YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids

Please join us in giving our new Chief Advancement Officer, Sara Mooney, a warm welcome! 🙌 Sara's background in development and communications will create a long-lasting impact throughout our association and we're excited to see her shine. ✨

I’m incredibly thankful for all the preceptors that helped me along the way to become a dietitian. Now I can be a preceptor to some amazing dietetic interns! I am grateful to have had Ashlee by my side to conquer this food demonstration. I presented on Blue Zones, and we created a fun and fresh salad recipe to give out to the participants. I strongly believe in healthy food demonstrations, as involving the senses of taste, smell and touch can bridge the gap between someone thinking about adopting a healthier lifestyle, to then doing it. Plus, who doesn’t love a free sample??? Thank you Valley Truck Parts for having us! Ashlee is from Grand Valley University and is here for ten weeks at the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids #registereddietitian #communitynutrition #cooking #internship

May is 𝗔𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵, and we are celebrating the history of Asian Pacific Islanders within the YMCA movement. Did you know that the first Chinese American YMCA was founded in San Francisco in 1911? To this day, the Chinatown YMCA plays a pivotal role in the community. Slide through this post to learn more: 𝗗𝘂𝗸𝗲 𝗞𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗸𝘂 was a gold medal Olympic swimmer who trained at the Central Y, setting world records for the 400 and 500 relay races in 1916. Following his Olympic career retirement, Kahanamoku traveled and conducted swimming exhibitions—it was during this time that he popularized the sport of surfing in the United States, which previously had only been known in Hawaii. Born in 1914, 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘀𝗵𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗺𝗮 worked for the YMCA full time for 39 years—from 1941 through 1980—except for his time in a government internment camp during WWII. While in this camp, Hoshiyama created YMCA-based programs to help address the social, educational and recreational needs of the Japanese Americans held in the camp. He was also instrumental in revitalizing the YMCA student movement in the 1970s, and a scholarship in his name provides professional development for Y staff of Asian Pacific Islander heritage to this day. #APAHeritageMonth

We're sending a huge congratulations to two of our YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids board members, Tasha Blackmon and Shelley Irwin, have been named to Crain's Grand Rapids Business' list of the 50 Most Influential Women in West Michigan for 2024. We're so proud to have them serve on our boards!

Another great Employee Recognition Committee event in the books! This year the David D Hunting YMCA brought home the All Staff Dodgeball Tournament trophy once again! Want to join in on all the fun the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids team has? Check out our careers page at www.grymca.org/careers today!

A member of our association board, Joyce Chan Russell, has been named as one of the 2024 Top Women Leaders in Health Care by Modern Healthcare. We're so honored to have you on our board. Congrats, Joyce! You can read more about this award by visiting: https://lnkd.in/e45ajM_C

Our Association Board Secretary, Michael Wooldridge, has been named into the West Michigan Dealmaker Hall of Fame by Crain’s Grand Rapids Business in the M&A Deals and Dealmakers Awards. He is being recognized and celebrated tonight in an official ceremony. We feel lucky to have you and your expertise on our board. Congrats, Michael!

On this last week of Women's History Month, we want to feature and celebrate the women in our organization who are doing big things, being incredible leaders and sharing their talents with us and their community. Thank you for all you do and we celebrate you today and every day! 💖

Happy International Women's Day! We're thankful for the passionate, strong, resilient women throughout our association and everything they do for their families and community. 💞 International Women's Day is celebrated worldwide to honor the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for gender equality and women's rights. This day not only celebrates the accomplishments of women in various fields but also highlights the challenges they continue to face, including discrimination, violence, and lack of opportunities. Ultimately, International Women's Day is a powerful symbol of resilience, progress, and the collective strength of women worldwide.