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP FAMILY FUN GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCE HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING NOWLEDGE LUNGES LEADERSHIP MENTORS MUSCLES MILITARY OUTREACH NATURE CAMP NURTURE THE POTENTIAL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OLDER ADULT WELLNESS PUSH-UPS QUALITY FAMILY TIME REBUILD SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OCCER SWIMMING TEAMWORK TENNIS UNLIMITED FUN VOLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERISM WELL-BEING RESPECT XPRESSION YOUTH YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT ZIPLINE ADVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC WithDEVELOPMENT programs from A to Z—athletics to advocacy, dance classes CHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE CONNECTING PEOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES to disease prevention, volleyball to volunteerism—we don’tFUN just ARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION FULL CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP FAMILY GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCEstrengthen HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING KNOWLEDGE LUNGES LEADERSHIP MENTORS MUSCLES individuals, we strengthen our community.

MILITARY OUTREACH NATURE CAMP NURTURE THE POTENTIAL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OLDER ADULT WELLNESS PUSHUPS QUALITY FAMILY TIME REBUILD SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SOCCER SWIMMING TEAMWORK TENNIS UNLIMITED FUN OLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERISM WELL-BEING RESPECT EXPRESSION YOUTH DEVELOPMENT YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH AND OVERNMENT ZIPLINE ADVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE ONNECTING PEOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES CARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION ULL CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP FAMILY FUN GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCE HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING NOWLEDGE LUNGES LEADERSHIP MENTORS MUSCLES MILITARY OUTREACH NURTURE THE POTENTIAL NATURE CAMP OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OLDER ADULT WELLNESS PUSH-UPS QUALITY FAMILY TIME REBUILD SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OCCER SWIMMING TEAMWORK TENNIS UNLIMITED FUN VOLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERISM WELL-BEING RESPECT XPRESSION YOUTH DEVELOPMENT YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT ZIPLINE ADVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC CHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE CONNECTING PEOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES ARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION FULL CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP FAMILY FUN GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCE HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING KNOWLEDGE LUNGES LEADERSHIP MENTORS MUSCLES ™ MILITARY OUTREACH NATURE CAMP NURTURE THE POTENTIAL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES OLDER ADULT WELLNESS PUSHUPS QUALITY FAMILY TIME REBUILD SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY SOCCER SWIMMING TEAMWORK TENNIS UNLIMITED FUN OLLEYBALL VOLUNTEERISM WELL-BEING RESPECT EXPRESSION YOUTH DEVELOPMENT YOUTH SPORTS YOUTH AND OVERNMENT ZIPLINE ADVOCACY ATHLETICS ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AFTER BREAST CANCER BASKETBALL CONFIDENCE ONNECTING PEOPLE CHILD CARE CHANGING LIVES CARING DIABETES PREVENTION DISCOVERY EXERCISE EDUCATION ULL CIRCLE FRIENDSHIP FAMILY FUN GROW GROUP WELLNESS GUIDANCE HEALTHY COOKING HEALTHY LIVING

BECAUSE YOU GIVE

MORE IS POSSIBLE THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

Learn more at GIVE.YMCAMIDTN.ORG

The Y. So Much More

FALL 2015

Table of Contents

© 2015 YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE Publisher Jessica Fain Editor Keith Russell Writer/Photographer Lindsay Merwin Designer David Read

The YMCA of Middle Tennessee never takes the summer off. Read about all the ways the Y works hard to ensure kids overcome the “gaps” and obstacles they face so they can learn, grow and thrive all year long.

IN FOCUS

05

HOP THE GAP

FEATURE

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

In the midst of a personal tragedy, a member joins the Y to refocus on fitness. But he finds so much more: more friendship, more community, and more purpose in a new season of life.

16

NEVER TURNED AWAY

17

WISE COUNSEL

18

‘SO MUCH MORE’ TO CELEBRATE

19

HONORING OUR VOLUNTEERS

14

One of our members explains how the Y’s efforts to meet her financial need during a difficult time have changed her life—and helped her young grandson continue to realize his full potential.

