YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

1

New Lease on Life

A Community Magazine from the YMCA of Greater Richmond Vol. 1 • Issue IV • Fall 2009

InsIde:

Women In TransitionThe YMCA provides support services to non-violent women offenders

The Last evidence that Anyone CaresYMCA’s commitment to care for people in need America on the MoveTake positive steps toward healthier living Fall Program Guide

2

Everybody plays, everybody wins!

Sign up now for fall sports. View the Program Guide for a complete list of youth and adult sports available by

branch. Call your local YMCA or register online today!

www.ymcarichmond.org

Bequest LanguageWe will provide you with specific legal language for your

will including how to designate a specific YMCA branch for your bequest. Gifts we receive through wills ensure that the Y will continue its mission for future generations. You may

also designate the YMCA as a beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance or other

financial instruments.

Charitable Income PlansWe can assist you in establishing a charitable trust, or other charitable income plans, or work with your financial advisor to provide you with a specific plan

for your gift to the YMCA of Greater Richmond.

Customized IllustrationsWe will prepare a customized gift illustration that

estimates both income and tax benefits for charitable gift annuities or charitable trusts. Or you can go to www.ymcarichmond.plannedgifts.org and use our

gift calculator to prepare your own estimate in the privacy of your home.

The YMCA of Greater Richmond is ready to help you realize the greatest benefits

from your planned gifts to the Y.

YMCA of Greater Richmond2 W. Franklin St., Richmond, VA 23220We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.

For more information, please contact Jane Hamilton

at (804) 474-4332 or hamiltonj@ymcarichmond.org.

Our director of planned giving is available to assist you and your

financial advisor with a wide range of gift planning services. For Example:

YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

3On the Cover: Shanelle Jackson, featured in “New Lease on Life.” • Photography: Scott Elmquist

news Midlothian YMCA Open House 6

YMCA Bright BeginningsServed its 25,000th Child 6

Blue Ridge Leaders’ School 7

Volunteer Appreciation 7

community

Women in Transition 8

The Last Evidence that Anybody Cares 9

a YMCA story New Lease on Life 10

contents september – november 09

10

healthy living America on the Move 12

Healthy Advice 13

Healthy Recipes 14

kids’ pageMystery Message 15

8 9 12

4

President & CeO Barry M. Taylor

exeCutive viCe President/OPeratiOnsDick Lyons

exeCutive viCe President/OPeratiOns

MeMbershiP and PrOgraMs Karen Keegan

seniOr viCe President & CFORandy Spears

seniOr viCe President OF PhilanthrOPyNancy Trego

Editorial BoardviCe President

Marketing & COMMuniCatiOnsD. Todd Gray

Creative direCtOr Marketing & COMMuniCatiOns

Larissa Tyler

COMMuniCatiOns direCtOrJohn Wallace

viCe President FOr COMMunity develOPMent & PrOgraMs

Tito Luna

Planned giving direCtOrJane Hamilton

COntributOrsBruce Yoder, Evelyn Zak,

Ryan Dalton, Valerie Callahan

COntributing PhOtOgraPhersScott Elmquist, Casey Templeton,

Nancy Parker

Our values

Caring, honesty, respect and responsibility are the basis for all

that we do.

YMCA member corner YMCA of Greater Richmond

YMCA Connect is produced quarterly by the YMCA of Greater Richmond. The YMCA of Greater Richmond

is a not-for-profit, charitable organization. Contributions are deductible for income tax purposes to the

extent provided by law.

Member Letters

Tell us what you think of YMCA Connect. Please send your comments or suggestions to

letters@ymcarichmond.org.

we want your feedback...

