Category: Blog

The YMCA of Greater Erie Board of Directors has announced that Jim McEldowney has been appointed as the NEW CEO for the YMCA of Greater Erie.

Chairwoman Julie Wilson shared McEldowney’s appointment announcement with the Y’s board, employees, and members at a special board meeting on September 14.

“The YMCA of Greater Erie is excited to welcome Jim into this new role and we look forward to everything that he will accomplish, not only for the Y, but for the Erie Community as well,” said Julie Wilson, YMCA of Greater Erie Chairwoman. Wilson served as chair for the ad-hoc search committee that worked with Y-USA to conduct a nationwide CEO search.

Jim currently serves as Chief Operating Officer for the YMCA of Greater Erie and is the Executive Director of the Glenwood location.  Jim has extensive YMCA knowledge and is an accomplished and passionate leader with an unparalleled commitment to community and economic development.

With almost 30 years of experience in serving the YMCA of Greater Erie, Jim has inspired the Y with the exceptional qualities that he will bring to the helm of our organization. 

Jim has an impressive track record of executing significant initiatives that have made the YMCA of Greater Erie better for the Erie Community. His work across the private and non-profit sectors makes him the ideal choice to lead as the Y continues to fulfill our mission of fostering opportunity for all. 

“I am so blessed to have been part of the YMCA of Greater Erie for the past 30 years.  I look forward to leading our wonderful staff and volunteers in helping to make a difference in the Erie Community,” said McEldowney.

Jim will begin serving his role as CEO on October 15^th, which also happens to begin his 30^th year of employment with the YMCA of Greater Erie.

Falls Prevention Awareness Week is September 18-22. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related ER visits for older adults, the major cause of hip fractures, and responsible for more than half of fatal head injuries. Below, the National Council on Aging shares 10 myths related to older adult falls.

After exploring these myths, the YMCA of Greater Erie wants to remind you that we are here to help! Our Moving For Better Balance Program is an evidence-based program that works to improve balance, muscle strength, flexibility, and more. Visit www.ymcaerie.org for more info.

Myth 1: Falling happens to other people, not to me.

Reality: Many people think, “It won’t happen to me.” But the truth is that 1 in 4 older adults fall every year in the U.S.

Myth 2: Falling is something normal that happens as you get older.

Reality: Falling is not a normal part of aging. Strength and balance exercises, managing your medications, having your vision checked, and making your living environment safer are all steps you can take to prevent a fall.

Myth 3: If I limit my activity, I won’t fall.

Reality: Some people believe that the best way to prevent falls is to stay at home and limit activity. Not true. Performing physical activities will help you stay independent, as your strength and range of motion benefit from remaining active. Social activities are also good for your overall health.

Myth 4: If I stay at home, I can avoid falling.

Reality: Over half of all falls take place at home. Inspect your home for fall risks. Fix simple but serious hazards such as clutter, throw rugs, and poor lighting. Make simple home modifications, such as adding grab bars in the bathroom, a second handrail on stairs, and non-slip paint on outdoor steps.

Myth 5: Muscle strength and flexibility can’t be regained.

Reality: While we do lose muscle as we age, exercise can partially restore strength and flexibility. It’s never too late to start an exercise program. Even if you’ve been a “couch potato” your whole life, becoming active now will benefit you in many ways—including protection from falls.

Myth 6: Taking medication doesn’t increase my risk of falling.

Reality: Taking any medication may increase your risk of falling. Medications affect people in many ways and can sometimes make you dizzy or sleepy. Be careful when starting a new medication. Talk to your healthcare provider about potential side effects or interactions of your medications.

Myth 7: I don’t need to get my vision checked every year.

Reality: Vision is another key risk factor for falls. Aging is associated with some forms of vision loss that increase the risk of falling and injury. People with vision problems are more than twice as likely to fall as those without visual impairment. Have your eyes checked at least once a year and update your eyeglasses. For those with low vision, there are programs and assistive devices that can help. Ask your optometrist for a referral.

Myth 8: Using a walker or cane will make me more dependent.

Reality: Walking aids are very important in helping many older adults maintain or improve their mobility. However, make sure you use these devices safely. Have a physical therapist fit the walker or cane to you and instruct you in its safe use.

Myth 9: I don’t need to talk to family members or my health care provider if I’m concerned about my risk of falling. I don’t want to alarm them, and I want to keep my independence.

Reality: Fall prevention is a team effort. Bring it up with your doctor, family, and anyone else who can help. They want to help you maintain your mobility and reduce your risk of falling.

Myth 10: I don’t need to talk to my parents, spouse, or other older adults if I’m concerned about their risk of falling. It will hurt their feelings, and it’s none of my business.

Reality: Let them know about your concerns and offer support to help them maintain the highest degree of independence possible. There are many things you can do, including removing hazards in the home, installing safety features like grab bars or walk-in bathtubs, finding a fall prevention program at the Y, or setting up a vision exam.

