Valdosta-Lowndes County Family Ymca

Healthy lifestyle program - the ymca's approach to healthy living focuses on caring for oneself from the inside out, including the spirit, mind and body. We provide our members with the supportive relationships and community they need to create a healthy lifestyle. This is particularly important as our nation and our community struggle with an obesity epidemic and with work / life balance as individuals search for personal fulfillment we provide facilities and fitness training year round to help members reduce weight, increase energy, and improve heart health. In order to increase accessibility, we supply a free child care drop in center for members using the facility. The ymca personal fitness program for youth and adults is included in all ymca memberships. The program is designed to help all youth and adults develop a regular fitness plan, with the help of a ymca fitness coach, instill lifelong wellness habits. Adults and youth are given the opportunity to work one on one with a certified ymca fitness coach, who instructs them in the correct ways to use all of our cardiovascular and strength equipment, and helps them develop an individualized plan to reach their personal health and wellness goals. Our youth and teen programs, guided by ymca staff, help youth develop leadership skills and healthy self-esteem to lead the way to better health for all of the youth in our community. Through dynamic and fun programming, youth are trained to implement health initiatives in their homes and transform themselves in the process. Our older adults can take part in our silver sneakers classes five days a week and have the opportunity to improve their physical fitness, have a social outlet to meet up with friends, build new relationships and strengthen their mind, spirit and body. The ymca also offers 100 group fitness classes a week, which are included in y membership and geared towards any fitness level. Classes in spinning, zumba, yoga, strength training, step and tone, shine, boxing, trx and more are offered a variety of times through out the day, and over 50% of y members are participating regularly in the group fitness programs. Members are regularly referred to the ymca by physicians for physical rehab, the utilization of our saunas, steam rooms, whirlpools, pools, exercise equipment and expertise. The ymca has designed the blood pressure self-monitoring program to help adults with hypertension lower and manage their blood pressure. The four month program focuses on regulated home self-monitoring of one's blood pressure using proper measuring techniques, individualized support and nutrition education for better blood pressure support. We have implemented a succeed program which is a 4 -week wellness challenge and includes success planning, accountability coaching by certified fitness trainers, weekly workout reflections, health prioritizing and learning to be a consistent exerciser. It also includes twelve 45-minute training sessions. Our tri baby fitness program was designed to prepare for physical and emotional changes which is an essential part of a healthy pregnancy. It is a physician assisted program with workouts specialized for each trimester. 30-minute trainings sessions, and pre and post pregnancy preparedness are provided. It will aid in improving mental health and physical strength and includes a femaile certified fitness trainer. We serviced 12,393 members throughout the year, and our programs are accessible to anyone regardless of gender, race, abilities, or income level. We provide financial assistance to individuals and families in need. We strictly follow all cdc guidlines to make sure all our membership is protected.

Gymnastics - provides gymnastics instruction for children ages 12 months and older. There are several classes available, and we also offer a competitive boys and girls team. We have week long summer camps, birthday parties, open gym, friday frolic, super saturday, and other mini camps. Gymnastics enhances coordination, flexibility, strength, motor skills, self esteem, social interaction, work ethics, teamwork and confidence. These assets will attribute to a well rounded individual and will help them to excel at other activities. It also teaches children to set goals and to work to achieve them. The success of our program can be seen through our evaluation program that we do every other month. This system allows us to document each participant's skill & ability and promote within that system. We also see the accomplishments of our competitive team members as they travel throughout the area and compete against other members from gyms from all over the region. Our biggest accomplishment is seen when the girls compete at ymca nationals where over 2000 gymnasts compete at all levels from other ymca's across the united states. We serviced 1039 children throughout the year and provide financial assistance to those children in need. All cdc guidelines are in place for protection of program participants.

Other revenue aquatics - providing a safe environment to teach the importance of water safety and proper swimming technique. In an effort to reduce drownings and increase water awareness, we are providing swim lessons for all city and county 2nd graders in our safety around water program. We provided 437 swim lessons and offer financial assistance to those in need. Sgmc childcare center - provides a safe place for south georgia medical center employees to send their non-school aged children so they can provide their much needed essential care to the community. Champions league - offered free to the community as a public service. It is a non-competitive sports league for children with any level of disability. This program improves the lives of the disabled by emphasizing fun, socialization, and recreation, regardless of the child's talents . Community programs - providing cpr, first aid, safe sitter, lifeguard training to the community, and safety around water program.