Some said “Y”? I said “Y not”?A crumbled bearing brought the home elliptical machine to a halt. The sole remedy being a completely new system, at a cost of hundreds of dollars. The search began for options. I toured one of the commercial fitness centers in Henrico. Nice folks and great facility, but quite a distance, environmentally and socially, from Hadensville. Having some familiarity with the Greater Richmond YMCA, I decided to tour the Goochland Family YMCA, located at the epicenter of Central Virginia, Goochland Courthouse. The result was a membership, friendships, fitness, an accidental art gallery and a renewed appreciation for the multiple concepts of Spirit, Mind, Body. The friendships and fitness are, grandly, pretty self explanatory. The art gallery, those banners and posters you see on the walls and hanging from the ceilings, is also an easy observation. I’m grateful for the kind comments that they generate. The paradoxically complex and simple ideas of Spirit, Mind, Body might, however, need more definition. We tend to forget, I certainly have and do, the need for balance in our lives. When I say balance, I mean maintaining our physical health, our mental acuity and the touchstone we all need with God, as we as individuals might indeed see and define God. Without this basic template of life and living, we tend to careen through our days of work, carpooling, school and more, reacting as opposed to acting. My membership at the Goochland Family YMCA has renewed my observations of, and participation in, the core ideals of Spirit, Mind, Body. As such, my life tends to operate under better, though not perfect control, my life has a renewing focus and there is now a steady, guided path. As a doctoral student, as an artist and as an intellectual property developer, I’ve found the Goochland Family YMCA to be the perfect point on the fulcrum for successful balancing.

Griff Griffin

YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

5

and breaking the cycle of despair that caused many of them to follow a path with little hope for a bright future.

Each fall, I take the opportunity to renew my commitment to possessing a strong spirit, mind and body. This year, I invite you and your friends to join me at the Midlothian Family YMCA as we celebrate America on the Move Week in September. This facility is opening an additional 26,000 square feet of space for you to get active with your family and friends. Throughout the region, YMCA members with a Metro Membership can utilize all the new features this facility has to offer!

If you’re a regular exerciser, I encourage you to try something new this fall and embrace America on the Move Week. If you don’t regularly exercise, there’s never been a better time to walk into the Y and ask our qualified, well-trained staff how to start. Learn more about this program on page 12 and start moving today!

Wishing you a great start to the fall season…

Barry M. TaylorPresident & CEO, YMCA of Greater Richmond

We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.

The YMCA is well into its second century of helping people get a fresh start. Many who work for the YMCA have a passion for the rich heritage of helping others that is the cornerstone of all that we do. Evidence of Caring on page 9 takes you back in time to the responsiveness demonstrated by the YMCA of Greater Richmond with its founding in 1854. Helping young men in Richmond by providing outlets for intellectual and physical pursuits, it was early evidence of our organization’s ability to carry out our mission in a way that would help people thrive instead of merely surviving.

Today, the YMCA of Greater Richmond’s effort to enable a fresh start is as much a part of fulfilling our mission as anything that we do. The Shady Grove Family YMCA’s leadership in offering programs for families and children at Glen Allen’s Woodman West Apartments and the Hope Village apartment complex is chronicled in New Lease on Life on page 10. A balance of children’s education, teaching core values, parent volunteerism and family support programs provide a necessary framework for the future success of parents and children.

Often, a fresh start is necessitated after we make a mistake or poor choice. Who among us has not faced that at some point in our life? On page 8, I want you to meet Women in Transition who participate in a U.S. Department of Justice funded program at the North Richmond YMCA Community Center. Enrollees have a passion for turning their lives around

President’s Letter

our missionTo put Christian principles into practice

through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

There’s a freshness that comes with the crisp fall breezes that blow across the state of Virginia. For so many, this season marks the beginning of fresh starts. School begins, new car models are introduced, television shows premier and those last minute exterior projects are completed around our homes before winter arrives.

6

On Saturday, August 1, the Midlothian Family YMCA hosted an Open House featuring the first phase of its expansion that adds 26,000 square feet to the facility, and renovates 15,000 square feet of the existing building. The newest amenities include a gymnasium, family locker rooms and classrooms for school-age and preschool children. By mid-September, the second phase of the capital improvements will open and feature an expanded wellness center and aerobics studio. The final phase will open near the end of the year with a dynamic children’s adventure center funded by the Midlothian Rotary Club that brings the facility’s total square footage to 52,000. Keep up with construction progress at www.midlothianymca.org and remember that YMCA of Greater Richmond Metro Members enjoy access to all 15 of our branch locations across the region!

