The Rye Y Community

Gregg Howells, Executive Director


I was recently asked to submit a quote answering the question “what is community?” for an exhibit at the Rye Arts Center.   It wasn’t easy even though I experience community every day—here at the Y, at Rotary Club luncheons, at my son’s cross country meets—I was hard-pressed to define it. 

Then, I found just the right quote from organizational consultant Peter Block, who said “We are in community each time we find a place where we belong.”

In early November, Y staff members spent two days interviewing members, volunteers and each other as part of the first Voices from our Community: The Rye Y Story Project. We were touched by the stories we heard--stories of hope, determination and gratitude for the community so many have found here.  One person stated “I consider the Rye YMCA to be a second home.” Another commented “When I found the Rye YMCA, it was like a homecoming.” 

Re-charging and using WiFi during Hurricane Sandy

This sense of community was never more evident than in the days following Hurricane Sandy. With no power or heat, members and local residents flocked to the Y where they found warmth, hot showers, activities for kids, Wi-Fi and a place to re-charge (in all senses of the word).  Our building could have been chaotic, filled with stressed and worried adults and bored children. Instead, there was a palpable sense of camaraderie, friendship and relief (and just a little chaos!)  As one local mom wrote afterward “The Y has been a life saver for our family. Our apartment is cold and there is really nowhere to go because we cannot drive and risk running out of gas.  My boys are able to stay warm, shower and be active.  I really do not know what we would do without the Y.” 


If it sounds like I’m bragging, well… perhaps just a little.  I’m proud that every member of our staff—from the swim instructors to member services, child care to maintenance—works hard to create a welcoming experience for everyone who walks through our doors.  You could say that’s just good business sense.  But it’s so much more than that.  Giving people a place where they feel they belong is part of our mission. 

From the health-seekers to the athletes, young and old, we welcome you all.  This is your community.

What I'm Thankful For

A blog post from the Rye Y staff

I am thankful for having the opportunity to work at the Rye YMCA where we change lives each and every day. I am thankful for the dedicated staff team that makes the spirit of the Y resonate through our community and beyond. I am thankful for good health that allows me to tackle every new day with a refreshed sense of purpose…And most of all I am thankful for a great family who I can laugh with, hang with, celebrate with and count on to support me in all I do.

- Gregg Howells, Executive Director


I am thankful for having my hair back after Chemo.

- Ann Ivan, Fitness Center Director


I’m thankful for the days so light
I’m thankful for the nights so bright
I’m thankful for the music I hear
And the friends so dear.

I’m thankful for the husband that has kept me safe
For the children who I love and have filled my days
But most of all I’m thankful for the breath I can take
That I’m here to see every day for my sake.

I’m thankful for the faith I have joined
And new friends I have made
They bring me such joy and peace
And a place to be together and meet

I’m thankful for my place of work everyday
That has lifted me through many happy days
For the people we serve
And the values we can preserve.

I’m thankful for all the family and friends
That have been and will be in my life!

- Penny Cozza, Fund Development Associate


I’m thankful, most of all, for the love of family. I am grateful to be given an opportunity to arrive at a new village, filled with people full of energy, passion and humor!

- Eileen Barber, Chief Operating Officer


I am grateful for my family. We have an intact home, undisrupted by Hurricane Sandy. My grown sons are both still willing to regularly beat me in tennis and Scrabble. Nobody makes me laugh as hard as my husband. I have a job that I enjoy and feel is making a positive difference in our community. I have shelves full of books that I can’t wait to read, a running car, two tickets to the upcoming Bob Dylan concert and good friends that amaze me. I am very, very fortunate.

- Lisa Tidball, Director of Communications


This Thanksgiving I am especially thankful for the wonderful family and friends that I have in Rye and the surrounding communities. We have had two major hurricanes impact our area in the past 14 months and our home, which is located in a flood plain, has suffered significant damage in both. Not only have we had to evacuate our home before the storm, but we have had to find other places of shelter for 10 days after the storm. Whatever feelings of displacement we experienced, however, was quickly abated when our friends and relatives opened up their homes to my family of five. They provided warm meals, hot showers, shared their washers and dryers and made sure our three boys had plenty of activities to keep them out of trouble or danger. We laughed over stories we shared from our past and enjoyed spirited discussions of the politics of the day. We are now back in our home and while there are still many repairs that need to be completed, I will always be so thankful for the kindness and generosity bestowed on my family by our dear relatives and friends in Rye.

- Lisa Urban, Community Relations Coordinator

I am thankful for all of the different aspects of my life that seem to come together. A husband who balances me. Parents who are proud of me. Sisters who confide in me. Participants who are inspired by me. Co-workers who support me. Friends who are loyal. And I’m grateful that I can be all these things for the people in my life too.

- Tanya Stack, YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program Coordinator

I’m thankful for new beginnings. Last Thanksgiving I was unemployed, having been laid off in June. I was optimistic however, that the next great thing was just around the corner. And it was! On Valentine’s Day, I was hired by the Rye Y and have never been happier to come to work each morning.

