Summer Pool Hours

For a schedule of our 2013 Summer Pool Schedule, click HERE.

For a schedule of when the Summer Campers will also be using the pool, click HERE.

Sports Officials Needed

Love sports?  Want to be paid for enjoying them?  It’s the best of both worlds! The St. Charles County Family YMCA is looking for Youth Sports Officials (Baseball, Volleyball, Flag Football, Soccer, and Basketball), and Adult Sports Officials (Men's Basketball). For information, contact Kyle Brandel, Sports Director, at 636-928-1928, ext. 250.

New Lamplighters 

Congratulations to Gerald and Mary Spavale as some of our newest Lamplighters!

Gerald and Mary Spavale have been married for 38 years; have 4 children, and 6 grandchildren. Their daughter Maryann and grandson Jacob are also employees of the YMCA. Mary and Gerald have been volunteers with the St. Charles county Family YMCA for 5 years and counting and were named the 2012 Volunteers of the Year for the St. Charles County Family YMCA. From helping with movie nights to Strong Community Campaign phone calls and watching their grandchildren grow through the YMCA’s programs, Gerald and Mary make the Y their home away from home. It is definitely something they feel very passionate about and their connection with the Y is a family affair!

For information on Lamplighters, click HERE.

New Sports/Y-Club/Camp Director Announced

Welcome to Kyle Brandel, our new Sports/Y-Club/Camp Director! Kyle graduated in 2007 from Blackburn College in sports management with a minor in physical education. Following his graduation, Kyle coached soccer and was a teacher assistant in the Hazelwood Central Early Childhood, working with special needs kids. 

He joined our YMCA on April 24th, and is excited about his new position at the Y. “It’s been great here. Everyone has been so nice. It’s been really busy but I like to stay busy and work hard.” Kyle seems to be a perfect fit for a Sports Director – he loves soccer, soccer and soccer. He also has a passion for basketball and volleyball. His hobbies are – you guessed it – soccer and other sports! He also loves to hang out with family and friends. Welcome – Kyle!

Member Spotlight

Frank Davis was just a little boy when he got his first toy harmonica.  But learning to play it sparked a passion, and he’s been playing ever since.  In 1987 he founded the Gateway Harmonica Club of St. Louis.  There were 7 in the original club; now there are over 80 members throughout the country.  Monday night at the opening game of the Cardinal season, Frank and his team performed the National Anthem in front of tens of thousands of fans, as part of a tribute to honor Hall of Famer Stan Musial.  Musial was an honorary member of the club – they even played for his private 90th birthday party! If you missed the Opening Day performance, don’t worry!  There will be harmonica players at every Busch Stadium gate on Friday for the game – and they’ll be handing out thousands of harmonicas.  All started because Frank Davis picked up a toy harmonica!  Frank has been a member of the Y since 2008. Way to go Frank!

Member Spotlight

Linda Ronan struggled with obesity for many years.  Disabilities compounded her weight challenges, and she found herself losing her ability to do simple things like walk.  Being around 300 pounds, she knew she needed to make a change.   She joined First Place 4 Health, a faith-based weight loss program.  She lost a considerable amount of weight on the program, but then began to gain some of it back.  She knew she wasn’t doing enough – but wasn’t sure where to turn. 

That’s when a friend in the same weight loss program, who is also a member of the YMCA, told her about the Boot Camp aquatics class.  “I was intimated and scared to death to try, but she kept encouraging me until I finally decided to enroll in the class,” said Linda.  “I loved it and found that I really could do it!” Linda loves not only the class but the great women she works out with and with the instructors.  She was impressed by the great diversity at the Y – “All the different body shapes and sizes, different ages and abilities – I was no longer intimidated.” 

Linda’s weight began to come off again. Thriving on her success in the fitness class, she decided to venture out more and began working out in the fitness center.  Fitness staff Marca and Barb were extremely supportive and helpful to her. They helped her succeed at her own personal goals and objectives and kept her going strong.

Linda joined the YMCA in September 2012 and has already lost around 50 pounds.  “I feel better physically, but also mentally, spiritually and emotionally.  The people at the Y are a big part of all of that.” Linda continues her faith-based weight loss program, but also now works out 5-6 days a week in aqua and land-based classes and in the fitness center.  She is not focused on only what she has lost so far, but also on improving and keeping up her health.  She is very grateful for all the help, encouragement and motivation she has received at the YMCA.  “I know it sounds like a cliché, but if I can do it, anyone can do it!”

Positions Available at the Y

Looking for a job?  We can help!  The YMCA is looking for the right people to fill the following positions: 

Membership Service Associate (MSA):  9:00am – 2:00pm, Monday – Friday
Youth Sports and Adult League Officials
Fitness Desk Staff Member

ECEC Teachers needed – If you have (or are working on) a degree in education or a related field, are at least 18 years old, and love kids, this just might be for you! We are now hiring part time teachers for the Early Childhood Education Center! If interested, or for details, contact Julie Aitken, 636-916-4041.

For details or to apply, please call us at 636-928-1928. Or check us out on our careers website: http://www.ymcastlouis.org/st-charles-county-family-ymca/jobs

Stingray Team Wins Big at Districts!