YMCA news

In August of this year, the YMCA Bright Beginnings program served its 25,000th child since the program’s inception in 1992. YMCA Bright Beginnings sends children from low-income families to school with the clothes and basic supplies needed to succeed. Over 80 shopping trips were taken during the month of August to local Target and JC Penny stores in the Greater Richmond and Petersburg areas – 2,400 children were served by over 3,000 volunteers. YMCA Bright Beginnings makes it possible for children to start school with the tools they need and the knowledge that someone cares about their success.

YMCA Bright Beginnings participantN

ancy

Par

ker

YMCA Water Smarts completed it’s third year, providing nearly 340 children with free swimming lessons and water-safety instruction in an effort to reduce the number of drowning deaths in our area. Over 40 YMCA employees from branches throughout Greater Richmond and Petersburg volunteered to teach four, one-week sessions. The City of Richmond Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities deserves special thanks for providing the facilities and identifying children from 22 community centers who could benefit from the program. Water Smarts is funded through generous donations to the YMCA’s Planting Seeds of Hope Annual Giving Campaign.

Southside VA Family YMCA program director, Tommy Speidel provides guidance to young swimmers.

New classroom

New gymnasium

YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

7

septemberLabor Day – 9/7 (YMCA branches close at 4 p.m.)

Outdoor pools close

America On the Move Week - 9/20-27

octoberNational Arts and Humanities Month

YMCA Arts Week - 10/5-11

Columbus Day - 10/12

Character Counts Week - 10/18-24

novemberSuntrust Marathon, McDonald’s Half Marathon and Ntelos 8k - 11/14

Family Week - 11/22-28

Thanksgiving - 11/26 (YMCA branches closed)

Give Thanks for Members – Thanksgiving Weekend

Like many of the YMCA of Greater Richmond’s youth sports coaches, Eddie Whitlock began volunteer coaching at the Tuckahoe YMCA because of his children’s involvement in the sports programs. It’s been 12 years since he first coached his son’s soccer and baseball teams. This year, Eddie coached his 50th and last season as his youngest of two daughters graduated middle school.

“I’ve had so many fond memories,” says Eddie. “I’ve coached many children from the time they were in kindergarten to eighth grade, and it’s so rewarding to see them grow and change. They’ve taught me far more than I could ever teach them.”

Eddie enjoys YMCA sports programs due to the friendly atmosphere and emphasis on fun and inclusiveness. “The coaches do a great job of incorporating the YMCA’s values into their teams, and the parents really ensure that nobody’s pressuring the children,” says Eddie.

We’d like to thank Eddie and all of our volunteers who make YMCA Youth Sports a part of so many families’ lives. When asked if he’ll miss his time as a coach, Eddie replied, “I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

Eddie Whitlock

Blue Ridge Leaders’ School provides youth and adults with training in the principles and philosophy of YMCA physical education that fosters the essential unity of spirit, mind and body. This summer, 113 Richmond teens in the Leaders’ Division and 18 staff in the Senior Division joined nearly 700 participants from YMCAs across the Southeast. Conner Butterworth, Tuckahoe Sr. Leader, and Jason Christiansen, Midlothian Club Advisor/Sr. Leader, both received their six-year jackets.

YMCA of Greater Richmond Blue Ridge Leaders’ School students

calendar

8

YMCA community

years. “I kept falling into the same trap and I felt the only way out was to leave – even if it meant violating my parole. I was sober for a year, but I realized I needed a job. I was afraid I would be arrested if I gave my social security number. I knew I had to turn myself in.”

Women are referred to Women In Transition by probation and parole officers, Social Services, offender aid programs, substance abuse treatment centers and word of mouth. After turning herself in, Theresa was required to stay and receive treatment at Rubicon, Inc., a chemical dependency treatment facility and referring agency to the Women In Transition program.

“Ms. Makita came and spoke to a group of mothers with whom I was receiving treatment,” says Theresa. “I felt worthless. I had very low self esteem and never thought I would get a job. But meeting other women in the same situation and developing confidence through the support group made me think, ‘You know, I can do this.’” In August of 2008, Theresa made enrolling in Women In Transition her first goal.

