Debbie Broadbent (left
front), Dale Mathis (right), and Paul Brough (back right)
were indispensable in bringing the YMCA to McKenzie. They
are joined by National YMCA officer Keith Coss, who stresses
the interactivity of YMCAs across the nation. Members of any
YMCA, while traveling for business or pleasure, may
participate in a YMCA at any locale at free or reduced
rates. Brough is the CEO of Milan Family YMCA, Dale is
program director at McKenzie and Debbie is the fundraising
director for the McKenzie YMCA.
Paul Brough, chief
executive officer of Milan Family YMCA and now the McKenzie
YMCA as well, has a favorite success story that illustrates
the impact the YMCA can make in people's lives.
He recalls the day a concerned mother called hoping there
was something that might help her grade-school aged son.
Obese and asthmatic, he was unable to participate in
activities other children took for granted.
"I hooked him up with one of our trainers and we set some
very small goals," says Paul. "The first week's goal was to
spend five minutes on the treadmill--not at a fast pace," he
cautions, "but just to be on it. We celebrated every little
goal there was. After six months, he signed up for soccer
and is ready for basketball in the fall.
"We want to improve people's lives," he smiles.
Indeed, there's something for everyone at the YMCA--and who
would have thought there could be one in McKenzie? But
thanks to the dedication of organizer Dale Mathis,
fund-raiser Debbie Broadbent, and a host of individuals and
businesses that saw fit to dig deep and help fund the
project alongside United Way and the Milan YMCA ( the
McKenzie Y's parent organization), the storefront Y
celebrated its grand opening Thursday in McKenzie. The
fitness center, located on South Main Street next to Fred's,
is chock full of brand new equipment including
cardiovascular exercisers (treadmills, bicycles and
elliptical trainers), strength training machines, and
free-weights. There's also a room for aerobics and--a
lifesaver for parents and grandparents--a childcare room
where children from infancy are cared for free of charge
while the caretaker works out.
Bess Driggers, a 26-year-old McKenzie
Middle School physical education instructor, works out
on one of four elliptical trainers at the McKenzie
YMCA. The mother of five-year-old daughter, Madison,
Beth says the YMCA’s child care option was an
important plus. “It’s a great idea and a great
facility,” she says. |
"That's a real important service that people will come to
like more and more," says Paul, "especially new mothers
trying to get back into an active lifestyle, because they
don't have to drop their babies off somewhere, they can
bring them with them."
Childcare hours currently are from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Monday through Saturday and 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday
through Thursday, but those hours will grow as membership
grows, says Mathis, now program director in McKenzie.
Mathis has been involved with YMCA programs in McKenzie
since 2003 with the advent of the after-school program at
McKenzie Elementary School. Then a student at Bethel College
from Kentucky, he remained in McKenzie after graduation and
helped establish the YMCA summer camp program, now nearing
in its second year.
The program affords children from five to 13 wonderful
summer-time activity opportunities at a cost any family can
afford, thanks to the YMCA's Open Doors program that covers
all but the $20 registration fee, which includes the price
of T-shirts.
"We want to make sure everyone who wants to be a member of
the YMCA can be and the Open Doors program helps us do
that," says Brough. The program is an income-based rate
scale that considers number of dependents and income from
$47,600 to potentially zero, with financial assistance
calculated from 15 to 90 percent.
Registration begins in mid-April for the summer program that
begins the day after school lets out and lasts through the
last day of summer vacation. Conducted at McKenzie
Elementary School, a typical day begins with a devotional,
calisthenics, and a morning sport. Children enjoy a
nutritious snack a couple of times during the day and are
provided lunch through the school's summer lunch program.
Other activities include nature hikes, community service
activities, archery, programs offered by the Tennessee
Wildlife Resources Agency, and field trips including one to
Chickasaw State Park. Base rates are $60 per week for
members and $80 per week for non-members.
