The YMCA is a lot of things to a lot of people. It serves many purposes throughout the community. It is a place to come to be healthy. Working out and learning about how to keep our bodies healthy through fitness and nutrition. It is a place to learn to swim and spend time in the water. It is a place to come for assistance and fulfillment of many needs. It serves as a place for social connectedness, where you can come and meet new people and form lasting bonds.
I serve many purposes while serving at the Y. I am a group fitness instructor. I lead classes for seniors to stay fit, combat arthritis, and overcome a fear of falling. I am a swim instructor. Teaching all ages skills that could potentially save their lives. I am a Heart Healthy Ambassador. Assisting people to learn how to monitor their blood pressure for trends based on if they are taking their medications and eating a healthy diet that is low in sodium to maintain good blood pressure readings. I teach nutrition seminars to share the knowledge of how to maintain a low sodium diet and how to eat to maintain a good blood pressure. I give my time to our food distributions. Feeding those who might not be able to afford to go grocery shopping or to supplement the little they can afford.
Some days the hours are long, but they are always very rewarding. The laughs we share during group fitness classes always brighten my days. Helping those who are in need brings warmth to my heart. Teaching that child that they CAN swim, and the water doesn’t have to be scary. Watching as people learn to manage their blood pressure and even can start to wean down on blood pressure medications because they have started eating healthier and working out. On any typical day I do many of these tasks and then some. I wouldn’t trade my position with anyone. The lives I touch is worth way more to me than any other job I could possibly find.
