YMCA OF WASHINGTON COUNTY  
June 3 2015 

MESSAGE FROM CEO: BECKY HARKEMA

 

Today is the last day of school and I can't believe how fast the days have gone by! This is definitely in part with the YMCA being busy and having many moving parts. One important item is that myself and our board of directors are leading the YMCA in the right direction.

 

A few weeks ago I had a discussion with my staff team, Washington Rotary Club and the Washington Kiwanis Amers. I asked each group to discuss the critical issues facing our communities within Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. The outcome was amazing as all three groups discussed similar issues.

 

I feel that the role of the YMCA is to then develop programs that help combat these critical issues. Below are the main critical issues discussed:

HEALTHY LIVING: INDIVIDUALS NEED TO CHOOSE AND HAVE ACCESS TO POSITIVE LIFESTYLES. DIABETES PREVENTION AND WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAMS NEED TO BE OFFERED.

 

The YMCA has addressed these critical issues through program offerings but we need to continue to ramp these offerings up even more. For Healthy Living we offered the Transformation Challenge where 36 people participated this past year. We offered "4 Weeks To A Healthier You" program to PSI, Inc in Wellman. They had 26 employees participate. We will also be hosting the Kewash Trail Half Marathon & 5K run on June 6, 2015, to give even more opportunities for healthy choices.
 

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT: YOUTH NEED POSITIVE ADULT ROLE MODELS. 
 

The YMCA collaborated with the Washington School District to host a mentoring program with twelve (12)  5th graders and 12 adult mentors. The program ran November - May and was a huge success. We will now also offer this program with the Mid-Prairie School District and host it out of our Kalona site.


 

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: CONTINUED COLLABORATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY ARE NECESSARY AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUTH TO VOLUNTEER.


With social responsibility we continue collaborating throughout the county. We also provide opportunities for youth to volunteer. Just recently the Washington 8th grade came to the YMCA on May 13 to "give back". We had them help us knock down a wall to expand space for our day camp program. The kids really had a lot of fun and it helped us too!



The YMCA continues to make a difference in the lives of many. I am so happy to be involved is such an impactful organization. More importantly, I am thankful for all of you for supporting the YMCA so that we "Can Do So Much More".

 


Becky Harkema
319.653.2141
bharkema@washingtony.org

Our Mission

To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.


 

Our Cause

At the Y, strengthening community is our cause. We believe that lasting personal and social change can only come about when we all work together to invest in our kids, our health and our neighbors. That's why we focus our work in three areas: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.