Theresa now works nearly full time to support herself and her four-month-old son. She is striving toward visitation rights with her four other children and has been sober for over two years. “I have twin daughters who recently turned 11,” she says. “It was the first time I was there for them on their birthday since they were 1. It felt so good to be able to buy them something – just to be there for them.”

Over 50 women have voluntarily participated in Women In Transition. By building confidence, offering support and rekindling hope, the YMCA aims to break this self-defeating cycle. “It will always be difficult,” says Makita. “But people need others to believe in them.”

“I was tired of being tired. I wanted to be a woman who could take care of herself, who could take care of her children,” says Theresa Rapholtz, a participant in North Richmond YMCA’s Women In Transition program.

“The Women In Transition program is for women with non-violent, non-sexual criminal histories,” explains North Richmond YMCA Program Director Makita Lewis. Through the program women receive access to some YMCA member benefits; participate in psycho-educational groups around changing thinking patterns and developing coping and decision-making skills; learn basic life skills, job readiness skills and employment etiquette; set goals; and, most importantly, give and receive support from women in similar situations. “We meet weekly as a group to encourage and engage in positive social interaction. Our goal is to build confidence and self-sufficiency through a holistic approach that allows women to regain control of their lives,” adds Makita.

The program began in the fall of 2006 after the YMCA applied for and received a grant from the Department of Justice to provide support services to non-violent women offenders. Like Theresa, many of the women in the program were incarcerated for drug-related offenses. The program requires that participants be sober for 30 days before they are eligible. But Theresa had made that decision on her own over a year before enrolling.

“In 2002 I received a felony narcotics charge,” explains Theresa, who found herself in and out of jail for the next several

8

Women in TransitionWomen in Transition program participants from left to right: Angela Braxton, Lynda Clarke and Theresa Rapholtz

YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

9

YMCA community

“T he LAST EVIDENCE that anybody cares,” says a soldier ‘overthere’ of the Y.M.C.A. Dugout. That’s the heading on a poster for the YMCA’s 1918 National Campaign. In camp, field and trench, the YMCA

provided recreation, education and religious activities for anyone who wanted them. Even then, the YMCA was open to all.

The “Last Evidence” poster includes these quotes:A soldier writes: “Who pays? I don’t know. But, whoever they are,

God bless them! They are the fathers of thousands of boys.”Another writes: “Why, the first question a fellow asks when he goes

into a town is, ‘Where is the Y?’ They send us hot soup up the line. I tell you it’s good when you have been standing in one place for two hours, chilled to the bone. Then you say, ‘Thank God for the Y.M.C.A.!’”

The commitment to care for people in need lies at the heart of the founding of the Young Men’s Christian Association in London, England in 1844 and, a decade later, the birth of a YMCA in Richmond, Virginia. It is a commitment that continues to pulse through the veins of the YMCA as it responds to new needs with uncommon zeal and remarkable flexibility.

When the Richmond YMCA was founded in 1854, urbanization and industrialization brought wealth and growth to Richmond, along with a tempting buffet of vices for the young men who came from far and wide to work in urban factories and mills.

The YMCA organized in Richmond to meet the needs of the young men who lived here by providing healthy alternatives that included lectures, libraries and reading rooms. Within one year of its founding, Richmond’s YMCA reached beyond its geographical borders and sent funds to aid yellow fever victims in Hampton Roads and New Orleans. That same concern was evident 151 years later when Downtown YMCA staff members journeyed to New Orleans to help YMCAs there provide child care in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

During the Civil War, the YMCA, guided by its principle of compassion, sent supplies to sick and wounded soldiers, taught illiterate troops to read, passed out bread after the Bread Riot of 1863

and established a strategic plan for relief in the city after Richmond burned in 1865.

The Great Depression brought another opportunity for the YMCA to express its guiding Christian principles through low-key service that met human and societal needs. According to The Richmond YMCA: 150 Years of Innovation and Service for Central Virginia, during that period of economic distress “Unemployed individuals, eager to remain active, turned to the Y programs for relaxation and to be engaged in healthy activities.” People were embraced whether or not they could pay.

