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COMMUNITY NEWS

SUMMER MAY BE OVER, BUT YMCA CAMP MEMORIES LIVE ON

Around 800 children participated in Staten Island YMCA summer camp

programs this summer in our branches, at local schools and at the Staten

Island YMCA Summer Day Camp at Pouch Camp. Whether exploring the

outdoors, learning about science and nature, making arts and crafts or

spending time with friends new and old, fun was had by all!

WHAT’S NEW AND EXCITING AT THE STATEN ISLAND YMCA

IN THIS ISSUE

Summer May Be Over, But YMCA

Camp Memories Live On

Program Spotlight: YMCA

Counseling Service Hurricane

Sandy Youth Program

Meet Samantha, Our 2014 Annual

Campaign Spokesperson

Get Cool Y Gear and Get Your

Friends to Join the Y

Fall Into Fitness at the Staten

Island Y

On Our Way to Victory!

Don’t Miss Out on the Fun

Golf for Good

ENJOY THIS ISSUE?

Feel free to share this newsletter

with anyone who you think may

find it useful.

QUESTIONS,

COMMENTS, IDEAS?

Contact Andrea Ganzman, the

editor, at

aganzman@ymcanyc.org.

Staten Island YMCA

3939 Richmond Ave., SI, NY 10312

Fall 2013

ymcanyc.org/statenisland

Campers at the YMCA Summer Day Camp at Pouch Camp perform songs with a dinosaur

theme for family and friends during a week revolving around the prehistoric creatures.

Clockwise from bottom left: Y Campers at PS 19 read a book about ladybugs; Broadway Summer Fun participants do their best Harry Potter impression; A camper soars to new heights at Pouch Camp, and South Shore Stars campers smile for the camera.

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October 29, 2013 will mark the one-year anniversary since Hurricane Sandy

hit Staten Island. In the days after the storm, the Staten Island YMCA

rallied to help those in need in various ways, including aiding with their

emotional recovery.

To help the smallest victims of Hurricane Sandy, the YMCA Counseling

Service and AmeriCares teamed up to sponsor group counseling sessions at

local elementary schools during the school year. The sessions were hosted

at PS 39 and PS 52, located in the Midland and South Beach communities.

Over the summer, sessions were held at the YMCA Counseling Service’s

offices, where they will continue through the remainder of the year.

When finished, the program will help 150 kids who suffered from stress and

anxiety that resulted from not knowing when they could return home. The

counseling program employed, CASE (Coping After Stressful Events), uses a

curriculum called “Support for Students Exposed to Trauma,” which has

been researched and shown to have a positive impact on the lives of kids.

The classes use a structured approach aimed at reducing stress from

exposure to natural disasters. Activities include expressing their emotions

through colors they choose for different scenes,

i.e., hurricane, family and flood. The color the

children choose depends on their level of worry;

red indicates the highest level.

The counseling sessions are being run by

licensed counselors from the YMCA Counseling

Service with funding from the AmeriCares

Sandy Relief Program.

Additionally, the YMCA Counseling Service is

hosting the Visiting Nurse Service of New York at

its offices. The VNSNY is offering a program that

treats post-disaster distress symptoms in adults.

For more information on the YMCA Counseling

Service and its programs, visit ymcanyc.org/

counseling or call 718-948-3232.

MEET SAMANTHA,

OUR 2014 ANNUAL

CAMPAIGN

SPOKESPERSON!

Samantha

Altschuler

originally came

to the Staten

Island

Broadway

YMCA seeking

community

service credit

for her high

school career.

But what she

found was a

whole lot more.

The 15-year-old junior at St. John

Villa Academy quickly made friends

she could trust and couldn’t wait until

the next meetings of Youth &

Government, Teens Take the City

and Leaders Club to see her new

friends again.

“I had a place I could call and can still

call my second home,” she says about

the Broadway Y. “The teens I’ve met

at the Y are some of my best friends

and I couldn’t live without them.”

Because of her passion for the Y,

Samantha has been named a 2014

Spokesperson for the YMCA of Greater

New York’s Annual Campaign. She’ll

be joined by several other teens from

across the city to represent the

campaign, which raises funds so that

no one is turned away from the Y’s

services due to an inability to pay.

Samantha was previously recognized

by the Y of Greater New York with a

2013 Youth of the Year Award.

“The YMCA advertises that they are a

family,” Samantha says. “They truly

are. When you get involved with the

Y, you really feel like they’re your

second family. Everyone at the Y

knows and respects one another.

We’re all here to lend a helping

hand.”

PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT:

YMCA COUNSELING SERVICE

HURRICANE SANDY YOUTH PROGRAM

Licensed counselors from the YMCA Counseling Service are working with children affected by

Hurricane Sandy to help them reduce stress from the exposure to natural disasters.

Activities include expressing their emotions through colors and pictures.

YMCA Counselor Kerri Quinn

explains to students how to

express their feelings.

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ON OUR WAY TO VICTORY!

The Staten

Island YMCA

recently held

its 2013

Strong Kids

Campaign

Victory

Celebration

at the South

Shore Y. The

event brought together staff,

volunteers and donors to the

campaign, which ensures that no

one is turned away from the Y’s

services due to an inability to

pay.

In 2013, the Staten Island YMCA

will give out around $300,000 in

YMCA scholarships to families

across the borough in need of

financial support, and is close to

reaching its fundraising goal for

the year. The majority of the

scholarships support services for

children, such as early childhood

education programs, summer day

camp, Teen Night and youth

aquatics.