A lawyer by profession, Y volunteer Leilani Boulware has lent her legal expertise, time and talents to the YMCA of Middle Tennessee for nearly two decades. She’s the 2014 recipient of the Order of the Red Triangle award, our highest volunteer honor.

This year’s Annual Celebration paid tribute to the hundreds of volunteers and donors who make more possible for our community every day. See some of our favorite snapshots from the event.

Since our YMCA’s founding, the selfless service of volunteers has been essential to our success. Meet the 22 Volunteers of the Year whose work helped improve the lives of the 311,000 neighbors we served in 2014.

FALL 2015

3

IMPACT FALL 2015

A MESSAGE FROM CEO DAN DUMMERMUTH

IT’S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE SUMMER AT THE Y! HELPING KIDS HOP THE GAP

A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO

Over the past few months, we’ve helped thousands of youth Hop the Gap between the end of one school year and the start of another.

From camp to swim lessons and from feeding programs (p. 9) to sports clinics, everything we do is designed to give kids in our community the support they need to learn, grow and thrive all year long.

While summer may mean a break from school, we never take summer off at the Y. We know it’s a critical time when too many kids don’t get enough physical activity and risk losing valuable knowledge they gained during the school year. That’s why summer fun at the Y is more than child’s play—it’s a chance to engage children in activities designed to keep them active, healthy and ready to learn. So we hope this issue of Impact offers a glimpse of how your support of the Y helped to make this the best summer ever for thousands of youth and teens.

DAN DUMMERMUTH

STRENGTHENING OUR CORE Meanwhile, our diligent volunteers kept just as busy as the kids this summer, helping us make strides toward delivering more effectively on our mission. After more than eight months of work by our Strategic Planning Committee, our Y’s strategic plan, Strengthening Our Core, was approved by our Association Board on June 18.

The plan, which challenges us to sharpen our focus on best practices, act with a heightened sense of intentionality and continue to align our day-to-day operations with the impact we want to make in our community, gives us a framework for strategic decision-making that will enable our Y to invest its resources where we can make the most difference in our community.

The framework includes four strategic priorities that will inform our efforts: • An outcomes-based approach to youth development focused on life skills development and academic achievement • Holistic healthy lifestyle promotion/chronic disease prevention • Engaging volunteers and donors • Internal change management Following the board’s approval of the plan, we began conducting staff surveys and focus groups as part of a readiness assessment to inform our implementation. In the coming months, our senior team will evaluate the staff feedback, refine the plan’s strategies and success metrics and develop an action plan that lays out the steps we must take to accomplish the goals set by Strengthening Our Core.

I’m grateful for all of the volunteer and staff leaders who were a part of the strategic planning process, and I look forward to working together to ensure that our Y continues to strengthen the communities it serves.

Blessings,

Dan

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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

IN FOCUS

HOP THE GAP

THE YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE NEVER TAKES THE SUMMER OFF. Read about all the ways the Y is working hard to ensure kids overcome the obstacles they face in order to learn, grow and thrive all year long.

For most children, the start of summer signals freedom. It’s a break from the structure dictated by the school day, a time for more play and days spent at the swimming pool. And at the Y, we share that love for the freedom that summer can bring.

But we also recognize that for so many of our community’s youth, the gap between the end of one school year and the start of another can present many complex challenges: limited access to healthy, steady meals. Fewer opportunities for kids to engage their bodies and minds. A lack of knowledge around water safety—and a lack of safe places in which to spend their time.

WATER SAFETY p.6

That’s what makes the Y’s consistent and positive presence in thousands of kids’ lives during the summer months—through our feeding programs, our camps, our swim lessons—so deeply important. Our programs are more than a way to fill the summer; they’re the way in which we Hop the Gap, help ing kids achieve their full potential all year round.

SAFE SPACES p.8

HUNGER p.9

LEARNING p.12

See how our work with thousands of youth in five different areas— hunger, health, learning, water safety, and safe spaces—has prepared our community’s kids for this school year and all the years that follow.

HEALTH p.13

FALL 2015

5

HOP THE GAP

WATER SAFETY

Jenny Hawkins enjoys an afternoon at the Donelson-Hermitage Family YMCA swimming pool with son Evan (5) and daughter Abigail (8).