To be open to all, especially in times of need, is to welcome the stranger who will become a friend. From 1927 to 1937, the number of people regularly using the YMCA more than doubled; the total number of participants in all Y programs almost tripled; and, the number of persons

benefiting from YMCA programs at no cost more than quadrupled, rising from 991 to 4,200.

In each of the seven recessions that followed the Great Depression, the YMCA kept its compassionate commitment to serve anyone interested in growing in spirit, mind and body. The YMCA remains open to all; it is a commitment to care that is both timely and timeless.

Today, as people experience the greatest financial shock since the Great Depression, the YMCA of Greater Richmond continues to respond to community and individual needs. Its sliding income-based membership fee scale means that young adults just starting out, parents with budgets stretched to the limit, and low-wage service workers can all belong at the YMCA. The YMCA gives special attention to people who have recently lost jobs, enabling them and their children to stay involved with the Y.

What do people say today about the YMCA’s response to their needs? Though separated by ninety years, the Atlantic Ocean, and multiple social and economic challenges, men and women served by today’s YMCA sound a lot like the soldiers quoted on the Last Evidence poster.

A single mom says: Now my son and I have a place to spend time together and stay healthy. I was overwhelmed at how compassionate the Y was to my needs. A recently unemployed man writes: You never once made me feel bad about my inability to pay the full price due to my lay off. You even expressed gratitude that I “came back.” I applaud your work. A young mother who was recently widowed tells us: This YMCA has saved us. This YMCA has kept all of us sane in times when we didn’t think things would ever get better. Another member exclaims: The Y is awesome for doing this for us.

“Who pays?” asked a soldier ‘overthere.’ The answer is simple. The people who paid then are the same kind of people who pay now. They are people who dig deeper and stretch farther in order to help carry the burdens that weigh down their neighbors. Their gifts – our gifts – are evidence of caring. And when we pay, we hear men and women repeat what soldiers said almost a century ago – “Thank God for the Y.M.C.A.!”

EVIdENCE oF CARING

Women in Transition

1918NeWs

10

a YMCA story

New Lease on LifeT

YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

11

If you can dream it, you can do it

!

T he Youth and Family Center at Woodman West Apartments in Glen Allen is a brightly-painted, two bedroom apartment on the ground level. Above the hallway is a Walt Disney quote that reads: If you can dream it, you can do it. To 25 children, that quote provides a powerful contrast to many of the harsh realities that have derailed this community’s dreams.

The Hope Village apartment complex is a short drive from Woodman West and also provides Section 8 affordable housing for families struggling to get back on their feet. “We’ve been in Woodman West for 11 years and Hope Village for two years,” explains Shady Grove YMCA’s Community Development Director Courtenay Burke. “When the county lost funding to provide child services to Hope Village, our board knew taking over the program was the right thing to do despite not having it in our budget.”

“If it wasn’t for the Y, the kids wouldn’t have a place to be after they got out of school,” says Natalie Jackson, Woodman West resident and mother of three very bright children – 8-year old CJ, 10-year old Shanelle and 12-year-old Lachelle. “The program helps out so much. Including the after-school care, the opportunities to play sports and go to day camp during the summer, there’s no way we could afford all the benefits the Y provides. It gives us peace of mind at work knowing our children are safe.”

After school each day, Natalie’s three children and 22 of their Greenwood Elementary School classmates get off the bus and are greeted by YMCA counselors. Once all are accounted for, the youth and family center becomes abuzz with children working on homework, receiving art instruction, developing writing skills and enjoying free play until their parents sign them out. A similar scenario unfolds down the road at Hope Village.

“It’s been difficult finding work. I’ve been laid off twice over the last few years, but we’re fortunate because our family has two incomes. There are many single mothers here whose children would be unsupervised for hours each day if it wasn’t for the Y,” says Natalie.

“Woodman West has really improved. Many of the parents are working now, when before they weren’t. I see Hope Village in the position Woodman West was years ago – in desperate need but showing improvement,” says Courtenay. “The improvements start when parents become more committed to their children and begin addressing their own lives. We meet with them twice a year to understand their own goals and needs. We require that they volunteer in the program and we often act as liaisons between teachers and parents.”

