Y Stories

Benjamin

Benjamin had been sneaking into the Y for years to play basketball with friends. His home life was difficult. Ben has two siblings, a single mom who works two jobs out of town and a dad who is in and out of jail.

As a teen, Ben would occasionally scrape together enough money to come to the Y for a day. A Board Member noticed Ben and asked friends to donate enough money to give him a year membership.

After the Y received the generous donation, we watched to see when Ben would come back to the Y. After months of waiting, on a rainy day, he was sitting with his skateboard in our lobby.

We immediately gave him a membership, took his picture and handed him his first YMCA Membership Card. When Ben scanned in for the first time, he heard his check in beep and his smile appeared. He looked back at us and said "I didn't know you even knew my name…”

Tokgnar and Tungsten

Native to the Philippine Islands, The Davis family had new challenges ahead of them as they relocated to Sequim Washington. With immediate family half a world away and only a few acquaintances, Kaye and her two twin boys, Tokgnar and Tungsten, needed a place to belong.

“Learning to swim at the Y helped my boys and our family meet different people here in Sequim and helped us settle in.” says Kaye (Mom to the twins). “The boys love to come in and swim with Ms. Sarah in Swim League and have just as much fun playing in the PlayCare area with Ms. Morgan and Ms. Kali. They’ve made friends and allowed us to meet so many new people!”

Tokgnar and Tungsten added “We LOVE swimming in the pool! When we started we could barely swim and now we swim 1,000 yards a day. Thank you for helping us grow.”

Monica

Despite being born in the United States, Monica did not speak any English as a child. When her classmates spoke to her, she would respond only in Spanish and had a difficult time making friends. Working with her school translator taught her the importance of language skills.

When it came time to think about her High School senior project, Monica knew she wanted to volunteer at an English as a Second Language (ESL) class. Her positive experience learning English inspired Monica to want to help others learn English in her community.

Every Wednesday night, Monica volunteers at the ESL class at the Y. “I know how it feels to not be able to communicate or understand, to always depend on others. Now I can help others with something I struggled with when I was little.” 

Dick and Dottie Foster

Dick and Dottie have been active members at the YMCA of Port Angeles for 24 years and counting. Their Y journey started when Michelle Haymen, an aerobics instructor, picked up a job at the YMCA. “A few of us women would get together and do aerobics in the basement of the hospital and when Michelle moved to the YMCA, so did I.” Their routine quickly became second nature, as they lived right up the road from the YMCA on 3rd street. They would walk the dog and then come to the YMCA. While Dottie did aerobics, Dick would workout in the Wellness Center.

Their driving force for bringing them to the YMCA was keeping a routine exercise. Dottie explained, “It has always been an important part of our lives to keep physically and mentally fit, especially as you age. The fact that the YMCA was more than just a gym, was a bonus.” As soon as they joined, the friendly atmosphere hooked them for good. “I have had many different gym memberships and experienced what each of them had to offer. None of them quite offered what the YMCA does, it’s like family to me, said Dot. “While the physical aspect of health is important, so is mental health. The YMCA offers the social aspect that has helped us significantly. It was especially helpful when Dick traveled for work and more recently when Dick was in the hospital. The YMCA members and staff would check-in with us to make sure we had all the support we needed.”

Dicks passion for youth has always been very deep. “Because of my background, the Y and what it has to offer, is very important. When we were kids my friends and I would break into The Lincoln School Gym because we had no place to play basketball. Sports saved me when I was a kid, the dedication and guidance that sports offer our youth is huge. Some kids lack this in their lives and the YMCA provides an opportunity for all. The kids have a choice with where to spend their time. We like to know we have an influence in the Y, that they will choose to spend some of that time, here at the YMCA.”

Dick’s one piece of advice for members was to, “Pay attention to the programs and activities, get involved where you can, and support the YMCA and their mission. The mission of the YMCA isn’t possible without the community’s support. It’s crucial in helping the youth and our future.” Dottie’s piece of advice was to “pay attention and fill the needs. If we want the community to thrive, we need to support organizations like the YMCA that provide opportunities for all. The Y is a safe environment to nurture growth and give support.”

Members like Dick and Dott truly live and spread the mission of the YMCA. From their impressionable heath and light, to their undeniable passion for youth is something we can all admire.

The YMCA of Port Angeles is proud to call Dick and Dottie Foster, family.