WATER SAFETY Teaching life-saving lessons at a young age Five-year-old Evan Hawkins was a little afraid of the water.

His sister Abigail, 8, felt just the opposite. She was anxious and excited to learn the skills she’d need to finally take off her life jacket.

So Evan and Abigail’s parents enrolled the kids in their first swim lessons at the Donelson-Hermitage Family YMCA. And, as expected, they took to the water in different ways.

DROWNING IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH IN CHILDREN AGES 1-14

6

YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

“The first lesson did not go very well at all,” laughs mom Jenny Hawkins, recalling Evan’s first session early in the summer. “He was very nervous and scared. He didn’t like the water splashing in his face.”

But with the encouragement of his instructors, Evan gained more confidence, making big progress by the end of his sessions. “Now he’s practicing on his own, getting his head wet, going under without holding his nose,” Jenny says. “He’s definitely a whole lot more comfortable in the water, wants to jump in off the side. He’s really having fun and enjoying it.”

Meanwhile, Abigail continues to practice her strokes, eager to soon pass her swim test.

This summer, 4,582 kids across Middle Tennessee joined Evan and Abigail in overcoming their fears and mastering new skills in the water through YMCA swim lessons.

And while the Y’s trusted swim instruction fosters fun and physical activity, it’s also arguably the biggest way we keep kids safe.

In addition to offering traditional swim lessons—and free water safety instruction to all of our summer day campers—the YMCA of Middle Tennessee is also on the front lines of revitalizing Y-USA’s curriculum in order to better serve our young swimmers.

Safety Around Water, a Y-USA initiative we’ve already piloted at several of our centers this summer, uses the mastery of strokes as milestones, helping parents and kids better understand the child’s skill level in order to ensure their safety and success.

Drowning remains the second leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-14. That’s why early aquatics education makes such a world of difference. Research from the CDC shows children who learn to swim between ages 1-4 reduce their risk of drowning by 88%.

And as the most accessible community resource for swim instruction, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee is uniquely positioned to deliver water safety education to thousands of very young kids just like Evan. Jenny says she’s reassured by the Y’s level of attention to water safety at the preschool level.

“The instructors taught them how to safely get in the pool. They made sure the kids knew who the lifeguards were and showed them how to help a friend who looks like they’re in trouble,” Jenny says. “I was very encouraged and excited to see them teaching that.”

HOP THE GAP

INNOVATING SWIM INSTRUCTION

WATER SAFETY

TEACHING SKILLS, SAVING LIVES

It’s our hope that continuing to equip kids and parents with the knowledge and support they need will lead to safer swimmers and more quality family time at the pool. It’s certainly made summer for the Hawkins family—a lot more fun.

“I just love to see them enjoying playing in the water and having fun with other kids,” Jenny says. “They’re not scared of it anymore.”

CHILDREN WHO LEARN TO SWIM BETWEEN AGES 1-4

REDUCE THEIR RISK OF DROWNING BY 88%

OUR YMCA TAUGHT LIFE-SAVING SWIM LESSONS TO

MORE THAN 4,500 YOUTH THIS SUMMER

= 25 YOUNG SWIMMERS FALL 2015

7

HOP THE GAP

SAFE SPACES

SAFE SPACES Providing safe, supportive places for kids to thrive Too many of our community’s youth experience aimless summers—summers with lots of screen time and little supervision. Studies show 3 out of 4 American schoolchildren don’t participate in summer learning programs.

That lack of structure often leads to inactivity, learning loss, and long days of sitting at home.

But boredom isn’t the only threat to our kids. Those with unstable home lives may lack something even more basic, but no less important: a safe place to learn and play while surrounded by caring adults.

“Most of them are just walking the streets,” says YMCA Y-CAP Positive Beginnings Director Eric Alexander of the students in his program.

Positive Beginnings works closely with middle schoolers who struggle with disciplinary issues and low academic performance—problems often stemming from a lack of structure and security at home that’s amplified in the summertime.

“They don’t have enough food. They go to stores and steal,” he says. “In their communities, they’re not able to be children. They’re having to act as adults most of the time, and fend for themselves.”