Campers from Camp Rainbow at

the South Shore Y opened the

event and guests were welcomed

by new Staten Island YMCA

Senior Executive Director Anita

Harvey. Guests also heard from

Carrie Robinson, the 2013 Strong

Kids Campaign Chair, who helped

lead the Staten Island YMCA to

victory!

GET COOL Y GEAR AND GET YOUR FRIENDS TO JOIN THE Y

Do you sometimes feel like your exercise routine is missing something?

Maybe what you’re lacking is your best friend by your side, encouraging you

to be your best.

Now through Oct. 14, your friends can join the Y and take advantage of our

$0 Joiner’s Fee special, and you can

get cool Y gear for referring them.

It’s win-win for everyone! You get

free gear and your friend gets to

join the Y without having to worry

about the cost of a joiner’s fee.

For more information on the

Member Get a Member Program,

visit ymcanyc.org/reward today.

FALL INTO FITNESS AT THE STATEN ISLAND Y

Just because summer’s over, it doesn’t mean it’s time to quit your healthy

lifestyle and stop exercising. The Staten Island YMCA offers a range of

classes to meet all your fitness needs. Inquire at your Fitness Office today

to learn about all the available exercise options.

Here’s a look at just a few of the exciting classes offered at the Y:

Members at the South Shore Y can now make a racquet, with

the branch’s new tennis class for adults interested in learning

and mastering the basics of the sport. Tennis can help with

hand-eye coordination, strength and flexibility while providing

an overall cardiovascular workout.

South Shore Y goers also can relieve stress with one of the yoga

classes offered at the branch. For the beginner, there is Gentle

Yoga, or for those who want something a little more advanced

there’s Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga. Something for everyone!

The Broadway Y is pleased to offer Alpha-Training, a

small group training class that incorporates TRX, kettlebells and

free weights to build core strength, stamina and endurance. The

program helps develop muscle strength and discipline and

prepares you for adventure races and other challenges.

The Broadway Y also is offering Ballet N Tone, a dance and fitness

class that mixes classical ballet moves with Pilates, contemporary

dance, yoga, body conditioning and other disciplines. Done to

traditional ballet music and pop tunes, it blends body toning,

posture and alignment work, flexibility exercise and yoga-inspired

moves for an overall body workout.

Staten Island YMCA Senior Executive

Director Anita Harvey is joined by Strong

Kids Campaign Chair Carrie Robinson

during a Victory Celebration for the Y’s

annual fundraising campaign.

Ms. Robinson holds up a

sign stating the Staten

Island Y’s 2013 Strong

Kids Campaign goal.

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DON’T MISS OUT ON THE FUN

There’s so much happening at the Staten Island YMCA! Here’s a look at just

two of the coming attractions for the Fall season.

Worldwide Day of Play: On September 21, the

Staten Island YMCA will once again be partnering

with Nickelodeon for the network’s Worldwide Day of

Play. The event is about getting out and getting

active all in the name of play. Both the Broadway and

South Shore Ys will be hosting the Day of Play with

fun activities, games and sports the whole family can

enjoy.

Here are some tips from Nickelodeon on how to get

out and play:

Turn it off. Take those cell phones, TVs,

computers and turn ’em off.

Grab some friends. Because you can’t play

dodgeball without a few pals!

Get on wheels. Whether it’s a skateboard or a bike, life’s way more rad

when you’re on some wheels!

Build a fort. What do branches, rocks & tarps have in common? They

are all the makings of an EPIC fort!

Take a hike. Sing a song, collect some pinecones, and explore a

wilderness trail!

For more tips and information, visit nick.com/thebighelp.

Halloween Extravaganza: The Staten Island Y will

also be hosting its Halloween Extravaganza on Friday, October 25 from 7 to 9 pm at both the South Shore and Broadway Ys. The night promises to be a spirited one, but don’t worry, it’s not too spooky for the little ones. The branches will have a variety of activities throughout the night, including arts and crafts, face painting, Halloween treats and more! The event is free

for members, or $30 for a family of four, plus $8 for each additional individual. To guarantee a spot, please register by Oct. 18.

GOLF FOR GOOD

Don’t forget to register for the Staten Island YMCA’s 2013 Golf Outing to be held October 7 at Silver Lake Golf Course. All proceeds from the event benefit the Y’s Strong Kids Campaign, which ensures that no one is turned away from our services due to an inability to pay.

The day starts with registration at 10:30am, followed by a barbecue lunch at 11 and a shotgun tee-off at noon. A cocktail reception will start at 5pm at LiGreci’s Staaten.

Golf tickets include 18 holes, green fees/cart, barbecue lunch, complimentary refreshments throughout the day, cocktail reception, dinner with open bar, contests, awards, gifts and prizes. Tickets are $225 for golf and dinner or $125 for dinner only. Sponsorships also are available ranging from $300 to $10,000.

For more information, to purchase tickets or to become a sponsor, contact Debra Carbone at 718-227-4000 or dcarbone@ymcanyc.org.

During last year’s

Nickelodeon Day of Play,

kids received a special

visit from SpongeBob

SquarePants.

Families at last year’s Halloween

Extravaganza enjoyed quality time

together dressed in costume and participated

in activities like cupcake decorating.