- Denise Woodin, Director of Community Impact and Social Responsibility

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA - Fred's story

It's nice that all of the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA participants are on common ground and we can all have that one common factor. It is a nice way to build friendships. They understand what you're going through and you understand what they're going through.

The medication and treatment for cancer is difficult physically and mentally. LIVESTRONG at the YMCA covers Mind, Body, Spirit - taking care of the whole person.

I appreciate all who have made this program a success. The program truly changed my life and is helping me fight cancer that has returned once again.

Fred

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA - Carol's story

This week we're highlighting the stories of our participants in our LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program.  Here is Carol's story:

I had the privilege of participating in LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, an amazing program for cancer survivors. During this 12 week program at the Rye YMCA, I learned to appreciate and actually enjoy exercising. The staff provided a supportive, compassionate and warm environment and helped me to develop an ongoing exercise routine to this very day. I am more energetic, I am more conscious of healthy eating habits and I also gained the bonus of some new and valuable friendships with my fellow survivors and participants in my session.

To anyone out there who is “surviving” cancer, this program is a must!!! I have been recommending the program to those who are fighting or surviving cancer.

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA has been an integral part of my ongoing road to full recovery, I thank the Rye Y for this wonderful opportunity.

 

Carol

LIVESTRONG at the YMCA: Charlie's story

This week we are highlighting the stories of participants in our LIVESTRONG at the YMCA program. Here is Charlie's story:

When I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgekins Lymphoma in September 2010, I stopped going to the gym, partly because it had become unaffordable and partly because the diagnosis gave me an excuse. I wasn’t eating correctly, mostly cheaper comfort food. I had let myself go.

In May 2012, I joined the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA class. The supportive atmosphere at the Rye YMCA made a big difference. During the program, I found out about the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program and my wife and I signed up. The Diabetes Prevention Program helped turn my life around. There I was accountable for my progress. I’ve been so pleased with the results and the support I’ve received. LIVESTRONG at the YMCA started me on the road to health.

Charlie

The Strength of a Team – The Rye Y Tribe

by Laura Tiedge
Sr. Director of Healthy Living

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

On September 9^th, an intrepid group of 56 women -- mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, aunts and grandmothers -- set out to discover the mystery and challenge of the exciting and fun three-sport event called triathlon.  They are the Rye Y Tribe!

The Tribe, which was formed in early 2011, is a group of women interested in completing their first triathlon.  In 2012, sixteen members of the original team joined fifty “newbies” to train for and compete in the Danskin Women’s Triathlon, a sprint distance race in Sandy Hook. NJ.

Everyone came to the group with different motivations, abilities and personal challenges.  Some were already runners, or swimmers or cyclists – most were new to everything.  Some came to get back in shape and find a routine.  Some came to re-discover their inner athlete.  Some came to learn a new skill. Our youngest member was 16 years old; our oldest, 78.  All came to challenge themselves to reach for something that seemed unattainable or long sought after. 

Training started, in March, with the basics.  After refining their techniques—there is a more efficient way to swim, run and bike—and learning new skills, the women began to develop a plan for regular physical activity. Eventually, their routine incorporated all three disciplines.  All of this was just preparation though for a 12-week training plan that would begin in late June.

Along the way, the Tribe explored Triathlon 101.  From nutrition, foam rolling and selecting proper training clothes, to preventing injury, changing a bike flat and finding and getting into the perfect wetsuit – they learned it all!

We ran, biked and swam together.  We rehearsed the transition and became comfortable swimming in open water.  We hugged, cheered and celebrated our hard work.  We became a team – The Tribe!

Before we knew it, the race weekend had arrived!  After checking out the course and settling into our hotel rooms, the team enjoyed a relaxing dinner that included a last minute pep talk and conversation about our personal journeys to triathlon.  The coaches left the Tribe with two pieces of advice before retiring for a restless night’s sleep – Stay in the moment and keep moving forward!

It’s 5:00 am – race day – and the Tribe is awake, nervous and desperately seeking coffee as we organize our caravan to the race site.  A set of lost keys causes a last minute frenzy, but we remind everyone that this is what staying in the moment is all about – enjoy the good and the bad, the scary and the thrilling! 

We get to the race site and busy ourselves with preparing our transition area and waiting in line for the port-a-potties.  The ladies are talking about how this is “our first, our last tri”  “this is crazy, what was I thinking” – clearly another reminder to stay in the moment is required. And then, the countdown starts, the horn sounds, and we’re off!

In our pink team t-shirts, it’s easy to catch glimpses of each other as we move from swimming to biking to running.  Tribe members shout words of encouragement to their teammates-- “let’s go Rye Y”; “keep moving forward”; “you’ve got this” and “Go Mom” and slap each other’s hands in enthusiastic high-fives.  We were having the time of our lives.