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and as children and families start their new school year routines, it’s a perfect time to reflect and refresh your family’s healthy habits. As families settle into new school-year routines this month, The YMCA of Greater Erie is offering tips to help families incorporate healthy eating and physical activity into their lives.

• Eat & Drink Healthy: Make water the drink of choice and encourage everyone to fill half their plates with fruits and vegetables by offering two or three colorful options at every meal. As a family choose a new fruit and veggie every week to taste together. Place a full pitcher of water on the table during meals and allow children to pour their own water. Keep full water bottles available in the car and backpacks.

• Play Every Day/Go Outside: Children should have at least an hour a day of unstructured play outside (when possible) and break a sweat at least three times a week by getting 20 minutes or more of vigorous physical activity. Join your children in games that get your hearts pumping and body moving.

• Get Together: Eat as a family as frequently as possible. Involve kids in meal planning, preparation, and clean up. In addition, adults should take a break from electronics and spend one-on-one time each day with their kids, enjoying one another’s company.

• Reduce Recreational Screen Time: Time spent in front of a television, computer, tablet, cell phone, or video games should be limited to two hours or less per day. Make a family plan to reduce screen time at home (i.e., turn off screens during meals, charge electronics/screens in the kitchen overnight, go for a walk after a meal, and set a timer to remind you to power down the screen).

• Sleep Well: Kids and adults need to keep a regular sleep schedule; unwind together in the evenings by reading a book or listening to soft music to ensure the body is preparing for sleep. Kids are growing and need 10-12 hours of healthy sleep per night and seven to eight hours for adults.

We regret to inform you that our Small (warm) Pool at our Glenwood Park location is closed due to a mechanical issue.

All morning and evening swim lessons will be held in the Large (lap) Pool.

We will keep you informed on repairs and updates, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Throughout April, we’ve addressed the importance of understanding the Y’s abuse prevention policies, recognizing red flags and boundary violations and how to talk with your children about abuse. Now, it’s important that all parents and caregivers know how to respond to boundary violations and warning signs if children tell you about abuse. At the Y, we are mandated reporters, so we have procedures in place for responding and reporting suspected abuse. As a parent, you can follow these 5 steps:

1.  Keep your eyes & ears open

2.  Talk with your child

3.  Ask your child about any concerns you have.

4.  If what you learn from your child or what you have observed/overheard sounds like abuse, call Child Protective Services or the police.

5.  If what you’ve heard or observed sounds like a boundary violation, suspicious or inappropriate behavior, or a policy violation:

a. Share your concerns with the employee/supervisor/person in charge of the organization.

b. If you are unable to do this, make a report to the organization by making a call, sending an email, or submitting an online form.

Take Our Pledge to Prevent and Report Child Abuse

Many parents and caregivers find speaking to their children about abuse to be uncomfortable. Framing these conversations around other safety conversations you have may help you work through some of that uncomfortableness. Below you’ll find age-appropriate ways to talk to your child about boundaries and preventing abuse.

Young Children

Parents can start these conversations simply by ensuring young children know the correct names for their body parts. Children who know the proper names are able to talk more clearly to parents or other adults if something inappropriate happens. As you’re teaching body part names, you can help your child learn that parts of their body are private and that only their parents/caregivers can see them. Don’t forget to note that doctors may see them naked but only because you’re there with the doctor!

Equally important is to teach children boundaries both for themselves and for others. Boundaries have easily teachable moments, such as when a child doesn’t want to hug a relative, or during a tickle fight a child yells “Stop!”. Allowing young children to set their own boundaries teaches them body autonomy and helps them know when something makes them uncomfortable so that they can speak up.

Many abusers will tell a child to keep abuse a secret. It’s important that children understand that adults should never ask them to keep a secret, and if they do, they should tell you.

Teens

As children grow older, it’s key to keep lines of conversation open, so that they feel comfortable talking to parents or trusted adults if something happens to them or a friend. Talk to your teens about their friends, the other adults in their lives, social media and electronic communication. They need to know to not accept requests from people they don’t know, how to respond if someone (even a friend) asks them to send nude photos and that conversations online are never truly private. Continue the conversations about boundaries and what boundary violations look and feel like. Let them know that you are there to listen and support them.

Take Our Pledge to Prevent & Report Child Abuse.

At the Y, creating safe spaces for youth to learn, grow and thrive is our top priority. Kids need a safe space now more than ever, and we take pride in the measures we’ve taken to help keep your kids safe. Here are some important tips for parents to know as we work together to keep kids safe from abuse.

Offenders seek three things in order to abuse: access, privacy, and control.
What does this mean for a parent?

