IamY

#IamY celebrates what makes the Y special: our people, staff, members and community. It features “Y stories,” short examples of the significant impact the Y community has in the lives of thousands in Guelph.

We help 25% of Guelph residents be active, stay healthy and connect with their community. We welcome everyone: kids, adults, seniors, families and newcomers. We are an efficiently-run, $12 million charity that provides subsidized access for 1 in 4 members.

The Y is more than a gym, pool, child care or camp. We’re Guelph’s wellness leader.

Doug's Story 

Life can take you places you didn’t expect to go. When I found myself alone with my young son, Jacob, I was juggling my job with the hard work of trying to be a great dad. In this situation, every little bit helps. And the Y came through big for Jacob and I.I got a subsidized membership, which helped defray costs.The daycare was caring, and helped him develop so much.The summer camps were an amazing luxury. I saw Jacob’s confidence grow as he learned to make friends. He was thriving within a diverse group of kids. At the same time as Jacob was growing, getting nurtured and educated, and I got to stay in shape. That was so important for my personal wellbeing. 

The Guelph Y is a special place. That’s not fluff. The building has a real human pulse and energy. You can feel it. And when you’re on your own trying to do right by your son, it makes all the difference. 

Joyce's Story

I’ve been with the Y for 18 years. I get to see and chat with everyone as I work around the building. After all these years, ourmembers and my coworkers feel like family. We want our members to feel wanted and like they belong here. This is a positive place, where parents can bring their kids to feel safe and have fun with qualified staff. Seniors can come to make new friends and stay active. Adults can come to get well, be it through fitness, community involvement, or other paramedical wellness programs.

When people come in through the doors, they’re not always happy. You can see it on their face if they’re having a tough day, or if they’re stressed out. But when they leave, they’re better! I love to watch the transformation on their faces after some time at the Y, whatever it is they’re here for. The members here are different from other gyms. They make friends who encourage them. They’re supportive, and you can see the difference this makes in people over time. It’s wonderful to see.

I’ve noticed the change in myself, too. I used to be shy and more timid. Working at the Y has helped me grow personally. Now I can talk to anyone, kids, old folks, adults. I’m also active in my community, volunteering and giving back. Fortunately, I’m able to do these things as part of my work because of the Y’s community impact, like through the Strong Kids campaign that sends kids to camp. I can’t always afford to give back, but when I can, I do, and I try to help send at least one child to camp every year. The Y is a vehicle for improving our community and I’m so fortunate to be a part of that family. The best part is, you can too.

Victoria's Story 

My daughter Ava was colicky when she was born. She didn’t sleep for almost a year. I started going to the Y when she was 5 or 6 weeks old. I’d put her in playcare, take a shower, recover a little from not sleeping, or even work out. I went to the Y when I was younger for swimming lessons so it was special to have a place where I was comfortable. I started looking into more of the programs which is when I learned about TAPPS, which provides free support for teen parents. It had such a big impact on me.I learned that I wasn’t alone in what I’d gone through with Ava. I gained a community of peers. And I learned I can be a fantastic mom. I know I’ll be applying these experiences for the rest of my life.

Ava is 2 now. She’s the funniest person I know. We still go to the Y, where she’ll go to playcare or swimming lessons and I’ll connect with my friends or sneak in some exercise. When I needed something more, the Y was there, and Ava and I are grateful that it was. 

Joy's Story 

I’ve lived in Guelph for 20 years. My husband Ray and I have raised 3 kids. In 2014, I suffered a head injury and lost my mobility, paralyzed from the shoulders down. I had surgery and did rehab at various facilities, eventually moving into a long-term care home close to my family. I was making slow improvements, with the help of wonderful physiotherapists and staff at the home. 

My husband saw a news story about people with my injury learning to walk again. A key part of their success was working out at a gym. That’s when the Y’s Neurofit program came into my life. It’s a customized group exercise program for people with neurological impairments or spinal cord injuries. The staff and volunteers at the Guelph Y have been an amazing contributor to my success. They constantly suggested exercises that would challenge me to improve. I was always greeted with positive encouragement and a community passionate about healthy progress.

When I started Neurofit, I told the Y team that my goal was to dance with my son at his wedding.They helped me achieve that very special moment. My next goal is to walk down the aisle with a walker at my daughter’s upcoming wedding. Four years ago, I could not have imaged what was in store for me. It was a long and painful journey, but the love and support of my family and friends gave me hope and kept me going. Ray likes to remind me that it’s not just prayers that help me get better. It’s my hard work and perseverance, and that of the people who work with me who motivate me to get better every day.