OUT OF

8

YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

THE CHANCE TO BE CHILDREN This summer, 16 of those kids (pictured above) got the chance to just be children at Camp Widjiwagan—a safe haven for more than 5,300 kids this summer—during a fully funded week of overnight camp made possible by a $15,000 Y-USA grant. The kids went horseback riding, boating, camping and rock climbing—activities most of the first-time campers had never experienced before.

“Here, they can have fun, they can sing camp songs,” Alexander says. “And they actually get to be 11-, 12-, 13-year-olds.”

And that’s what each of the Y’s programs provides—a safe, secure place for kids to just be kids—all while discovering their passions and developing new skills. Whether overcoming fears on the climbing tower or honing problem-solving skills in a group game, kids can gather valuable, lifelong lessons from every fun Y activity.

If there’s one thing 14-year-old Kari Hicks has taken away, it’s a newfound inspiration to lead others as a camp counselor someday, sharing with students the same important values he’s learned. “I want to teach other kids how to be good men in life and how to go on the right path and go to college.”

OF AMERICA’S SCHOOLCHILDREN DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN SUMMER LEARNING PROGRAMS, LEADING TO BOREDOM, INACTIVITY, LEARNING LOSS AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENRICHMENT

HOP THE GAP

HUNGER

HUNGER Partnering for healthy summer meals For years, mom and YMCA staff member Carrie Henderson has struggled to instill healthy behaviors in her kids. Trips to the grocery store with Isaiah, age 11, and Shaniece, 9, have long been a battle of wills.

“My kids are notorious for filling my cart with all kinds of random things,” she says—things like chips and sugary cereals. She’s tried nutritionists and dieticians.

She’s cleared the house of junk food and cooked meals at home. But still, the behaviors have persisted.

That was until just a few months ago, when Isaiah and Shaniece—participants in the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s Summer Adventure program— experienced a full summer of complete and healthy meals provided by the Y. The kids attend Haywood Elementary School, one of eight Davidson County Summer Adventure school sites selected for a pilot summer feeding program made possible through the Y’s new partnership with PepsiCo social enterprise Food for Good, which handled logistics and delivery of more than 22,000 breakfasts—and as many healthy snacks—to 500 kids at those sites this summer. For the first time, kids at Haywood and two other sites also received a full lunch, amounting to 8,800 lunches served.

“It’s our biggest opportunity to provide healthy, nutritious food to the high volume of kids we serve,” says Alley Pickren, the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s youth obesity prevention specialist. “When you’re in our care, we want to serve a really healthy meal and promote those healthy behaviors so that kids can be healthy for life.”

Carrie Henderson visits with daughter Shaniece (9) and son Isaiah (11) during lunchtime at YMCA Summer Adventure at Haywood Elementary School.

22,000

BREAKFASTS & SNACKS

8,800

LUNCHES FALL 2015

9

HOP THE GAP

HUNGER

More than 97% of children at the Y’s summer feeding program’s sites are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch.

26%

OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN DAVIDSON COUNTY ARE CLASSIFIED AS OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE (Metro Public Health Dept., 2010)

SERVING UP SOLUTIONS The initiative is part of the Y’s approach to helping kids thrive by beginning with a most fundamental need: food. It’s urgent and vital work that aims to combat hunger and child obesity in a community—and a season—in which nutritious meals are desperately needed.

More than 97% of children at the pilot program’s Davidson County school sites are eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch during the school year, a common measure of poverty that outweighs the state average by nearly 40% (Southern Education Foundation, 2013). Kids from those low-income homes are at high risk for food insecurity during the summer; studies show that 1 out of 5 U.S. children doesn’t know where their next meal will come from.

Moreover, the food they do get may not be so healthy—a trend confirmed by Davidson County’s alarming 26% youth obesity rate (Metro Public Health Dept., 2010).

“Many food insecure families are getting a lot of high-calorie but nutrient-deficient foods,” says Pickren, acknowledging all the struggles parents like Carrie Henderson face, ranging from financial burden to limited time to just plain pickiness. “It’s hard to serve kids healthy foods. And we know that parents are incredibly busy and finances are tight.”

