We miss you!

 

We are anxious to open our doors after 9 weeks of closure. We yearn for our lobby to be loud with laughter and conversation, our group fitness classes to be filled with exercisers moving to the beat, and our gym to echo with the sounds of squeaky basketball shoes.

 

However, recognizing that nothing will quite return to "normal," we are focused first and foremost on your health and wellness, so we are proceeding with caution. 

 

We are diligently preparing the Y for a phased approach to reopening once deemed safe to do so. This means things might look a little different initially and we will need members' help in adhering to important safeguards. We have created a task force that is researching public health recommendations as well as details regarding operations and practices from Ys across the country that have already opened.

We will continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local Lane County Public Health advisories. 

 

And stay tuned: We will communicate our opening date and phased approach as soon as we are able.

We can't wait to see you!

PeaceHealth Supports Our Community Through Generous $50,000 Donation

Your Y is incredibly grateful to PeaceHealth for its $50,000 gift to continue support for emergency childcare for medical professionals, virtual health and wellness and member outreach.

Since the beginning of the Y's shut down, PeaceHealth has partnered with the Y to ensure that child care programs were available to essential workers at no cost.

"Our dynamic partnership with the Eugene Family YMCA meant that we could offer our employees help with one of their most pressing needs: the care of their children," said Mary Kingston, Chief Executive, PeaceHealth Oregon Network. "This ensures that they can have the peace of mind knowing that their very own are in good hands while answering the call to serve on the frontlines of the COVID pandemic."

Thank you, PeaceHealth, for your generous support of the Y and our Lane County community!

'I Stand With My Y' Apparel Ships This Week! 

Thank you to everyone who supported your Y through our partnership with Threadbare Print House. Your orders collectively provided a $1,390 donation to help us continue serving our community in critical ways.

Threadbare is getting ready to ship all orders this week. When you receive your order, take a picture and send it to us at [email protected] . We're excited to see you sporting new Y gear!

Y Kids' Challenge - Let's keep climbing!

Former UO and NFL quarterback, Chris Miller, has a challenge for all the Y kids out there! How many stairs can you climb in 5 minutes? Chris walks up and down his stairs for exercise and typically climbs 240 stairs in 5 minutes. Do you think you can beat him? Don't have stairs in your house? No problem! You can run up and down bleachers or even just a steep hill. Remember to be safe and stay healthy!

To enter the challenge, take a picture with your stairs and let us know how many you climbed in 5 minutes. Be sure to tag @EugeneFamilyYMCA and use the hashtag #YKidsChallenge to be considered to win. The winner will be announced in the Eugene Family YMCA's ENews update on Wednesday, May 20. It's important to make your post public so we can see it! 

We can't wait to hear of your stair-climbing successes! 

Former Y Staff Jerome Celebrates Hearing Again! 

Jerome Nahanee, who worked in housekeeping at your Y for more than 15 years, celebrated an incredible milestone recently. 

Jerome, known for caring deeply for the Y and the Oregon Ducks, left Eugene to relocate to Ohio with his mother and sister. On his most recent birthday, Y staff pooled funds and bought him a brand new Oregon Duck sweatshirt. He loved his gift from us, but also received a much larger gift: his hearing.

After slowly losing his hearing over two decades ago, Jerome now has cochlear implants that allow him to communicate more easily with his loved ones. We celebrate with Jerome and the success of his surgery, and look forward to the day we can speak face to face with him once more.

Y Lifeguards Hone Skills Even As The Pool Remains Closed

Your Y lifeguards virtually attended their monthly in-service via Zoom early this month to outline the changing aquatics programming during COVID-19. 

"It was the first chance our staff had to be together since the Y closed, and it was truly wonderful to see everyone (even if it was just on screen)," says Aquatics Director Sabrina Hershey-Black.

Guards also reviewed online lifeguard skills and learned about future virtual training opportunities.

"One thing was clear from the in-service: Our lifeguard staff misses all of our members big time," Sabrina says. "We send a virtual hello and wish you all well!" 