Elizabeth's Story

I started at the Y as a camp counselor. After one summer, they asked me to interview to be a program coordinator, which is more of a leadership role. I love it. It’s like you’re working with your friends. It’s the close community of colleagues and members that motivates Y staff to come in and do the great job they do. It’s what gives me a genuine love of the job. My supervisors make me feel valued and help us all understand the difference we’re making through the Y in the lives of so many kids. It makes you want to do well, try harder and improve.

 The Y saw potential in me, made an investment and helped me become a leader. It’s my job to make sure the kids get that same experience, that they’re encouraged to grow and to challenge themselves. I’ve seen the difference in kids as camps progress. Some will show up on Monday clearly sad to be there, just wanting to go home. By Friday, they’re a totally different camper, having grown in social skills, confidence and made new friends.

We do lots of games that encourage interaction with kids your own age, but also younger and older kids. You can see the older campers stepping up and taking a leadership role with the younger ones. It’s proof that anyone can be a leader in their own context. You can come work at the Y with as much or as little experience that you happen to have. It’s a place that fosters growth, independent and learning among their staff. They invested in me and now I’m so privileged to get to invest in these kids. Invest, grow, give back. It’s the beautiful Y circle.

Kim's Story 

When Lucas was a toddler, we enrolled him in swimming lessons at the Y. The first few were great, then something changed. He developed a fear of the water and would just scream every time we went to the pool. We eventually had to pull him out, trying lessons twice more before giving up. As the years went by, Lucas wouldn’t go into any water where he couldn’t touch the bottom.

One night, when he was 7, after watching friends play in a pool where he sat to the side, Lucas announced he wanted to learn to swim. We put him into private lessons at the Y. He was excited but scared.He burst into tears the first few lessons. Jack, the instructor, showed patience and kindness to Lucas and together they built this bond.  That is a big thing for Lucas. He needs to feel comfortable and secure and then he will excel. 

We have just completed our third round of private swimming lessons with Jack. Lucas has learned to float and swim backwards and can tread water. He can even jump off the side of the pool on his own now into the water. He’s braved the big waterslide. We are so thankful for Jack and the Y. It was the little things: the small high fives or the “well done” that have helped to boost his confidence.  Jack may not realize the impact he’s had, but for Lucas this was huge. He’s so proud. So am I. And as a Mom, I’m so thankful to the Y for believing in my son.

Nia's Story 

I moved here from Jamaica when I was 13. I always knew about the Y, but never went until I had my son. I started going to TAPPs, which provides free support for teen parents. With my subsidized membership, I’ve also taken him to Wiggles and Giggles, used the pool, or just gotten to work out myself. The Y staff was also very helpful in securing us a daycare spot. He loves it. Recently, they helped connect us with speech therapy, which is free through my Y membership.When I first joined TAPPS, I had no way of knowing how important the Y was about to be to my life. He’s changed so much. He’s more outgoing, he communicates more, and is active and energetic. He likes to be out playing with the other kids.

At this year’s Women of Distinction event, I was selected for the Turning Point award. I accepted it in front of 500 people and a lot of other amazing women. It was a nerve wracking but inspirational night.Then the crowd surprised me by raising one thousand dollars towards my college tuition using the Givesome app. The Y community came together behind me and it felt amazing. My original goal was to be a doctor. I’ve applied to the practical nursing program as a start. I’ll work my way up. I hope my son will be proud of his mom. 

The McDonough-Barrie Family Story 

When we joined the Y, we were pretty new to Guelph. We were missing a sense of community and family. We just wanted to meet good people! The Y became a giant hug of welcome for us.We were working parents with three kids under five. We needed to find a way to help them thrive and grow, while making our own wellness as parents a priority.

If you’ve got active kids, the Y is the best deal in the city. Because there’s so much to do, it actually took us a while to figure it all out. Lego class, Junior Scientist, Junior Chef, Wiggles and Giggles, swimming lessons… all included in our family membership. 

Most importantly, it’s helped us as parents to expose our kids to the beautiful diversity of life. Our membership fees help subsidize those who aren’t able to pay the full amount, but who still deserve to have access to a community like the Y. It’s opened the door for us talk to our kids about diversity, social issues, how lucky our family is and why it’s important to give back if you can. 

It’s a vital part of our life and as a family we look forward to it every week.