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Self-Esteem Workshop Inspired Personal Growth
By Carol McLeod
published May 24th, 2006.
Recently the St Marys YMCA hosted a 6 week workshop for women on self-esteem. The workshop was led by Centre Supervisor Shelley Ryan and consisted of 8 attendees. Shelley said they made “lots of progress, it opened a lot of doors and everyone started building their self-esteem. I loved teaching it, and it was nice to step outside the box and do something different. This is what I love about my job, helping others.” Shelley took the material for this class from different courses she has taken throughout her career. The most popular classes were “Learning from Pain” and “Setting Boundaries and Goals”. People began to feel comfortable within the group setting and started helping each other. Participants found it to be a form of therapy."
The workshop also fits in nicely with the YMCA’s philosophy of dedication “to the growth of all persons in spirit, mind and body”. The Y’s logo of a red triangle illustrates this idea in that the three sides represent the spirit, mind and body, and all sides are equally important and essential to achieving overall well-being. Staff member Brenda Veitch was one of the attendees at the self-esteem workshop, and had this to say about it: “I was thrilled to hear Shelley announce she would be doing a self-esteem workshop for two reasons; I’m continually working on improving my self-esteem, and in reading the history of the YMCA, one’s spirit has always been an important aspect in its foundation. If one has no self esteem, one has no spirit. The best part for me was learning how to set goals, and to see Shelley’s commitment to the group as we take the information and weave it into our own lives.” St Marys resident Bonnie Seymour also took the course, and said that she “found the course to be very thought provoking! It stretched and moved me to grow as a person. It was really awesome! I would highly recommend this course to anyone and everyone!Shelley invited two guest speakers to the workshop, Andrea Macko of the Journal Argus, who shared her experiences of the fashion world from when she worked as a fashion editor in Toronto, and Sandy Heathers from Stratford, who took the participants on a guided meditation to help them discover what they needed in their lives.
Because of the positive response to the course, Shelley is planning on offering a follow-up workshop in the fall, and is also planning to run part one again for anyone that missed out. Shelley would also like anyone interested in being a guest speaker at these workshops to give her a call at 284-2500. If you would like to be inspired in your personal growth, stay tuned in the fall for news of upcoming workshops at the Y!
Get on the Path To Wellness
By Carol McLeod
published January 4th, 2006
If you are one of the many people who recently purchased a new membership to the Y, and want to make 2006 the year that you make a positive lifestyle change, then you are not alone. I recently joined the Y to get back into shape after having my third baby. I’ve never belonged to a gym before and haven’t been very active lately, so I was very intimidated by the whole gym culture. I was more than pleased to hear about and take part in the “Getting Started” orientation.
The YMCA has a 3 part orientation program called the “Pathway to Wellness” that takes 16 weeks to complete. This is a great program for newbies like me who don’t have a clue about working out. There are three stages to the program, and I am currently almost finished the first stage of the program, called “Getting Started”. The goals of the 16 week program are to train the member how to use the equipment safely, to let them know that the staff are there to help, and to develop a regular attendance schedule. If you have just taken out a membership and feel you need some guidance, I highly recommend this free service. A certified staff or volunteer will guide the new member through the gym’s code of conduct, and will try to make the member feel comfortable in the lifestyle center.
Staff member Nancy Riddell took me through the basics of how to set up the treadmill and bike and how to adjust the seats and weights on the resistance machines. I was given a chart to record my progress each visit, and on it Nancy marked down the seat and weight settings for easy reference. I have realized that most of my intimidation involved not knowing how to operate the machines, and this chart acts as a reminder if I forget something. In the first part of this program, you are taught how to use 10 of the resistance machines that will work your legs, abs, back, chest, shoulders and arms. You are also taught how to use the treadmill, the bike, and the cross-trainer. Nancy was more than happy to answer my many questions, and any of the staff are willing to help if you run into problems.
I have never been a ‘gym’ type of person, but I really look forward to going now. Being a mother of three, it’s an hour out of the day that is mine, and mine alone. No one will interrupt me while I’m there, and nothing can compare to that freshly ‘worked out’ feeling I have when I leave. I encourage all new members to get the most out of your membership, and sign up for the 16 week Pathway to Wellness program. To book your orientation, please inquire at the Front Desk or call 284-2500.
YMCA honours those who choose Peace
By Carol McLeod
published March 1, 2006
Every year the YMCA hands out a Peace Medal, an award that is given to someone in the community who has demonstrated a desire to bring about peace either in the community or on a more global scale. The YMCA’s statement on Peace says that “the responsibility for peace begins with each person, in relationships with family and friends, and extends to community life and national activities. There are no simple recipes. It is we ourselves who must seek --act --pray for ways to be ‘peacemakers’”. This year the YMCA awarded two medals. The first recipients were the leaders and children of the Young Peacemakers Club. This club is for children aged 4-12 and is based at the Community of Christ Church in Stratford. It is run by leaders Nancy Brookshaw, Julie Bolger, Carole Smith and a team of volunteers. They teach peacemaking skills through music, stories, games and crafts. The program has been in place for about 8 years, and teaches the core principle that peace “begins with me”. The program has up to 50 kids in it at any given time. St Marys Centre Supervisor Shelley Ryan presented them with the medal and certificate, and each of the children in the program received a pewter pin of a dove, the international symbol of peace.
The second recipient of the Peace Medal was Murray Mitchell. It was while on a safari to Kenya in 1989 that Murray decided that he needed to do something to better the living conditions of the people there. Since then he has helped to build community centers, orphanages, feeding centers and wells and many more projects. Murray is also involved with “Hope for Haiti” and has helped with programs in Africa. He was also involved with bringing goats to Nicaragua in the early 90’s, through the efforts of the YMCA and the Baptist Convention. The goats enabled thousands of children to have milk that would have otherwise have gone without. He has been on 32 missions around the world since that life-changing experience in 1989. In accepting his medal, Murray reminded us to “remember to thank God that we live in the best country in the world – Canada”. The Peace Medal is but one way the YMCA reminds our community of the simple yet undeniable fact that each of us can affect change and make a difference whether it is right here or even halfway around the world.
Y Fit Kids
By Carol McLeod
published February 2006
The St Marys YMCA is committed to offering quality programs for youth that focus on fun, security, self-esteem and personal growth. The Y offers Y Fit Kids and Creative Kids programs for youth aged 4-11 every other Saturday. Y Fit Kids runs from 9am to 9:45am, and is so much fun that kids won’t even realize they are building a healthy lifestyle! The kids will learn basic exercise moves and drills while burning off excess energy and grooving to the latest tunes. Afterwards, crafts, fun, and games await at the Creative Kids program, which runs from 9:45 to 11am. Each class focuses on a different seasonal theme, and children will express themselves through creative projects. Creative Kids also provides the benefits of enhanced focus and concentration and improved motor skills. The kids will also learn coordination and physical fitness from the fun fitness-based games. Both of these programs are free to members, but non-members are encouraged to come too. Non-members can purchase a day pass for $3, and then just $5 to cover the cost of materials in the craft class. The next date for both of these programs is February 18th. Please call the Y at 284-2500 for more information, or drop in and pick up a Youth Program Schedule at the Front Desk. The Y is also pleased to offer a babysitting service for children and infants aged 0-6 years. Caring, qualified leaders and volunteers will care for your child while you workout. This service is available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30-11:30am, and costs $2.50 per hour per child, or $4.50 per child for the full two hours.