Steve Lewis and wife, Leslie
(background) have been to the YMCA every day since it
opened. Married for 34 years, the two say, “Doing it
with somebody makes it a whole lot more fun. We’ve
been doing it for two weeks, and we feel a whole lot
better. We were going to come three times a week but
we’ve been here every day that they’ve been open, it’s
so much fun.”
|
Memberships at the Y are also subject to the Open Doors
program. Base rates vary from $25 for teens and youths to
$80 for two-parent families. The joining fee for
single-parent families is $65; husband and wife, $70; senior
couple 62 and over, $65; adult, $60; and full-time college
student, $40.
This fall, the YMCA will also be organizing flag football
for grades K-4 as well as fifth and sixth grade tackle
football, in cooperation with the city, which will pay for
the officials.
"We're interested in getting involved in other sports," says
Mathis, clearly excited about the future of the Y in
McKenzie.
Aerobics started this week at the Main Street Y. Among the
instructors are Aretta Ryan, an admission counselor at
Bethel, Audrey Cross, and Micki Gerlach. A range of
activities including yoga, step aerobics, and group body
toning exercises will be among the offerings.
"Those are three good, basic exercise programs for all
ages," says Brough. "Yoga is especially good for seniors
because it helps with flexibility, strength, and balance."
People shouldn't be intimidated by the equipment at the
facility: "These are machines anybody can use, starting at
ten pounds of resistance to 210-290 pounds," he says. "We
have senior citizens all the way to football players coming
in to work out."
The facility is open to members ages 13 and over.
Treadmills support exercisers from walkers to runners up to
12 miles per hour. Elliptical exercisers are designed to be
easy on the joints for a non-impact cardiovascular workout.
Concerning the free-weight area, Paul says, "Some people
just like to work with free-weights; they give a more robust
workout and a fuller range of motion."
New fitness center members are provided with an orientation
to help them understand how to use the equipment and what
weights are appropriate, whether they are toning or building
muscle.
Visiting the new Y from Mt. Juliet, National YMCA
representative Keith Coss stresses, "It's not about being a
certain weight or looking a certain way; that's fine but the
truth is that an active, healthy lifestyle is not always
about looking a certain way or losing weight; it's about
wellness, being active as opposed to sedentary."
Adds Paul, "It's important to remain active and different
age groups need different things: The YMCA has things for
all ages from infancy on up."
Hunter Downing, a 17-year-old junior
and member of the McKenzie High School basketball
team, worked out at home before joining the Y. “I’m
really glad that they came here, it’s a lot less time
consuming,” he says.
|
While it is certain the McKenzie YMCA will continue to
grow as opportunity increases, in the meantime, membership
at the McKenzie and Milan YMCAs are interchangeable.
McKenzie members are encouraged to partake of programs in
Milan that could be duplicated in McKenzie in the future,
though Brough stresses there is no "cookie-cutter" approach
to what each center offers.
The YMCA is just one connection between the two communities
that are also bound by the common membership of Company A,
230th Engineer Battalion, whose members currently serve
together in Iraq. The communities have joined forces in
fundraising activities to benefit the families of soldiers
from both cities, most recently in a high school football
scrimmage between the McKenzie Rebels and Milan Bulldogs.
"There is good participation between the two communities;
both communities really care about the people in their
community, there is pride and caring for everybody in town,"
says Brough. "There are lots of opportunity to use both and
it's pretty close; it's an easy drive."
Childcare is available at the Milan YMCA from 8:00-noon
Monday through Friday; 4:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Monday through
Thursday, and Saturday mornings from 8:00 until noon.
Aside from its fitness center, some of the programs
sponsored at the Milan Family YMCA, which are also open to
McKenzie members, include, in its first year, YMCA
cheerleading instruction.
"They just started this year and already won first place at
Paducah," says Brough. "They've been having a ball with
it--they learn gymnastics and dance--it's just been
enjoyable to see that program grow."
Adult volleyball and Wednesday night basketball are other
popular events.