Rebecca & Ella Fitzsimmons

Rebecca’s journey first started at the YMCA 2 years ago when she was given a 3-month membership as a  Christmas present. Now, the Y has become a lifestyle for her and her 4-year-old daughter, Ella.

Before the YMCA, Rebecca had recently moved to the area as a single mother and got a job at the local hospital. Rebecca’s health journey started from constantly being on-the-go at her new job and most importantly, a visit to the doctor. “When the doctor says to you, ‘IF you can loose a hundred pounds,’ it’s hard to hear.” At that moment she took what the doctor said as a challenge and was ready to put in the hard work.

Rebecca started her journey at the YMCA weighing 237lbs with a first goal to reach 180lbs. Quickly   reaching her goal of 180lbs, she wasn’t ready to settle. “I knew I could push myself further, I had all support in the world.” Once Rebecca started working on her second goal, dropping more weight,  she quickly   realized she was hitting a plateau. She was stuck at the 180lb mark for a month and a half before she decided to give our TRX class a shot. “The TRX class with Sterling gave my body the shock that it needed. I started dropping weight again and last December I hit 160lbs. Ella’s also been a major factor in my journey.”

When asked how the YMCA has impacted them the most Rebecca replied, “That’s hard. It’s changed my whole outlook on life. When I was 50lbs down, I took Ella to the park and for the first time and I was able to play with her. You know, like get down with her and physically play. It really hit me hard when realizing this, in that moment. We would always do fun things but I was never able to play with her like that.” The YMCA provided Rebecca and Ella with a safe, supportive, worry-free environment to go to. “It’s hard enough for two parents to get time to focus on themselves let alone a single mother, and the Y offered me that. The Y was God sent.”

When asking Ella and Rebecca what they love most about the Y, Ella noted the pool, Playcare and teachers. Rebecca highlighted the personal relationships that have developed and being noticed for her hard work. Besides the notable physical changes that Rebecca made at the Y, she also made of importance the emotional gains. “When I started at the Y, I was coming out of a dark place. With a lot of encouragement and positive vibes you are more likely to exude the same.” The environment at the Y changed her outlook on life to be positive. “Appearance is nice, but the confidence it gives you, it changes the way you carry yourself in the world and how other people perceive you. I care about Ella’s perceptions of me. Her perceptions of me as a mom mean everything.”

Rebecca’s advice for others was, “Progress is progress no matter how small. This was hard work and determination, there’s no magic pill. There is nothing quick about it. You have to be willing to embrace the change and give it all you got. Rebecca’s goals will always be forever evolving; “It’s become a  lifestyle choice. It’s not so much about the weight loss, its about how I feel physically and mentally when I workout.”

Jim Trumbo

Jim is staying active, sharp and living an outstanding life at the age of 92. He has been a member of our YMCA, going on 10 years now, and has never looked back. Jim’s journey at the YMCA started back in WWII when he was 19 years old. Jim said when they were not at camp and he needed a place to stay, the YMCA offered just that, “A nice, warm place to stay with a clean bed.” While deployed he stayed at a YMCA in Denver, Los Angeles and Seattle. Later in life his doctor referred him to join the YMCA. Upon joining he linked up with the Active Older Adults class and has been a participant ever since.

Ever since Jim joined here at the YMCA he has attended the Active Older Adults class every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning.  Jim says that the biggest accomplishment and personal impact from this class has been routine, exercise and making good friends. When the instructor Barb Oliver is absent, Jim along with two other members in the class step up to the plate and help instruct. Jim says that they have the routine down, but it’s always changing so what he can’t remember the others will. “We work as a team.”  Jim believes that the most important physical activity for himself would be leg exercises, to keep him   walking. Coming from the oldest participant in the Active Older Adults class, Jim believes that the key to living such a long and  thriving life is not only  being healthy and working out but also the social connections he's made. Research has shown that social  interaction is a key element for older adults,   helping with physical and emotional health as well as cognitive function. Jim’s advice to other Y members is to “be friendly to others, and do what you love.”

Barb Oliver is not only the AOA instructor that helps push Jim, but is also a great friend of his. She has been teaching here at the Y for 7 years but has been an avid class participant for some time now. She believes that this class is a “stimulating mind and body workout for the older adults.” Not only does she think the older adults get the benefit from interacting with their peers in the class but also being apart of the YMCA. Barb said that the Y reminds her of the TV series “Cheers”, her class participants feel they are respected and  recognized by staff and other members. In addition to the social benefits this class offers, she works with them on everyday mobility practices such as; squatting, lifting, reaching, and simply reminding the body what it needs to do. “You are never too old. There is nothing quite like this class. They get to build unique, lasting relationships along with getting challenged physically.”