Grace Shannon, 17, was completely surprised when she won the 2013 Youth of the Year award for the St. Charles County Family YMCA.   

“I didn’t even know the award existed.  It was a big surprise,” said Grace.

Each year Lindenwood University generously awards a scholarship of approximately $62,000 to the young person named the Joseph P. Sunnen Youth of the Year and approximately $33,000 in scholarships to each of those selected Branch Youth of the Year. Jordan Deitering, 17, of Chesterfield is the Sunnen Scholarship Winner.  Grace Shannon won the St. Charles County Family YMCA award.

 “I feel very honored.” said Grace.

Grace, a student of St. Charles High School, received the award at a ceremony on February 12^th at the Lindenwood Club in St. Charles. Her parents and brother accompanied her. As a recipient of the award, Grace also received a $33,000 scholarship from Lindenwood University.

There to congratulate her from the St. Charles YMCA were Renee Tillman, Executive Director, and Adam Styer, Sports and Camp Director. 

“This is such a great award and we are so proud of Grace,” said Tillman.

Service is no stranger to Grace.  She has spent a number of years helping out at summer camps, working with all age groups.  She was only 13 when she began volunteering at the Y as a Counselor in Training. She did this for three summers and then became a Junior Counselor. 

“I fell in love with the kids and with the opportunity,” said Grace.  “The YMCA is like my second home.” 

Adam Styer and Angie Layne, Camp Directors for the Y, nominated Grace for the award.  “Grace's contributions to camp and her work with the children of the St. Charles YMCA was a fantastic gift,” said Styer. “She constantly brought great energy and a passion for the day.”

Grace continuously goes above and beyond as a leader among her peers and serves as a great role model for the CIT's. Outside of the Y, Grace is an active member of her church, leading multiple community projects at places such as Emmaus House and the St. Charles Preservation Organization.

After Grace finishes high school and college, she plans to spend her time helping troubled teens.

YMCA, Elm Point childhood centers merge in St. Charles

  Russell Korando rkorando@yourjournal.com

O'Fallon resident Sheena Reidelberger went back to work at her family's business shortly after giving birth to her first child, Jacob, more than eight months ago. But as Jacob has grown, Reidelberger said it's time to let professionals take care of him during the day while the family works.

"Once Jacob was born I went back to work and he'd go to the office with me and my mother-in-law would watch him," Reidelberger said. "Now he's mobile and getting loud, so it's time to get him out of the office."

Saturday morning, Reidelberger signed up Jacob to attend the YMCA Elm Point Early Childhood Education Center, 3601 Mueller Road in St. Charles. The center hosted a grand opening Saturday to celebrate the merger of the St. Charles County Family YMCA Early Childhood Education Center, formerly on Harry S. Truman Boulevard, with the Elm Point center.

A YMCA news release states the center now is the largest provider of child care in the state. That's comforting to Reidelberger.

"The YMCA has been around forever," she said. "So I feel like you can trust them. And it's close to not only our office but our parents and the activities we do around town. We ruled out any place we thought looked like a fly-by-night operation. It came down to a couple places we felt we could trust. We came here and really liked it."

The center is licensed to care for 99 children. Laurie McTearnen, vice president of child care services for YMCA of Greater St. Louis, said that number could increase to 148 in February. McTearnen said she likes the center's visibility with its proximity to Highway 370, one of the alternate routes officials hoped motorists would use while the westbound span of the Blanchette Memorial Bridge on Interstate 70 is being rebuilt.

"We're getting some great new families coming in wondering what we're all about, so we want to accommodate them," McTearnen said.

The center has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children since 2003. Each year, association officials visit accredited centers to check on the programs used. At the St. Charles center, the teacher/child ratio is 1:4 for children 6 weeks to a year old; 1:6 for kids 1 year to 23 months; 1:8 for children 2 to 3 years old; and 1:10 for children 3 to 5 years. All lead teachers have to be working on or have completed their bachelor's degree. All assistant teachers have to be working on or completed an associate's degree. Lead teachers and the assistant teachers have to complete those degrees by 2020.

Jenna Cirillo, lead teacher for infants and toddlers, said all the children she cares for have two working parents. When the infants and toddlers arrive, they play until about 8:30 a.m., then their diapers are changed before having breakfast. After more diaper changing, Cirillo and an assistant read to them, they sing songs, learn their ABCs and learn by using different textures.

"We set them up to go to the 2-year-old room," Cirillo said. "We have big markers, pencils because they have little hands."

Julie Aitken, director of the center, said the YMCA chose the building on Mueller Road because it allows room to expand, which would allow more opportunities for children to play and learn. Aitken said there is a waiting list for parents to enroll infants. Expansion for a third infant room would allow for more infants to be enrolled.

"We want to get that room done as soon as possible," Aitken said.

When children are dropped off at the center, they don't just play. The center operates on the project-construct curriculum, Aitken said. Each classroom has a weekly lesson plan based on a theme. Aitken said it's a very play-based curriculum.

"They're learning about Alaska right now, about Eskimos and polar bears," Aitken said.

The registration fee at the center is $75 for the first child and $65 for each additional child. Weekly fees parents pay for their children to attend the center vary. Members of the St. Charles YMCA pay $20 per week less than parents who are not members. The center is open 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.