“It’s our responsibility to make sure these kids aren’t hungry, that they are in a safe environment and they’re in a position to learn and thrive and grow,” says Vice President of Youth Development Jill Tramel.

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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

HOP THE GAP

The Y’s summer feeding program is the latest proactive step in filling that gap in education and resources, employing a centralized, financially sustainable model for meal preparation and delivery that ensures the program can eventually expand to serve the 93 free and reduced-cost lunch-eligible sites in the counties we serve, both during the summer and in Fun Co., the Y’s before- and after-school care program.

HUNGER

ENRICHING LIVES THROUGH HEALTHY FOOD

Another long-term goal: scaling up to provide Fun Co. kids with a nutritious, hot evening meal—a rarity for far too many children in our region. Those ambitions mean potentially thousands more kids will one day leave the Y’s daily care with a fuller stomach—and important lessons about healthy eating.

“I think what makes the Y unique is that we’re really committed to the nutritional quality of the food,” says Pickren. “We’re not just getting food in your belly. It’s good food, it’s healthy and nutritious.

And we’re proud to serve it.”

So, what’s on the menu? Turkey sandwiches on whole grain bread.

Southwest chicken wraps. Cherry tomatoes. Sugar snap peas.

Celery sticks. Some fruits and vegetables—like cantaloupe—are completely new to a handful of the kids who, surprisingly, often ask their site leaders for seconds. On one particular day at Haywood, the kids dig in to freshly prepared green salads with chunk chicken and carrot sticks with kiwis for dessert.

“By guaranteeing a healthy meal, we’re able to enrich the lives of these children on a deeper level,” says Tramel. “When we serve salads to children in our program, that may be the only serving of vegetables they get for the day.”

“If kids are being exposed to new foods and they like them,” Pickren says, “hopefully they’ll tell their parents.”

“THEY’RE JUST HEALTHIER KIDS” That’s exactly what’s happened at the Henderson house—where Carrie says the conversation changed completely just a few short weeks into the food program. “My daughter always used to ask me for chips…but then, she started asking me for grapes. She asked me to cut up a watermelon. She was asking me for fruit. And I could not believe it.

1in 5

“I cannot even put into words how much I appreciate it,” Carrie says. “Because I’ve been doing this for three years and trying to effect the change in them. And the change has not happened until this food program started.”

DOESN’T KNOW

Carrie says the Y’s commitment to partnering with parents through the program has opened a window of opportunity for the family to encourage Isaiah and Shaniece to try new things. And that’s led to a significant shift in her kids’ well-being that doesn’t stop with merely eating better.

U.S. CHILDREN

WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL WILL COME FROM

“They’re being healthier. They’re being active, they have more energy, they’re losing weight,” she says. “They’re just healthier kids.

And they’re happier.”

FALL 2015

11

HOP THE GAP

LEARNING

LEARNING Keeping kids’ minds engaged all summer long Nine-year-old Kris Johnson (pictured above) thinks learning about science is more fun when he gets to make something cool. “I can’t wait until I get into middle school, when you get to do all that experimenting. Like putting one potion into another,” he says.

But Kris doesn’t have to wait for middle school—or even this school year—to experience science in action. He’s one of hundreds of kids who signed up for a week of hands-on learning and critical thinking with Science Camp, one of 14 YMCA day camp themes 2,329 kids enjoyed this summer.

On this particular day at the Sumner County Family YMCA, Kris and the other day campers are making crystallized snowflakes out of pipe cleaners and a solution of Borax and hot water—an experiment that demonstrates the concept of suspension. Though some may be too young to grasp the science, the activity stirs up their curiosity outside of the classroom during a critical season for learning loss in children.

TEACHING SKILLS, BUILDING POTENTIAL In the summertime, our youth are most at risk for losing essential skills learned in the previous school year. That’s backed up by years of research showing students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of the summer than they do at the beginning.

The YMCA’s enriching summer programs combat that problem, helping children stay sharp by engaging their interests and imaginations through experiential learning. Whether they’re performing in a talent show, planting a garden, or practicing a new sport—kids are collaborating with others and learning new things, even if the activities don’t involve textbooks. It’s the way in which we continue to support kids in their academic, physical and social-emotional development.

