Confessions of a Mom on the 1st Day of YMCA Camp

Kim Heiar, one of our Financial Development Specialists, shares her "confessions" of the first day sending her daughter to YMCA Camp. For those of you who've been there before, this should bring back happy memories. And for those who've yet to experience it, it's a wonderful story of a child growing up!

As a former day camp and resident camp counselor, I was more then excited as I got my almost four year old daughter Ellie ready to attend YMCA Day Camp Streefland this morning. She was certainly more then ready and had a huge smile on her face as I put her new, mammoth backpack on her shoulders-filled with all the camp necessities (bug spray, sunscreen, swimsuit, towel, lunch, water bottle etc.).

We headed to the camp bus stop, conveniently our place of worship and waited with the older, bigger kids. Gracie came with and of course had to have a backpack on her shoulders too. As the bus came I saw Ellie moving up in line, trying to cut ahead of the bigger girl in front of her. As I reminded her that she needed to wait her turn, I marveled at how ready she was for this experience-not at all frightened but wanting it to start as soon as possible. The counselor found Ellie’s name and as I snapped photographs furiously, I noticed that other then almost tipping over from the weight of her backpack when she took her first step on the bus, Ellie did not look back. Not once. Not to give me a reassuring smile or perhaps to question the experience of a first bus ride. She put one foot in front of the other and got on the bus.

I could not see Ellie from the outside, so when another mom with a camera came off the bus, I gave myself permission to go ahead and board the bus and take a few shots myself. Ellie had found a seat with an older boy and looked up and smiled at the camera. (Yes, she is well trained!) I joked with the male counselor watching me take photos of Ellie that it would not be the last time that her mother embarrassed her in front of other kids. Gracie and I walked off the bus and away she went. Gracie cried, I think because she wanted to go with and that she would miss her big sister and I think comforting her was the only reason I did not cry myself. It seemed such a right of passage-almost like kindergarten.

That’s when it hit me. The role I had always sought to understand as the provider of youth services, I was now in. The parent. This was different then the YMCA swimming lessons and YMCA soccer Ellie has already participated in-I was not allowed to be a spectator. I needed to trust that the camp staff would take care of my baby and keep her safe, protect her and help her grow. WOW. I work for this amazing organization-other parents do this without even knowing us that well. What a privilege we have!

Making a difference…providing transformational experiences and opportunities to grow every day.

How can you not love the YMCA?

Taryn Buehring - A Giant YMCA Hero!

The Northwest YMCA has chosen Taryn Buehring as it's Community Hero! Taryn has volunteered for the Licensed Childcare once a week for many years without fail! He really knows how much the staff and kids appreciate his help at the end of the day when the kids are preparing to go home and staff is done for the day. He always has a positive attitude and really has a love for the Y and the lives it touches. He has also become very involved in the Y Partners and Capital Campaign over the past couple of years as well. Says Stephanie Thomas, interim Executive Director at the Northwest Y, "We love his sense of humor and positive spin he puts on all that he is involved with. Taryn will always make time for the Y and helps raise the funds needed to continue to support our community."

Once again, hats off to Taryn Buehring - a real Community Hero!

(Pictured: Taryn and friends)

Building Young Lives Through Camping

This is a first-hand story from Ben Stenhaug, one of our youth camp counselors at YMCA Camp Streefland. Ben's story shows the effect YMCA camps can have on young lives. As you read along, remember back to when you were that age, and see if a smile doesn't cross your face!

John is respectful, responsible, honest, caring, and his main goal at camp is to have as much fun as he possibly can. As his counselor my job is to assist in this quest for fun while still ensuring his safety. John makes balancing that line difficult; being the adventurous type, he’s been seen up to his knees in the lake, known to run off chasing a frog, and tackling less aggressive players in our group's weekly football game. During the three weeks I’ve been with John, I’ve become more understanding of his behavior and more able to connect with him.