Programs such as Active Older Adults are very important to the YMCA, as it has helped Jim continue to enjoy his life. We are dedicated with helping anyone, regardless of age or background, find where they belong at the Y. Building relationships at the YMCA helps create a strong community not only for today or tomorrow, but for a lifetime and future generations.

Bettger Family

Adam, Chelsey and their 3-year-old daughter Leila have been members since 2015! Chelsey’s Y journey first began when she attended the YMCA of Port Angeles as a teenager in our Youth and Government program.

As her family grew, and they had a child of their own, Adam and Chelsey joined the Y because it had something for everyone in their family. When first joining they only utilized  Playcare that was only for YMCA Members. Thier use of the YMCA Family Membership allowed the Y to became a place for the Bettger’s to connect and grow together. “The Y offers us a safe place for Leila and quality time to improve ourselves. Being in a family friendly environment, while receiving support and recognition from staff is very important to us.”

Being at the Y has helped both Chelsey and Adam reach and maintain their goals. “Adam's goal is to be the best version of himself that he can possibly be. He also wants to live a long and healthy life. For me, it’s about having an hour of me time while being a stay at home mom and maintaining healthy habits." said Chelsey.

The Bettger’s make family trips to the YMCA whenever possible, “Coming in as a family has been of great help in motivating each other. Thanks to PlayCare we can take quality time to ourselves. Knowing that Leila is in an environment that is safe while learning to grow her social skills. It’s also a chance for Adam and I to model a healthy lifestyle for our growing family. Knowing we are setting a healthy example for the future is very important for us as parents.”

Chelsey and Adam’s one piece of advice for other Y members is “Just join the Y and make an effort to show up, getting yourself out the door is the first step towards a better you.”

Fred Mueller

Fred visits the YMCA at least 3 times a week to maintain a healthy mind, body and spirit. Born in 1950 and raised in the rural part of Orange County, Fred spent 20 years as a police Sergeant in Southern California. He then uprooted his California life and moved to Arlington, Washington to raise a family. While on family camping trips, he and his wife fell in love with the Olympic Peninsula and later retired in our little slice of paradise between the mountains and the sea.

Fred has been a loyal Y member for over 25 years now, first at the Marysville YMCA and most recently the Olympic Peninsula YMCA.  One day, thumbing through the local  newspaper, he saw the ad for our Exercise and Thrive program for individuals surviving and living with cancer. He thought he would give it a try. Seeking support and healthy habits for himself, he joined the October 2015 class as a cancer survivor after winning his battle back in 2007.

“I feel so lucky to have experienced the program and all the other participants, I think, feel the same way.  The instructors of the class at the time, Elyse, Lee and Sterling were a great trio. Elyse is only 6 months  younger than me and the energy that Elyse exudes inspired me. During this program, I received the news that my   cancer had returned, I found out I was terminal.” With the overwhelming support from this program, as well as his wife and loved ones, he remains motivated. “I believe you have to make the best of the time you have left. They all have motivated me to keep coming back to work out.”

Fred’s takeaways from The Exercise and Thrive program are to stay healthy and happy! “They go hand and hand, the staff here are great, there is not a single dud. One day I had asked Mikki for some help with stretches, she dropped everything and went above and beyond. Because of her expertise and introducing me to Yoga, my back is allowing me to work out today.” Another takeaway for Fred is the camaraderie that this program builds. “It is helpful going through the class with those who know what you are dealing with. We will occasionally catch up and sometimes even get together at someone’s house.”

Fred believes that staying active is important, not only for physical strength but also for emotional strength. “Healthy mind, healthy body, healthy spirit. It helps me get through the day. Instead of dwelling on the terminal cancer, I’m focusing on being happy. It’s a positive experience being at the YMCA. It’s nice to see smiling faces, and the friendliness of the staff and other members, it’s just hard for it not to rub off on you. Coming to the YMCA is a positive thing to do, I look forward to it.”

One piece of advice that Fred has for Y members is to “Enjoy the opportunities available at the Y, get involved in any way that you can. It will make you feel better.” Members like Fred are the life of the YMCA; they embrace the values of the Y in mind, body and spirit.