“Camp is different for us because it’s not just a summer activity,” says Brian Harter, vice president of programs for the YMCA. “We spend a lot of time training our staff and building curriculum that’s fun and engaging, all with this goal in mind of helping kids accomplish new skills.”

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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

STUDENTS TEND TO

SCORE LOWER ON

STANDARDIZED

TESTS

AT THE END OF SUMMER THAN THEY DO AT THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER (NATIONAL SUMMER LEARNING ASSOCIATION)

HOP THE GAP

HEALTH

HEALTH Getting creative to keep kids active In the gym of First Baptist Church in Clarksville, 20 day camp kids have fallen unusually silent. With their backs flat on mats, they lie completely still, eyes closed, breathing deeply.

YOUTH IN TENNESSEE HAVE THE THIRD HIGHEST RATE OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY IN THE NATION (TENNESSEE DEPT. OF EDUCATION)

DO NOT MEET THE MINIMUM DOSAGE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY— 60 MINUTES A DAY, SIX TIMES A WEEK

It’s not naptime—quite the opposite. They’re resting in “corpse pose” after a full hour of yoga led by one of the Y’s instructors, who specializes in teaching yoga to kids. She’s taken them through several basic poses—and a few tricky ones that make some of the kids giggle—all while explaining why it matters to exercise and take good care of their bodies. The class is part of YMCA Fit for Fun day camp, a week built around promoting physical activity and nutrition.

It’s just one instance of our critical efforts to model and encourage healthy behaviors among Tennessee’s youth, who display the third highest rate of childhood obesity in the nation. Across the U.S., a staggering 80% of children don’t get the minimum dose of physical activity recommended for kids—an hour a day, six days a week. The problem demands a level of influence, resources and passion that few organizations but the YMCA can supply.

This past summer, we’ve worked hard to help reverse the trend—with day camps and summer programs that give kids opportunities to play and be active. From day camps like Fit for Fun and Creative Cooking to swim lessons to the fastmoving outdoor adventure of Camp Widjiwagan, our youth are constantly moving and learning, carrying the healthy behaviors they’ve practiced into the school year.

FALL 2015

13

FEATURE

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY When member George Largay joined the Y in the midst of a personal tragedy, he thought he’d just joined a gym. But he discovered far more than he ever expected.

More friendship. More community. And more purpose moving forward.

Y member George Largay radiates positive energy. So does Candi Harms, a staff member at the Maryland Farms YMCA (both pictured above). The natural warmth they share may explain why the two became such fast friends. “He’s just always upbeat,” Candi says, with a huge smile of her own.

In his early 70s, George has the vitality of someone much younger. Two days a week, he’s at the Y for personal training. The other three days he spends working out on his own.

And since the day he joined, George and Candi’s friendship has grown stronger.

“Our conversations may be only 5 or 10 minutes long. But the whole day is impacted by that conversation,” Candi says. “It’s people like George who keep you here.”

“I just felt comfortable with her pretty quickly,” George says. “And there was a time when it felt right to share the story.”

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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Upon meeting George, you’d never expect to hear the story he tells—one of inexplicable loss and newfound purpose.

A BURDEN TO CARRY When George and his wife Gerry retired, they came up with a personal motto—one to remind them of their priorities and goals in a new season of life: faith, family, fitness, friends.

And they strived to live by it everyday. Always a health-conscious couple, George and Gerry ate healthy and, in their younger years, had run several half marathons together. But their great love—especially Gerry’s—was hiking. “She loved nature, the woods,” George says. “She was always very active. Just had incredible energy.”

In the summer of 2013, Gerry realized a longtime dream, embarking on a monthslong, 2,100-mile solo hike of the Appalachian Trail. And she nearly finished it.

George and his wife, Gerry, on a hike in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

But on July 22, George and Gerry’s best laid plans for the future crumbled. Gerry went missing on the trail, leading to an exhaustive search involving hundreds of volunteers that made national headlines. Most hikers who disappear along the trail are discovered within the first 24 hours, but to this day, more than two years later, Gerry has never been found.

“Early on, it was devastating. We had a plan,” George says. “We thought we had another 10 or 15 years.” George grieved deeply for his best friend and spouse of 42 years, knowing that “the plan” would now look very different.