The entire Aquatics team urges you to take the Water Watcher pledge HERE to keep kids safe, especially now that warm-weather states are seeing drownings increase because kids are out of school. The first 250 to pledge earn a Water Watcher sticker! 

A Note From Y Staff Member Curt

"It's been 2 months since I have seen most of our members. In that time, by making phone calls and checking in with you, our members, I have gotten to know some of the members a little bit more. However, it's the face-to-face contact I miss the most. I miss seeing your smiles, your laughter and our comradery. I miss the high fives, the fist bumps, and I miss seeing the kids run in the building and their excitement going to the Rainbow Room and the Friends Room. That being said, I do take comfort in this.

We will see each other again, soon!" 

--- Curt

5th edition of Stall Street Journal sure to reduce stress!

Your Y cares about you and your health. Studies show that laughter and joy reduce stress and boost your immune system. Therefore, we feel it is our duty to keep you smiling, especially during a bathroom break! Download and enjoy the latest edition of the Stall Street Journal.

A Note From Y Member Laurel

"I have been doing a lot of walking and a lot of gardening. In fact, I've planted so many new plants in my yard that I'm going to have to ask the neighbors if I can start digging in theirs! This has been a strange existence we have all had to adjust to but in the midst of all of the uncertainty, isolation and upside-down living, I remain grateful for so much... for the most beautiful place on earth to take walks and breathe in fresh air, for a community that comes together in loving action, for wonderful family and friends whose love is continually present. 

Thank you for the many arms of the Y that have wrapped around so many people in this community. 

Warm thoughts to all!"

--- Laurel

Ensure That Your Sweet Sewing Skills Go to a Great Cause

Your Y is looking forward to reopening our doors in the near future. When we open, we will be taking every precaution to keep our members and staff healthy and safe. In order to reduce the spread of germs, Y staff will be wearing protective gear in the presence of coworkers and members.

We have ordered personal protective equipment for staff, but these are disposable masks that add to the landfill and certainly aren't as fun as homemade masks. Thank you to those have already donated masks. 

We would be tremendously grateful if you would consider making and donating some masks to the Y. Our staff will sport your masks with pride! Whimsical colors, patterns and characters are always welcome at your fun-loving Y.

Our doors are closed, but you could drop them at our front doors anytime Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one of our Y staff will retrieve them. Please include your name so we can properly thank you!

Community Resources

The city of Eugene's Cultural Services Community Programs created opportunities for meaningful connection in this time of isolation and uncertainty. Some of their events include a virtual fashion show, live performances by local artists, weekly parade concerts and more!

Check out the community programs on their webpage HERE.

The Archaeology Channel hosts an international film festival featuring films from all over the world. It is typically at the Shedd Institute, but it has been reinvented online. Tickets are $5.39 for access to all films.

Your Y's own Laura Pettigrew recommends this film festival--- and her dad is part of the associated nonprofit. "This is an excellent way to supplement educational materials for kids, or just to find out cool stuff about our species, those of the past and the present," she says. "Definitely a cool way to support a local nonprofit." 

Y in the News

KVAL and KMTR highlighted your Y's partnership with Willamalane Park and Recreation, Eugene Rec, and River Road Park & Recreation District to launch a Water Watchers program in Eugene and invite individuals to commit to keeping their children safe around water. "The Eugene Family YMCA invites everyone to sign the pledge --- the first two hundred fifty pledges will receive a sticker mailed to them." 

The Register Guard  recognized PeaceHealth's generous $50,000 gift to the Y's emergency response to the coronavirus pandemic. "We determined quickly to not allow these workers to struggle with child care," said Brian Steffen, CEO of the Eugene Family YMCA. "This generous gift from PeaceHealth and other emergency funding allows us to continue to provide this free all-day enrichment." 

KMTR also featured PeaceHealth's donation to the Y. "This will help pay for their virtual learning, outreach, daycare, and the staff leading it all."

Lane Senior Guide's 15th annual edition is hot off the presses and it features your Y's programs: LIVESTRONG ®  at the YMCA, EnhanceFitness, U Can Gym and the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program. Look for your Y the next time you see the magazine!