A running program trains non-runners, over an 11-week
period, from walking to a 5K race. "It's gratifying to take
people who are not runners to become runners for wellness,
not competition," says Brough.
Also new and already slated to begin at the McKenzie Y is a
youth exercise program for middle school- aged children and
below. The program includes team yoga, dance, aerobics, and
group exercise.
"What we're trying to do is teach exercise and have fun with
it," says Brough, who is especially excited about the Teen
Center in Milan, open to kids in grades 7-12.
"It's for everybody," he continues, encouraging the
participation of teens from surrounding communities. "We're
not exclusive, we're inclusive."
Sisters Guille and Margarita Padilla,
27 and 23, enjoy working out at the McKenzie YMCA
because it is close to home. They and brothers, Ramon
and Roberto, previously traveled to Paris for
workouts. The siblings have lived in McKenzie for six
years and work at New Generations Furniture Company.
|
Participation in the club is just $5 per month for
members. The Teen Center includes a snack bar, computers
with Internet access and a homework area for studying and
research, ping pong, fooseball, air hockey, and video games,
featuring X-box and Playstation--including the popular Dance
Dance Revolution.
Brough laughs at how the Dance Dance Revolution Playstation
game captivates the kids: "They grab those dance pads and
head out there," he says.
The Teen Center also sponsors a couple of special events per
month, such as a super bowl party, dances, and chick flicks
nights that Brough describes as "like a big slumber party."
The Milan Y also sponsors a teenage summer camp for children
ages 12-15.
The Teen Center is open from 3:00-8:00 p.m. week days,
6:00-11:00 p.m. Fridays, and from noon-11:00 p.m. Saturdays.
Another YMCA program that he notes has been very successful
in Tennessee is the Youth in Government program, a
school-supported program in which the YMCA trains a school
staff member to lead the program. Students participate
hands-on in a model of state government that takes place at
the capitol.
"Tenneseee is the second largest Youth in Government program
in the United States, behind Kentucky," says Brough. "It
gives kids who are not athletic something to do; it's a
'think' program and that is just as important."
Many YMCA programs evolve due to the spirit of volunteerism
within communities, and volunteers are encouraged to share
their time and talents through the YMCA.
Brough recalls a Chinese cooking classes in which 65 people
learned to cook oriental dishes.
"Volunteers participate in all areas of the YMCA, doing
everything from fitness to movie making and fine arts and
writing competitions," he says.
With the degree of interest and volunteer spirit in McKenzie
regarding the YMCA, it could be interesting to watch the
program grow over the next few years. Already, Coss notes,
the McKenzie YMCA has progressed at a speed three times that
of most new Ys.
Bryan Craddock, age 32, of McKenzie, has been a member
of the Milan Family YMCA for five years, where he
would stop off on his way home from Humboldt, where he
works at Save-a-lot. Concerning the McKenzie YMCA, he
says, “It’s more convenient, it’s got new equipment;
this is good for the community.” |
"I've never seen a town of 5,000 have this nice a YMCA. A
lot of them, when they first start, are just a kitchen or
living room for three to five years before they have
something like this," he says, surveying the McKenzie YMCA's
polished facility. "This doesn't happen in a community that
doesn't care about it and that's a great testament. It'll be
exciting to see what happens in the future but, man, this is
a great start!"
Brough agrees, "We've gotten really good support from most
of the businesses in town and United Way did a good job of
supporting us in our first year (despite the unplanned
expense.) We've had good cooperation from the Rotary and
Lions Clubs letting us come and helping us gain more
support. There's been great interest in the community."
The remaining funding after donations was provided by the
Milan YMCA, a tangible tribute to its dedication to the
McKenzie community.
It's just part of the YMCA culture. "The more we work
together, the more we discover the sameness everybody has,"
Brough says, "The YMCA is about building character in kids
and adults. It's really a magical thing to see the impact
YMCA has on a community. We build strong kids, strong
families, and strong communities."
For more information contact the McKenzie YMCA at
731-352-3330.