What wouldn’t change: his commitment to keeping healthy. “That’s where the Y came in.”

FEATURE

So after some time, George joined the Maryland Farms Y. “When I came, it was with a single purpose in mind,” he says. But thanks to Candi’s generous spirit and the kindness of other staff members, George soon discovered the Y was not just a gym, but a community ready and willing to walk alongside him during a painful, difficult time.

THE POWER OF COMMUNITY

FAITH, FAMILY, FITNESS, FRIENDS

“When you’re coming in and you’re carrying a pretty large burden, to have someone greet you with a smile and a laugh…you look forward to coming to the Y much more than just for the personal training,” George says. “When you go to the Y, you’re going to see friends and family.” He says the Y’s welcoming, faithfocused environment has given him a sense of purpose, even on his toughest days.

It’s this emphasis on spirit, mind and body that sets the Y apart, giving thousands of people like George the support they need to grow—and begin to heal.

“I’m grateful for the bricks and mortar that bring people here,” says Maryland Farms YMCA executive director Jodi Schroer.

“But I think what makes us special are the relationships like what Candi and George developed, and what we have the opportunity to do every day. That is really where the impact and the mission comes to life.”

George and his family take part in the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s Annual Celebration on May 12.

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DISPATCHES

NEVER TURNED AWAY

Little Noah Harris is Mr. Personality. That’s according to his grandmother, Ella Harris— and just about everyone else at the Margaret Maddox Family YMCA. “Everybody knows him over here. I mean everybody,” Ella says. “He’s very outgoing.

He’s a little gentleman.”

Ella has been taking Noah to the Y since before he was two. And this summer, Noah proudly graduated from the Maddox YMCA’s preschool.

But Noah may not have made it to graduation day without the Y’s Open Doors program, which relieved the Harris family’s financial burden during difficult times.

A few years ago, Ella was on a fixed income, working part-time while caring for Noah and for her husband, a disabled veteran. When it came time to enroll Noah in preschool, she found she just couldn’t afford it.

“I just did not have the resources to pay for it. I truly did not,” Ella says. So the Y offered Ella a subsidized rate so Noah could attend.

“The Y was just phenomenal. They never said to me, ‘No, he can’t come.’”

NEVER TURNED AWAY The Y’s commitment to access for all makes preschool possible for one young graduate.

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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

Not long after, around the time Ella’s husband passed away, the Y came through once again with financial assistance, ensuring Noah could continue learning and growing in his preschool classes with no interruption. That support also allowed Noah to take part in YMCA youth basketball and soccer every single season.

“I’m at a point now where God’s blessed me with an awesome job, so I can pay full fare,” Ella says. And though her financial circumstances have since changed, her personal commitment to the Y’s mission is now stronger than ever. “I’m so happy to do anything I can to give back, because they have truly been there for me.”

Every year, more than 90,000 individuals like Noah and Ella gain access to the Y’s life-changing programs and services through the charitable support of our Open Doors program. To learn more about the application process and the people impacted, visit ymcamidtn.org/join/open-doors.

DISPATCHES

WISE COUNSEL

WISE COUNSEL The YMCA of Middle Tennessee celebrates the legacy of longtime Y volunteer Leilani Boulware with the 2014 Order of the Red Triangle award—the organization’s most distinguished volunteer honor.

Throughout our YMCA’s history, the confident and bold leadership of our volunteers has shaped and strengthened our organization, allowing the Y to make an even greater impact on the communities we serve. Leilani Boulware—the 2014 recipient of the Order of the Red Triangle award—is one such example of that selfless service.

A current Association board member, Boulware became the organization’s first African-American board chair in 2010. She accepted the Order of the Red Triangle award following a special presentation chronicling the history of volunteerism at the Y during the organization’s Annual Celebration on May 12. Boulware joins a long list of fellow award recipients led by the late H.G. Hill Jr., who received the first Order of the Red Triangle in 1964.

