Daviess County Family YMCA now offering 24/7 access

Lindsay Owens, Washington Times-Herald, Ind.
·3 min read

Jun. 20—The community asked and the Daviess County Family YMCA answered. The local Y will now be offering 24/7 access to its wellness center and gymnasium.

"Our 24/7 access is now up and running," said Daviess County Family YMCA CEO Paula VanTyle-Smith. "If you want to exercise outside of staffed hours, for an additional $10 per month, per person, you can have full access to the wellness center and basketball gym."

VanTyle-Smith said moving to 24-hour access has been something the YMCA has been working on for quite awhile and adding the additional access to a membership is simple.

"This is billed monthly with your membership fee," she said.

The additional access isn't the only thing new happening at the YMCA. Lots of summer programs are starting now too.

"We have a swimming stroke refinement clinic from July 8-18 for youth looking to improve their swimming skills. Safety Around Water or SAW will also be taking place Sept. 19-23 for children age 4 to 12 to safeguard themselves around bodies of water," VanTyle-Smith said, adding Aqua Tots will also begin again in the fall for children six months to 3 three years old.

T-ball is now underway and a new offering, a home run derby, will take place on July 27. In the works are also a tumbling program, adult basketball league and youth dodge ball tournaments.

"Our summer camp is also in full swing and packed with fun activities and field trips," she said.

Thanks to several grants, the Y will also be getting some new equipment. Our Community Foundation selected the Y for a $750 FAST grant that will be used to upgrade many of the items in the group exercise area. More on that grant can be found on page A3.

Miranda Mandabach, program and athletic director, applied for the Youth Sports Access grant from the YMCA of the USA. That grant has provided the Y with $10,000 that will be used to provide more scholarships and financial support to help youth participate in Y activities, retain and train staff and purchase new equipment.

"This generous grant will decrease the financial barriers our community faces making the programs more inclusive and diverse," said Mandabach. "The YMCA is committed to creating a welcoming space where all children can thrive, learn teamwork and build confidence through sports. This fund marks an exciting step towards expanding our impact and nurturing the next generation of athletes and community leaders."

While the Y USA grant helps make Y offerings a reality for many youth, there's another way community members can help make the Y possible for others too. That's through the annual YMCA campaign.

"Our annual campaign will run through next month," said VanTyle-Smith. "If a person, family or young person cannot afford a membership or fee for a program, the Y uses the annual campaign funds to help change lives and give people an opportunity to lead healthier and happy lives. Please join us in supporting this worthwhile campaign."

Donations can be made in person at the YMCA or online at www.dcymca.org.