As a charity, the Chilliwack YMCA wouldn’t be the amazing centre of community that it is today without the generous support of our donors. We are so grateful to every one of our supporters who recognize the work that we do to help our communities thrive.
The new Chilliwack YMCA opened its doors in February 2019. In just a few short months, our centre of community has welcomed 5,000 members—both old and new! And the members are certainly enjoying all of the spaces that were made possible due to the generosity of our donors. Here are just a few examples of how the Chilliwack YMCA’s donor-funded spaces are impacting members every day.
How Your Donations are Making an Impact
The Chilliwack Ford Multipurpose Room
From Monday to Saturday, 50 to 80 children between the ages of 3 and 5 participate in Child and Family Development programs held in the Chilliwack Ford Multipurpose Room every day. In these programs, children get active and creative. They make new friends and learn skills that are fundamental to their growth and development. Most of all, they have fun! And this, of course, gives parents, grandparents or caregivers the opportunity to make their own health a priority, guilt-free!
The Master Painting and Renovations Active Living Studio
The Master Painting and Renovations Active Living Studio is another popular spot at the Chilliwack YMCA. In a week, this space hosts over 70 group fitness classes! Members enjoy a variety of classes like yoga, Pure Step, Mossa Group Power and so much more.
The Mertin Autogroup Multipurpose Room
A lot happens in the Mertin Autogroup Multipurpose Room. From the youngest of YMCA members to the oldest, this room has become a safe space for everyone. Members of the Together in Movement and Exercise program—designed for those with stroke, acquired brain injury, multiple sclerosis or other mobility concerns—gather here to exercise to regain their strength and balance. But it’s not just a class. By working together, they have also built a welcoming and supportive community.
The room is also home to Child and Family Development programs. Children gather here to participate in programs like Games Galore, Active Brains and more. Not only do they have a blast, they learn new skills and make a ton of friends!
The Mejlholm Active Living Studio
The Mejlholm Active Living Studio hosts multiple CycleFit classes every day. Members love the incredibly talented group of certified volunteer fitness instructors who lead these classes and make them so fun and engaging! From these classes, our members are able to meet their health and fitness goals while connecting with their community.
Aquatic Centre
The Aquatic Centre is certainly one of the most popular spots in the Chilliwack Y. In a week, nearly 1000 children learn how to swim in the pool! From floating to the backstroke, kids learn a whole lot here from our dedicated swim instructors.
Aside from swimming lessons, the Aquatic Centre also hosts swimming lessons for teens and adults, open swim times and drop-in Aquafit classes. Members especially love the variety of Aquafit classes, which our enthusiastic instructors lead according to our members’ pace.
Final Word
These are only a handful of our many generous donors. We also want to thank all of the other families, individuals, businesses and more who have supported and made the Chilliwack YMCA possible. Please visit our donor wall for a full list of our wonderful supporters.
As you can see, the new centre of community is making a real difference for those who attend. Our donors are instrumental in making that happen! However, while the doors are open, we aren’t finished raising money for the Chilliwack YMCA just yet.
We would love to find a donor interested in naming our gym, where so many programs for children, youth and adults take place. We’d also love to find a naming donor for our aquatic centre, where people of all ages come to learn how to swim or get healthy. If you’re interested in supporting the Chilliwack What Really Matters Capital Campaign, please call Chilliwack YMCA’s General Manager, Karen Price at 604-701-0968 or Vice President of Funds Development, Darlene Hepburn at 604-622-4954.