On a routine Thursday afternoon, John broke Camp Streefland’s primary rule: he ran away from his counselor. He didn’t run away from me to make me worry or to make my job more difficult. He ran away because chasing frogs is fun. A few minutes later when I tracked John down I was prepared to scold him, but looking at the situation through John’s eyes reveals his innocence. Of course I had to make sure he didn’t run away from me again, but I didn’t feel like being too harsh when he was simply trying to have a little fun at Camp. After all, that’s what Camp Streefland is all about. Instead of yelling at him I pulled him aside and had a valuable conversation with him. “John! Why did you run away from me? You know that’s not okay.” I asked. “I caught a huge frog, sorry, I knew right where you would be,” he responded. John was right. Being a veteran camper he knew right where the pool is and there is no doubt that John would have showed up in his swim suit a few minutes later if his detour went unnoticed. After a few unimportant questions I arrived at a compelling response. “Do you act up like this at school,” I asked. “Yeah, I’m a bad kid at school, my teachers don’t like me - I got six detentions last year” he responded. “But you’re such a good kid at camp. How come you listen to me but not your teachers?” I asked. His response still warms my heart, “You’re cool, you are way better than my teachers, you are the best.” That’s the moment it occurred to me that if I am simply helping my campers have a fun time a golden opportunity has been missed.

These kids look up to me, they listen to everything I tell them. I have an opportunity that parents and teachers don’t have. It comes from being “cool” in the campers eyes. I’m “cool” in the campers eyes because parents are attempting to raise a good kid, while teachers are trying to force feed education to these kids, I’m simply trying to have fun with them. It may also stem from my long white Nike shorts and 18 year old physique, but regardless of the reason, the opportunity remains. My words, the messages I send, mean much more than anyone else’s. So I explained to John that his teacher isn’t trying to make his life difficult, his teacher is trying help him. I explained to him that his teachers are trying to make him smarter so he can truly be whatever he wants to be. I explained to a second grader the importance of education. I don’t think he really understood the implications of my thirty second message, but I do know that he was listening and that he trusts me. To make sure that my message was received I asked, “Will you try to be a good kid at school?” The conversation ended with John responding “It’s hard, I can try.” I tapped him on the shoulder and he ran excitedly towards the pool. From then on I’ve had two goals at camp. The primary goal is always safe fun, but the second and more important goal is make my campers better people outside of camp. That is what Camp Streefland means to me; an opportunity to enrich the lives of the campers in as many ways as possible. In the short run it means fun, in the long run it means making them better people.

Not too long ago I was a camper. I wish my counselor would have sent that message to me. I’ve lived in Apple Valley, Minnesota my entire life. I attended Greenleaf and Echo Park elementary where I caused my share of havoc. I continued on to Falcon Ridge Middle School and eventually through Apple Valley High School where I did well enough to be accepted at the University of Wisconsin Madison. Next week I will be starting a new adventure as I move to Madison.

Through the years I’ve played tennis, basketball, badminton, and football. I enjoy reading, and my intended major is economics. The best investment in our future is education. If I can help my campers be a little bit better students and better people I’ve done my job as a Camp Streefland counselor.

Building a Downtown Community!

On June 25, 2008 at Joe’s Garage the Downtown YMCA showed people that it is more than just a fitness facility, by hosting the first annual “Wines of the World, the World of the YMCA” wine-tasting event. Proceeds raised went to support the YMCA’s mission to build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities. Last year, the Downtown YMCA gave $280,000.00 in membership financial assistance, $22,000.00 in child care financial assistance and $5,000.00 in Youth leadership financial assistance.

What else did we do that night? A community was built- a community of new friends that share a common interest. Healthy people taking time to learn the names of people they see everyday. People who they may not have known have children, long hair or learned to swim at a YMCA. People they see now and can greet by first name. Relationships were taken to a new level…friendships with common interests were formed. A new swim partner, runner partner or coffee date. This was just a few of the things that happened that night.

A successful first annual “friend”raising event...we raised $17,000.00 + dollars. We raised awareness of the mission of the YMCA, and we built a community of philanthropy at the Downtown YMCA.

Please join us for our second annual Wine-Tasting event next year, June 25, 2009 from 4:30-8:00 p.m. at Joe’s Garage. I guaranteed this year’s event to be the event of the year and it was. I will guarantee it again for 2009! See you there!