STORIES MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

God,
We are thankful for the beautiful location and weather.
We are thankful for our staff Roy, Shellie, and Jerry for moving all the bikes outside.
We are thankful for our cycling instructors who teach great classes.
But most of all we are thankful for community. Classes give us a chance to be impactful on each other's lives. Help us continue this important Y tradition!
Amen.

What a great summer we have planned at the Manitowoc-Two Rivers Y.  This year we have some brand new programming.  Many of our classes and programs will be held outside so you can enjoy the beautiful lakeshore weather and scenary.  Yoga, tai chi, kayaking, running, sailing, cycling, children’s programs, SUMMER BREAK (formerly camp) and outdoor adventures are all available.  I’ll willing to bet that we can keep your family busy all summer long.

We also have a new referral program---because we know that the best form of advertising is word of mouth!  We want you to know how much we appreciate it when you spread the word about what our Y has to offer.  So for the whole month of May we will give you an entry into a drawing for everyone you refer who joins.  The winner will receive a $100 credit on their account to use for massages, Y merchandise, or programs.  Additionally we will give you one month’s credit on your membership account to use once that person or family has stayed at the Y for one year!  The big drawing will be held on May 31^st but we will keep the month’s credit part of the program going year round because we are always grateful for your help building membership at the Manitowoc Two Rivers Y!

See you ---and your friends---soon!

Jennifer Dickey

Membership Director

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Last week as I was running across town to a meeting I was watching a parent who was walking in the parking lot.  She would walk 10 steps and turn around and wave to the building.  She would walk another 10 steps and turn and wave to the building.  This happened all the way out to her car.  Now, thinking that I was the only one who waved at the building when I left, I turned to see two children in our childcare with their faces pressed against the window waving back.  Mom was off to work, her children in our care.  As soon as Mom got into her car, the faces disappeared from the window to play in the house area or with the other toys.

Childcare at the Y is about giving parents and their children a safe place to be.  A place where it is ok to give the parking lot wave to your loved one.  The place to make sure that Mom and Dad are able to go and earn a livable wage and give back to this great community.  Childcare allows our kids to grow up during their formative years with a caring adult, creating friendships, learning rules, and preparing for school.  We make sure that our childcare has swimming and gymnastics available to the children.  We get to teach life lessons.  It is truly an amazing program.

When a parent trusts the Y with their children, we are honored.  We are even more honored when they stop in the parking lot, turn, and wave not goodbye but I’ll be back soon!  Take a tour of childcare and see all those smiling faces!

See you at the Y!

Steve Smith, CEO

With the nice weather that we have had over the last few days, it is hard for me not to think about golf.  Let’s be clear.  I am the type of guy who thinks about golf and doesn’t play much beyond a few golf outings a year.  The way that I look at golf is that I get a really nice walk over hills, through trees, and around ponds.  For all the great golfers out there, my round is cheaper by stroke than yours!

Golf always reminds me of the challenges in life and how you deal with them.  Just like everyone else, when I hit a bad shot, I can’t say that I am all that happy.  When I hit a great shot, you can’t wipe the smile off of my face.  Relate that to your personal health plan.  How often do you stop and smile about the great job you did this week working out three times?  How many times did you stop and pat yourself on the back for driving past the fast food joint for the last month and not stopping for their great fries?   Too often we forget to celebrate our successes. 

So this summer, I hope to do more smiling because of my great golf game and I will also strive to stop and smile about my successes with my health plans.  Will you join me?

See you at the Y!

Steve Smith, CEO

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This last Friday the Y held its Father Daughter Dance at the Holiday Inn.  We had close to 385 dads and daughters dancing the night away.  When you look at the picture in the Herald Times Reporter (click here for the spread) you can see the smiles and dancing skills of both.  Nice job to the staff team who pulled off another great event.

It is important to remember why the Y does events like this.  For one night out of the year, we remember the importance of a strong male role model in our families.  It sometimes gets lost in the shuffle of life.  We know that families with strong parents, and in this case the father, are successful and loving family units.  We also acknowledge the bond between fathers and their daughters.  I know that from personal experience that having that bond is important as they get older and this is just another avenue that the Y uses to complete our mission in the community.

Don’t worry moms!  Your chance is just around the corner with Mother Son Bowling this spring.

As we take a minute to remember those that we love with Valentine’s Day, take a minute to thank you parents or those that raised you for the strength that they provide as you move through your life.

And remember, there is nothing better in the world then the smile your daughter, or son, gives you!

See you at the Y!

Steve Smith, CEO