Membership at the Lake County YMCA includes more than fabulous fitness options
By Patricia Nugent
Taking good care of mind, body and spirit has never mattered more.
At the Lake County YMCA, through its mission of youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, every day brings new opportunities to reach out and strengthen the community. This is their passion.
“We serve every demographic—from youth to teens, adults and seniors—through our state-of-the-art pools and fitness equipment and offering a range of group exercise classes and daycare options,” says Kelly Penzenik, who is director of marketing and communications.
Through community-wide events, such as the in-person or virtual Turkey Day 5K Run and Walk on Thursday, November 26, they also encourage healthy family pursuits.
Keeping You Safe
“We follow the strictest protocols for ongoing sanitization of our facilities,” says Kelly.
And to serve members who do not feel comfortable coming into the branches, the staff created a full spectrum of online classes, from live Zoom to virtual. More than 30 offerings range from yoga and Zumba to Strength, Conditioning, Silver Sneakers and more.
Community Outreach and Child Care
When Willoughby-Eastlake schools were forced to close last month, the branches answered the need by offering emergency childcare and programs to help students with virtual classroom learning.
This spring, when daycares were shut down due to the pandemic, the Y’s emergency daycare services remained open to help workers battling the virus on the frontlines.
One mom who is a healthcare worker and single mom with two sons explains what a difficult situation she was put in when the daycares closed. Her older boy had to try to do Zoom schooling during the day by himself while she was at work. She’d get home later in the evening and he’d end up going to bed at 11:30 p.m. Their lives turned around for the better when they found out about the Central Y Pandemic Care.
“I am forever grateful for the care my children received,” she says. “Without the Y, I would not have been able to continue to work and I would not have been able to actually spend quality time with my children. The Y is more than a daycare, a gym, pools, fitness classes, swimming classes, day camp and recreational sports. You guys are the heart of the community, our family and support team.”
Keep Your Charitable Dollars Local
Donations to the YMCA, which can be easily made online, support programming and facilities maintenance. With many local folks out of work, the need is greater than ever.
This summer’s Dream Car Giveaway was a huge success and raised more than $200,000, with a 2020 Chevy Blazer going to one lucky winner. All proceeds went right back into supporting Lake County’s most vulnerable residents. Kelly says to stay tuned for details on another Dream Car Giveaway next spring.
The Lake County YMCA engages one out of every five households across the county. Three main branches include the Central Y in Painesville, West End Y in Willoughby, and the East End Y in Madison. As one of the largest 501(c)(3) nonprofits in the area, its mission is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to become healthier, more confident, connected and secure. Membership is available based on need. Find out more at LakeCountyYMCA.org.