The children have been succeeding, and the parents are getting involved. Longdale Elementary, which serves Hope Village, is a Title 1 school, meaning at least 35% of students are eligible for

free or reduced lunch. Title 1 schools are statistically less likely to meet Virginia Standards of Learning requirements. But thanks to the Y’s ability to incorporate community partners, all of Hope Village’s children are performing at grade level and not one child in either program is failing.

“The mentoring and tutoring program is wonderful,” explains Natalie of the partnership with Deep Run High School. “Students come every Tuesday and Thursday during the school year and help the children with their homework. It usually ends at five, but sometimes they’ll stay until six. My kids’ grades have improved dramatically and they’re all on honor roll. Without the program I’m not sure where they’d be academically.”

Shady Grove YMCA Community Development Coordinator Rose Fox supervises the Hope Village program. She’s seen the program transition from being run by the Department of Mental Health to the YMCA. “Now we wait for the bus and make sure the kids get here safely. They aren’t allowed to leave until the parents physically sign them out,” says Rose. “Before, everything was solved by fighting. The children act tough because that’s what they see in their environment. But we’re making huge improvements and teaching them to respect adults and each other.”

Woodman West’s Center Supervisor Chinae Fierros echoes a similar theme with her children. “What’s the most important thing?” asks Chinae of Shanelle, Natalie Jackson’s daughter. “Respect!” replies Shanelle, who adds, “And then it’s never saying ‘I can’t.’” “When we work in groups, I intentionally keep friends separated because they need to learn to respect and work with anyone. If they accept that, they’ll be much better prepared for life,” says Chinae.

The Y knows that exposure to new and different things helps children realize fresh possibilities and break stereotypes. From writing about the meaning of diversity to practicing culinary arts to hosting a gala for Shady Grove YMCA board members and staff, these children are developing new skills and living experiences that will help them realize their dreams.

When asked what her dream is, Shanelle replied, “I want to be an artist, maybe a writer or a singer.” Natalie hopes to cultivate her children’s dreams while also getting her own life back on track. “I’m constantly working on my resume and looking for a stable job. I’m getting married near the end of the year and by that time we hope to have moved out of Woodman West and into a house of our own,” she says. “We know it won’t be easy, but it’s what’s best for our family.”

This is the trend that is becoming prominent in Woodman West and with patience and determined effort should take hold in Hope Village. By offering assistance and coalescing community support, the YMCA is confident that more families can overcome poverty’s hurdles and rebuild their dreams.

Woodman West students

Photography: Scott Elmquist

12

YMCA healthy living

spirit, mind, bodyActivate America is the YMCA’s response to our

nation’s growing health crisis. America On the MoveWeek, September 20-27, 2009, is one component designed to encourage people to kick sedentary habits and engage in easy ways to combat weight gain. The goal of Activate America is to help people of every age and every fitness level take positive steps toward healthier living . . . and have fun in the process.

What we eat and how physically active we are directly impacts our overall health. More than 60% of American adults don’t get the recommended 30 minutes of physical activity daily, and 25% aren’t physically active at all. Two relatively easy things that can produce enormous life time benefits are:

Who can do this? EVERYONE! At home, pace around your house while talking on the phone or take your dog for a walk. At work, take the stairs vs. the elevator, walk to a co-worker’s office vs. sending an email. At play, toss a ball with your kids, go for a stroll, park your car further from the store! By eliminating one slice of bread, a muffin, or a bagel everyday you can cut at least 100 calories.

Every YMCA branch in the Greater Richmond area will provide fun and inviting ways to help you step more and eat less. Try visiting a branch that you don’t normally use! We have 15 locations full of unique offerings and, during America on the Move week, everyone is a Metro Member. Move around town and enjoy the depth of the Richmond YMCA! Simply putting play in your day gets you on your way to living more abundantly. You are sure to find a way to put more play in your day the Richmond YMCA way!!

Take 2,000 more sTeps EACH DAY (about 1 mile) eaT 100 fewer CALORIES DAILY

Shady Grove Family YMCA Zumba class Photography: Casey Templeton

YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

13

YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

13

America On the Move Week is September 20-27, and designed to encourage people to get up and moving to kick sedentary habits and combat weight gain. Here are a few of the tips that I give to members interested in leading healthier lifestyles:

Think SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) when you are setting exercise goals.

