What's in It for Us? All of us?

I think of the Waldo County YMCA as a public resource. That was reinforced two summers ago.  The family was visiting from Texas was driving in Belfast their daughter started having an allergic reaction to seafood. The mom saw the WCY, drove into the parking lot, ran to the front desk and told them what was happening.  Since all staff members are trained in first aid, they knew to call 911. The daughter was taken to [then] Waldo County General Hospital and treated. When there was an emergency, the mother said, "I knew that if I came to the YMCA, someone would help." 

Not all our stories are quite as dramatic as that, but they are all important. Another is example is the e-Motion community we started last year.  E-Motion is a grief community started in Boston,  by  Myra Sack.  Her daughter, Havi, died at age two after a year decline from Tay-Sachs disease.  Myra created e-Motion as a new way to cope with, confront, accept, learn to live with (Hard to find the right verb here!) grief. 

Last year, I was fortunate that Katie Connelly wanted to share her experience as a participant in the e-Motion grief community here in Belfast. I was grieving and I signed up... not just myself, but the Teen Room and , too!  The community she created gave me a lot of comfort.  I continued to connect with it through Zooms and emails.

This year, Katie's mother, Betsy, and I decided we wanted to continue the community and, with the help of Flic Shooter from Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County, we started a new group in February.  We have met thrice and will meet three more times.  Each week the group has a short, structured check in then goes to the track to walk. For the six of us involved, this is critical work for our mental health.

Part of the reason I work here is because this Y has an impact on real people.  For members, yes, but also for people who find themselves in tough spots, whether they are members or not.  First aid services and grief support are two specific examples, and there are many others, from providing hot showers for people in need and collecting food for local food pantries to providing free water safety classes and being a place where adults with special needs congregate during the day. 

The Troy First Students practicing getting comfortable in the water while practicing their kicking.

In a world that seems to be focusing more on “what’s in it for me?”, we are a resource for everyone.  We don’t always know what that will be, but we are committed to finding out and serving this community.