May 2019 Newsletter for YMCA Members and Friends
FORD DRIVE 4UR COMMUNITY EVENT
MAY 15 8:00 AM
until we have 300 Drivers

Start now to recruit your friends, neighbors & co-workers to come out and drive a Ford, May 15 starting at 8:00 am. The Y will receive $20 for each test drive. Click here for a flyer to share.

Thank you for sharing this and for coming out on May 15 to drive a Ford. Thank you Mathews Ford!

The Ford Drive 4UR Community Event is part of our Annual Campaign which raises funds for financial assistance with membership & program fees, LIVESTRONG at the YMCA wellness class for adult cancer survivors, supports our new 6th Grade Initiative membership opportunity for all Marion area sixth graders, and more. To donate directly to the campaign click here. Thank you.
Camp at Eco Center
SUMMER DAY CAMP- 
“Best Summer Ever”
Children experience achievement & belonging at Y Summer Camp.
Preschool Camp (Ages 3-5)
Preschool camp will focus on building relationships and a sense of achievement. The first week of camp is June 18- June 20. (3 days, from 9-Noon)

Youth Summer Camp (Ages 5-12)  
A home away from home where kids laugh, learn, explore and grow in the outdoors, while creating memories and discover friendships that last a lifetime.The first day of camp is the week of June 3 from 9:00 am-4:00 pm. Extended day is available 7:30 am - 5:30 pm for a small additional fee.

Leaders In Training (LIT) Summer Camp (Ages 12-15 )
LIT Camp focuses on building a sense of social responsibility in the older youth, through volunteer work, building relationships with each other and the community, and by providing guided leadership opportunities with the Youth Summer Camp program. Each week may include a field trip or community service project off campus. The first day of camp is the week of June 3 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm .

JOINING THE Y HAS
BEEN THE BEST DECISION OF
MY LIFE.
from a member:
My social worker told me about the YMCA Scholarship program. I was recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Since I've joined the Y, my favorite part is the outside track but, when it is cold I walk on the inside track. I have lost a lot of weight and my best time of the day is when I come to the Y. Thank you so much for helping someone like me.
Thank you Marion Family YMCA!

You can help the Y support this member and others like her with a gift to our Annual Campaign. Please click here to donate online .
School Age Child Care at the Y
Helping elementary school age children reach their potential through fun, achievement and belonging during before and after school hours.
Program Age:
State licensed before and after school child care for boys & girls in grades K through 5.
Program Dates & Times: 
·  August 19 through May 29 when Marion City Schools and Pleasant Local Schools are in session.
·  Before school care: 6:45 am until school bus picks up at the Y. MCS will pick up for George Washington & Benjamin Harrison. Pleasant also picks up.
·    After school care: Arrival at Y by MCS bus from George Washington & Benjamin Harrison or from Pleasant by Pleasant bus until 6:00 pm.
·   The Y provides separate programs on most school vacation days and snow days. The calendar / information for these days will be available in June, 2019.

For more information click here
PRESCHOOL REGISTRATION IS OPEN
The Y has an ODJFS licensed preschool education program that will help your child prepare for kindergarten, gain social skills, be active and of course have fun.
Sept. 9 - May 15, 2020
One-Time Registration Fee: $30 per child, per school year
Register at the Y Service Center for the 2019– 2020 by simply paying the $30 registration fee. Preschool tuition is paid monthly and you may wait until the end of August to begin paying these monthly fees. Monthly fees are the total cost of the school-year spread over 9 months, so the fees are the same each month regardless of holidays or days off. Fees may be paid through an automatic bank draft or are due prior to the start of each month.
WORD FROM THERESA
I grew up at the Y. My Y experience as a youth started in 3 rd grade and continued through high school. In Jr. High and High School, I participated in Y leadership programs, volunteered and then eventually worked at the Y. I know first-hand the benefit of Y adult role models and relationships.

We know the transition from elementary to middle school can be a particularly tough one. A lot is new for young people. To help support Marion’s youth during this pivotal year, we are launching our 6 th Grade Initiative. This initiative will give all Marion City and County sixth graders the opportunity for a free membership from June 3, 2019 through August 31, 2020. This is a pilot program that we hope will continue for future sixth graders. We are also launching a series of Youth Activities each Tuesday, Thursday and Friday throughout June and July. Staff members will work with youth to build positive relationship that are important in youth development.

Youth Activities will be available to all members ages 11 – 14 at no cost, and will include lunch. Members who have a child in this age category will receive a separate email next week with details on the 6 th Grade Initiative, including the summer Youth Activities. Thank you to our Annual Campaign volunteers and donors who are helping make the 6 th Grade Initiative possible.

A couple of weeks ago, we held our 2018 Annual Meeting. We thanked Dave Vela and Dr. Len Janchar for their six years of service to our board of directors and welcomed new members Matt Primmer and AJ Pratt. We also re-elected John Scharer, Jen Lawson, Cheryl Plaster & Larry Babich. You can read our full 2018 Annual Report here .

Thank you to all of our Annual Campaign volunteers and donors. We are nearing goal, but still working hard to finish the campaign. Currently, we’ve raised $93,000. Our goal is $115,000. These funds support financial assistance with membership & program fees, including helping Marion’s youngest attend preschool; LIVESTRONG at the YMCA for adult cancer survivors; children attending Summer Day Camp and School Age Child Care; the new 6 th Grade Initiative; and other programs that nurture the potential of youth and help people improve their well-being. We try to reach everyone for a personal conversation and ask, but if we’ve missed you, please consider making an online donation . Thank you!

Thank you for being a member of the Marion Family YMCA.

  -Theresa Lubke, Executive Director