Family Nights!

Serving families has always been at the heart of the Y. We are a place where they can respite from social, economic and educational challenges, and learn how to overcome them. We want to provide opportunities for every family to build stronger bonds, achieve greater balances in their life, and become more engaged in their communities.

And, so, we have Family Nights! Every Friday night from 6pm-7:30pm starting Oct. 8 is Family Night at the Y! We will have swimming, open gym time, and special activities (including Zumba) each week.

Family Night is FREE for full-facility members; $7 for program members and their families. Adults must be accompanied by children.

Don't just stay home and watch TV with your kids on Friday night; come to the Y and strengthen your family bond by having fun together!

Win free Y stuff!

We just received several boxes of fun stuff that has the new Y logo on it! So what does this mean for you? You can win some of it!

This week, attend a fitness class and enter the raffle to win a free workout towel! A winner will be drawn at the end of the class. These towels are really cool looking with the new bright Y colors and perfect to take with you when you exercise!

We will be giving away 10(!) sport bags at Family Night on Friday, Oct. 8! Everyone in the family can use this bag. All you have to do is enter the free raffle when you check in. You must be present to win.

Want a cool Y water bottle? We will give away water bottles to the 5 people who visit the Y the most Oct. 1-Oct. 31. That's right, you have 5 chances to win a Y water bottle! All you have to do is make sure you check in at the front desk each time you come to the Y for a groupfit class, to swim, use the equipment, or whatever brings you to the Y!

Become a Skagit YMCA Facebook fan because that's where more opportunities to win will be posted!

Lego Camp

At the Y, we exist to strengthen the community and one of the best ways to do that is to invest in the kids of our community. The Y has many opportunities for kids to learn character, gain confidence, and have fun!

One of our newest programs is Lego Camp! We know that not all kids are interested in typical fall sports and we think all kids should have social opportunities to be creative and have fun, so we are offering Lego Camp on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting Oct. 12. Registration is required, so check out the flyer for details!

Skagit YMCA Receives $25,000 Donation!

Skagit Valley Family YMCA Board Member Susan Krienen announced that she would make a $12,500 donation to the Skagit YMCA Capital Campaign; a donation that will be matched by the Shell Foundation for a total donation of $25,000. Krienen is the plant manager of the Shell Puget Sound Refinery in Anacortes.

The donation will go towards the planning and development of the new Y building. The new building has a target open date in the year 2015.

"We need a new building and I can help make that happen," Krienen said of her donation. "It's a privelege to be a part of this community and a leader in it. I want to encourage others to get involved."

Skagit YMCA CEO Bob Shrumm expressed deep appreciation not only for Krienen's monetary contribution to the Y, but also for her leadership and vision.

"I will admit I have been completely blown away by this incredible show of generosity and leadership," Shrumm said. "Once again I am amazed by our YMCA Board. I know this extraordinary act will inspire others."

The Y board and Shrumm know the current Y facility is old will not be able to serve the community too much longer.

"We have no choice," Shrumm said. "The building is falling down around us."

Krienen hopes her donation to the Capital Campaign will accelerate the process of getting a new building and and inspire other individuals, businesses, and organizations in the community to give to this worthwhile project.

Look for a more in depth story in the October newsletter about the impact Susan has had on the Y and the impact the Y has had on Susan!

Thank you Susan for your leadership, vision, and generosity!

Zumba is for Everyone!

Check out this video to see that ANYONE can do Zumba...just take it from the Y's very own Zumba baby! This is the Zumba Gold Class 12pm-1pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays specifically designed for beginners and older adults.

Youth Soccer Deadline!

The registration deadline for the fall youth indoor soccer league is Sept. 12! There are a few great reasons to register your child or child's whole team for indoor soccer this fall:

Weekday evening games. This league is perfect if you need to do other things on Saturday, including other soccer leagues. This means an outdoor team can play it's regular games on Saturday and get an extra game indoor during the week!

• Two words: inside and heaters. This one is mostly for parents. You don't need to worry about being wet and cold as you watch your child! Sit comfortably on our bleachers and if it gets cold enough, we'll turn on the heaters for you. Plus, no need to worry about muddy cleats in your car on the way home.


• Non-competitive play. We don't keep track of the score or standings. Sports leagues at the Y are all about youth development, including learning, exercise, and fun!


• Inexpensive. At the Y, we strive to make our programs affordable for everyone. You won't find a sports league this inexpensive anywhere else. We also offer scholarships for those who cannot afford our fees. Did you know about 10% of all youth sports participants received a scholarship last year?

Details and registration forms are available at http://www.skagitymca.org/; a separate team registration form and pricing is available. Contact Sports Director Erin Hickman at 360-336-9622 or e.hickman@skagitymca.org.

Brand Revitalization Continues!

We are slowly making changes and incorporating the new Y brand into the way we present ourselves. A lot is going on behind the scenes to make sure we implement correctly the new national standards about the new logo, visual system, and messaging of the new brand. All changes must be made by 2015! That includes all signage, clothing, and more! Maybe by then we'll have a new facility...

At the Y, we've always known that positive changes only come through investing in our kids, our health, and our neighbors. And that's why we're here. We have three areas of focus:

• Youth Development: because young people need caring adults to provide support, guidance, and encouragment as they grow.

• Healthy Living: because wellness in spirit, mind, and body strengthens our very being and enhances our interactions with others.

• Social Responsbility: because we truly are in this together, and together we can harness our individual strength and bring about positive change around us.

So, while our look may be changing (for the better, I might add), it's changing to better reflect what we offer to the community and the positive impact we make. We look forward to enriching the lives of those in our community...just like we always have.