By 10:00 a.m., the entire Tribe has finished, except for one team member.  Rosy, our oldest participant at 78, is still out on the run course.  And because this is the Tribe, and because we are sisters, a group of our team members sprint back onto the course, crossing the finish line again, this time with Rosy.  Everyone cheers.  At this moment, we feel the full power of our accomplishment and the strength of our TRIBE! 

 

Part of a Team

by Catarina Cabrera
On Sunday, September 9, 56 members of the TRIBE, the Y Rye’s women’s Triathlon group, finished the Danskin Sandy Hook Triathlon. The oldest competitor was 78; the youngest was 16.  For most, it was their first Triathlon.  Catarina Cabrera shares her inspiring story here.

Not too long ago, I couldn't run a single mile! I was critically close to turning 40 and taking stock of my life. I grew up the daughter of working class immigrants in Yonkers and throughout my childhood, sports for girls were just not an option. My parents were of the belief that only education had any value. For years and years, I did absolutely nothing physical except for the mandatory phys ed. As an adult, I was blessed with good genes so going to a gym was never in the cards. The thought of it was intimidating and worse, a waste of time. Then I spent the better part of my 30's having babies and unlike the Hollywood starlets, I would gain 40-50 pounds at a clip. Eventually Bootcamp found me and I started taking my body back!  With the support of some great ladies, I found that I could run. I was only capable of very short distances but I was actually moving forward ! Once I figured that out, I thought "What else could I be good at?"



Last September I enrolled in an adult beginner swim class at the YMCA. It took me months of spotty attendance and hyperventilating at every lap before I figured out rotary breathing! For 39 years, I had never intentionally put my face in the water so this was a HUGE accomplishment!!  I continued practicing and adding to my distances with Viwat's help and then I thought, "What else can I be good at?"

 I had seen the signs at the YMCA for a Triathlon Group many times and kept on with my day because I wasn't an athlete and that sort of thing took a lot of endurance, which I didn't have. Then one day on vacation, I was feeling sorry for myself because although I have a great husband and four good kids, I was 40 and hadn't done anything really inspiring ! Sure, I get my kids to school, get the homework done, and the list of endless mommy chores get done. But all alone at night, I'd ask myself, since you stopped working, what inspiring thing have you done? Then I remembered the posters and the masters swimming group at the YMCA and all those people who say that Tri's are so much fun! Before I had a chance to talk myself out of it, I emailed Laura Tiedge and she sent me the longest most detailed message outlining the entire process.  I signed up for the Danskin Triathlon before I even sent her a response.



Since that fateful day, I have been swimming, cycling and running with the most amazing group of ladies. There were many Sunday mornings that I didn't want to cycle or run. But, out of some sense of loyalty and commitment, I kept showing up.  Monday nights, they held Open Water Swims at Oakland Beach.  As someone who couldn't swim a yard just a year ago, I thought “this is going to be awful.” Magically, I willed myself to show up. The first few times out were tough especially since there are no black lines or buoys out there. My sighting skills were non-existent and I used to joke that my suit lacked a GPS. Somehow with the encouragement and kind words of so many, I kept showing up. If these ladies were going to give of their time, then at the very least, I was going to make the effort. Wow, am I happy that I did !



Until this race, my bike was only used to follow alongside tricycles! Coach Denise and Coach Sally taught me what the gears on my bike were meant to do. These extraordinary ladies went above and beyond their job to help me when my knees ached and I thought the Tri was over for me before it had even begun. Selflessly, they each gave of their time and expertise to adjust my bike and strengthen my knees. Coach Laura organized many meetings to prep us for race day! INVALUABLE !



On race day, my nerves were shot. I was dealing with achy knees and a bad case of poison ivy. I was a teary and anxious mess on the shoreline but the last words I heard were, "Keep Moving Forward!" Coach Vickie realized that I was not having a great swim, and even though she could have easily left me and swam on ahead, she stayed with me like a swim angel until I was around the last buoy.   I was never so happy as when I would see a pink shirt pass me or going the other way and hear "Go Tribee."

The night before the Tri, the coaches organized a team dinner at the hotel. We were each given a pink shirt and on the back it says, Life is One Big Transition.  Denise asked the group, "How long since any of you have been on a team?"  For me, the answer was NEVER. That changed on Sunday, September 9th, 2012. I was finally part of something bigger than myself: I was part of a team!  I could barely stand the emotions when I saw my 78 year-old team mate, Rosalie, cross the finish line. I was equally overcome watching all the pink shirts converge on one another in congratulations and joy watching others cross the line. Now, I belonged to this team of amazing and strong women. For that one day, I was great and I did something inspiring. I hope my girls and my son fully appreciate all the teams they will belong to and that their mom inspired them to be great too. 



I may never be a Super Model. I may never be President. I may never be a brain surgeon. But I will always be a Triathlete ! 



Thank You Tribees