Boulware began volunteering with the YMCA of Middle Tennessee in the 1990s, providing counsel to the organization on human resources and other legal issues. She later joined the board of the Joe. C. Davis YMCA Outdoor Center (home of Camp Widjiwagan) and was soon asked to chair the camp board, during which time she shepherded the capital campaign that helped establish the longtime dream of an overnight resident camp at Camp Widjiwagan.

“Leilani has devoted nearly two decades of service to our Y—providing dynamic leadership that continues to challenge us to be an even better organization,” says YMCA of Middle Tennessee Chief Administrative Officer Peter Oldham, a former colleague of Boulware’s at Nashville firm H3GM (pictured with Boulware, above). “She’s committed to personal development and community contribution.

And we are extremely grateful that she has chosen to spend so much of her time helping our community by contributing to our Y.” “The Y has given me more than I can ever, ever hope to give it,” Boulware says. “I am so thankful and honored to be a part of this legacy.”

Boulware most recently served as the Chief Legal Officer/Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Correct Care Solutions, overseeing all legal and risk management operations for the health care company, which has more than 460 facilities in 40 states and Australia.

Boulware received her Doctorate of Jurisprudence with honors from Vanderbilt University School of Law and a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Kentucky University, graduating with honors and a double major in Economics and Accounting.

In addition to serving as a volunteer leader for the Y, Boulware also serves on the board of the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

She is married to Dwaine Anderson and has three children and four grandchildren.

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DISPATCHES

‘SO MUCH MORE’ TO CELEBRATE

‘SO MUCH MORE’ TO CELEBRATE In 2014, the Y helped more than 311,000 people in our community achieve more in all areas of life—thanks in no small part to a strong and passionate network of donors and volunteers. Their efforts to make “MORE” possible were the focus of this year’s Annual Celebration at Rocketown in Nashville on May 12, where hundreds gathered to enjoy food, fellowship and powerful stories of our impact.

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YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE

2014 YMCA OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE VOLUNTEERS OF THE YEAR The YMCA is proud to recognize 22 Volunteers of the Year for giving their time, resources and talents to advancing the Y’s charitable mission in 2014. The volunteers were recognized during the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s Annual Celebration on May 12.

Last year, 2,702 volunteers gave more than 52,000 hours, joining a 140-year tradition of service that’s made our community stronger since the YMCA of Middle Tennessee’s founding in 1875.

“It’s because of the selfless service of our volunteers that more is possible for the more than 311,000 neighbors we serve,” says President and CEO Dan Dummermuth. “On behalf of all of those in our community whose lives were enriched in 2014, we extend to our volunteers our deepest gratitude.”

David Edwards DOWNTOWN YMCA

Judy Bawcum

MARGARET MADDOX FAMILY YMCA

Johnathan Jernigan

RUTHERFORD COUNTY FAMILY YMCA

Tony Wall

FRANKLIN FAMILY YMCA

Beverly Donahue

MARYLAND FARMS YMCA

Monae Fletcher

YMCA SCHOOL AGE SERVICES

Jim Horde

Darla Gray

BELLEVUE YMCA FIFTYFORWARD J. L. TURNER CENTER

BRENTWOOD FAMILY YMCA

Bobby Thomas Jr.

Christy Haley Batts

CHRIST CHURCH YMCA

Gary Everton

CLARKSVILLE AREA YMCA AND KIMBROUGH FAMILY CENTER

Brian Sweatt

GREEN HILLS FAMILY YMCA

HARDING PLACE FAMILY YMCA

Ryan Hollingshead

Alfred Degrafinreid II

NORTH RUTHERFORD FAMILY YMCA

Allison Isaacson

SUMNER COUNTY FAMILY YMCA

Anne Elizabeth McIntosh & Gini Moonshower CENTER FOR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Phillip A. Wright Sr.

DONELSON-HERMITAGE FAMILY YMCA

Harriet Karro

JOE C. DAVIS YMCA OUTDOOR CENTER

Nancy Blackwood

NORTHWEST FAMILY YMCA

ROBERTSON COUNTY FAMILY YMCA

Lynne Robinson

Sergio Rizo

YMCA URBAN SERVICES YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTER (USYDC)

DISPATCHES

HONORING OUR VOLUNTEERS

HONORING OUR VOLUNTEERS

Y-CAP YMCA

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