Find an activity you like. Set yourself up for success!

Start slowly and go slow! This is true with exercise in general and also if weight loss is your goal. Studies have shown that the more slowly you lose weight, the more likely you will keep it off. By burning around 3,000 calories a week with exercise and eating 300-500 calories less each day, you will lose one and a half to two pounds a week, which is a safe and reasonable amount. Visit www.mypyramid.gov to find out how many calories you need each day for proper nutrition.

Dietary guidelines suggest you make half your grains whole. The easiest way to do this is to replace fine grains (flour, white bread) with whole grains (wheat bread and flour).

Go lean with protein. This will help you cut calories, fat and cholesterol. Broil, grill, roast, poach or boil instead of frying. Protein sources such as beans may occasionally replace meat as a main dish, or have a handful of nuts for a snack.

Put play in your day and have fun! Walk, take the stairs, swim, take an exercise class, ride a bike, work in the garden, clean house – move!

Did you know…1 bagel with cream cheese contains 425 calories?1 blueberry muffin contains around 380 calories?1 16 oz. flavored coffee with whipped cream has 500 calories?1 hour of moderate stationary biking burns 500-700 calories?1 hour of general house cleaning burns 300 calories?1 hour of swimming or water fitness burns 400-600 calories?

Good luck reaching your wellness goals! And remember, YMCA wellness staff are here to help.

William Thornton is the senior membership and wellness director at the Midlothian Family YMCA.

We asked our members,: For what do you give thanks?

“I’m thankful for health and strength and a wonderful family.”

Angel Boom - James Center YMCA

“I’m simply thankful for family and friends. I’m very blessed!”

George Adam Meyls III - James Center YMCA

“I wake up and go to a job I love every day, and am grateful to return home to my loving family.”

Aleshia Mercatante - James Center YMCA

14

[we want your recipes ]Please submit your favorites. Recipes may be posted on our website and featured in an upcoming issue of YMCA Connect. Send recipes to recipes@ymcarichmond.org.

Ingredients1 package of brownie mix1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans rinsed and drained (substitute for eggs) Directions1. Puree black beans with about 1/2 cup water.

2. Mix beans with brownie mix (without eggs) until combined.

3. Bake according to brownie box instructions.

YMCA healthy recipe

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients

2 (15.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained2 garlic cloves, crushed1/2 cup water1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil3/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepperParsley (for garnish if desired)

Directions1. Place beans and garlic in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until chopped.

2. Add 1/2 cup water and remaining ingredents; pulse until smooth, scraping down sides as needed.

3. Garnish with parsley.

4. Refrigerate.

Yields: 3 1/4 cups (serving size: 2 tablespoons)

Nutrition FactsPer Serving: 2 tablespoons; Calories: 44; Fat: 2.5g; Protein: 1.5g; Carbohydrate: 4.4g; Fiber: 0.9g; Cholesterol: 0.0mg; Sodium: 74mg; Calcium: 12mg

Hummus

Nutrition FactsPer Serving: 3” square; Calories: 98; Fat: 1g; Protein: 2g; Carbohydrate: 21g; Fiber 2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 146g

YMC

A of G

reater Richmond | w

ww

.ymcarichm

ond.org

15

[we want your recipes ]

CARING, RESPONSIBILITY, RESPECT, and HONESTY are important character values. Can you color the picture of CARING?

CARING

SHARING ISCARING!

16

More than 2,400 children received new fall clothes and school supplies to begin the school year with confidence and pride. One of those children was the 25,000th child served by YMCA Bright Beginnings since it began in 1992.

Whether you were one of our sponsors, a volunteer shopper, a donor or a backpack buddy, YOU made it possible!

YMCA of Greater Richmond2 West Franklin Street • Richmond, VA 23220804.649.9622 • www.ymcarichmond.org

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDRICHMOND, VA

PERMIT NO. 2077

Thank you for

a child’s world

W W W . C H I L D R E N I N C O R P O R A T E D . O R G

We can’t say it enough. From the

bottom of our heart, thank you!