Dear Families and Members,
Greetings! Have you heard about all of the updates, improvements, and highly skilled new staff we are adding at the Helena YMCA? I am excited to share our continued efforts to remake your YMCA.
Since arriving, I have stressed the importance of our people. Our people will make a difference in delivering all of the exceptional services that you deserve. To that end, I am excited about the new members of the YMCA team that we continue to build. Richard Ortega, our Director of Development, joins us after decades of successful experiences leading fundraising initiatives for, among others, Carroll College and Texas A&M – San Antonio. Our new COO, Matt Bartlett, comes from years of exceptional business and military leadership endeavors. Judi Allen comes over from the Montana Association of Realtors as our new Sports and Aquatics Director. Her exceptional experience leading complex programs in numerous business fields will be a tremendous asset in helping us expand and improve quality programs for kids and adults. We also welcome Alana Cunningham, our new Director of Marketing, who comes from the Helena Chamber of Commerce. As a brilliant young communicator, she will help us share the message of all of the exciting things happening now and planned in the future. In addition, as a former Olympic Developmental swimmer, Alana comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience in aquatics. Her passion and skills will be a tremendous asset in helping the YMCA reestablish the best swimming programs in the region. Please join me in welcoming them!
With this amazing team and those who are already a part of the team, I am excited to reimagine how we deliver services and programs. We are also thrilled to be working with our new YMCA Board Member, Rachelle Sayers, Head Coach of the Carroll College Women’s Basketball Team. YMCA looks forward to building a relationship with Carroll athletics that will help enhance the sports programs through mentorship programs such as player and coaches clinics as well as provide positive role models for our young athletes.
To continue our improvements, we are answering the demands of our parents to improve our program coordination and communication. We are reviewing all aspects of our program management with an eye toward improvement. In January, we will pilot a new system, YGameTime. This program will allow us to develop team rosters and schedules much faster, as well as communicate critical information to families much faster and more effectively. We recognize this is an area we need to improve, and we are working hard to meet your expectations.
In partnership with St Peter’s Hospital, we are running the pilot of a youth fitness program, Brand X. Brand X is a world-class fitness program specifically designed to Build foundations for performance, fitness, confidence, character in youth for life. Our aim is that all you will be able to meet their greatest potential at the YMCA.
Did you know that today’s kids are sitting for a combined 12 hours a day between school and screen time? Because of this, males have seen a 500% increase in Tommy John Surgeries, and females have seen a 400% increase in ACL injuries, all in just the last 10 years.
At the Helena YMCA, the Brand X Method and our other programs will help kids become healthier, happier, more confident, more athletic, better at their respective sport(s), and more injury-proof.
All of this begins to define The new Helena Family YMCA and our 2020 vision. Join us as we all take this journey together for Helena and all the families and members we serve.