1. Know who has access to your children.  For example,
   1. When your children are at school, what are the school’s procedures for screening staff, volunteers, parents, etc.?
   1. When your children attend a sleepover, who will be in the home?
2. Know what type of privacy is allowed. For example,
   1. When your children play sports, can the coach be alone with a player?
   1. When camp is over, can the counselor text your child?
   1. When the program ends, is one adult ever alone with one child?
3. Know how offenders gain control through boundary violations. For example,
   1. Physical boundaries violations – Excessive tickling, hugging, massaging, etc.
   1. Emotional boundaries violations – Spending too much time with them; acting possessive; sharing personal information to make a child feel they have a special relationship, sending excessive or inappropriate texts or messages
   1. Behavioral boundaries – Offenders manipulate kids into doing things they wouldn’t otherwise do, such as: – Sneaking around – Keeping secrets – Looking at pornography – Use of drugs or alcohol

Take our pledge to prevent and report child abuse.

These healthy granola bars are the ideal portable snack that’s both sweet and salty. Trust us, these homemade chewy chocolate chip granola bars are much better than store-bought!

PREP TIME: 15 mins            COOK TIME: 25 mins                  CHILL TIME: 1 hr

TOTAL TIME: 1 hr 40 mins   COURSE: Snack                         CUISINE: American

SERVINGS: 12 servings CALORIES: 289kcal                    AUTHOR: Lisa Bryan

Ingredients

2 cups quick cooking oats (not old-fashioned rolled oats)

1 cup puffed rice

½ cup roughly chopped nuts

½ cup mini chocolate chips

¼ cup ground flaxseed

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup honey

⅓ cup creamy almond butter (or other nut/seed butter)

¼ cup coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 325°F/165°C. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, with the paper coming up the sides.

2. Stir the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, stir together the oats, puffed rice, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, flaxseed, and salt.

3. Stir the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, stir together the honey, almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla, until smooth.

4. Mix together. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together until well combined.

5. Press the mixture. Scoop the mixture into the pan and press it into an even layer, using another piece of parchment paper to firmly press the mixture flat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until barely starting to get a little bit of golden color around the edges for chewy granola bars. For crunchier bars bake 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

6. Firm up. Let the granola bars cool to room temperature in the pan. Then place the pan in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up the granola bars completely. Gently lift the parchment paper out of the pan, and slice into granola bars.

Best White Chicken Chili
This white chicken chili recipe is a cold-weather favorite! It’s a flavorful blend of healthy, comforting ingredients, all simmered together in one pot!

PREP TIME: 15 mins COOK TIME: 30 mins TOTAL TIME: 45 mins
COURSE: Dinner CUISINE: American SERVINGS: 6 servings
CALORIES: 420kcal AUTHOR: Lisa Bryan

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion diced

1 bell pepper diced

1 jalapeno seeds removed and finely diced

4 garlic cloves minced

2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 ounces green chilies

4 cups shredded chicken

2 (15-ounce) cans white beans drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen or fresh corn

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon lime juice

avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, and cheese for garnishing

Instructions

1. Blend one cup of the white beans with one cup of the chicken broth in food processor.

Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender or even mash the beans with a fork, and then stir them with the broth. Set this aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno

pepper to the pot. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Add the garlic and spices and stir for another minute, toasting the spices.

4. Add the chicken broth and pureed bean mixture and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

5. Stir in the green chilies, chicken, corn, white beans, and chopped cilantro. Simmer for a couple of minutes, until it’s warmed through. Then add the lime juice and give it another stir.

6. Serve the white chicken chili and garnish with avocado, jalapeno, cilantro, and cheese before serving, if you’d like.

Healthy zucchini noodles “zucchini pasta” are tossed with lemon garlic shrimp for an easy, family-favorite dinner recipe. It’s naturally gluten-free, low carb, and can easily be made Whole30 by replacing the white wine with chicken broth.

PREP TIME: 10 mins            COOK TIME: 5 mins             TOTAL TIME: 15 mins

COURSE: Main Meal            CUISINE: American              SERVINGS: 4 servings

CALORIES: 306.2 cal          AUTHOR: Lisa Bryan

Ingredients

4 medium zucchini

1.5 lb approx 30 raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp olive oil

4 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 tbsp butter or ghee

1 lemon juice and zest

1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped parsley

pinch of red pepper flakes salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Wash and cut the ends of the zucchini. Using a spiralizer, make the zucchini pasta. Then, set

aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp in one flat layer and sprinkle

with salt and pepper. Cook for one minute without stirring, so the bottom side gets a little crispy.

3. Add the chopped garlic, then stir the shrimp for another minute or two to cook the other side.

Use a large spoon or tongs to remove the shrimp to a plate.

4. Add the butter, lemon juice and zest, red pepper flakes and white wine to the pan. Bring to a

simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring.

5. Stir in the parsley, then add the zucchini pasta and toss for 30 seconds to warm it up. Add the

shrimp back to the pan and stir for another minute. Serve immediately.

We hope that you enjoy your Thanksgiving Dinner!

Don’t let all those extra calories get you down – Burn the Bird with the Y on Friday, November 25th.
We have an amazing variety of classes planned throughout the day at all of our locations.

Glenwood YMCA
5:30am Bootcamp – w/ Brenda
8:00am Silver Sneakers – w/ Curtis
8:30am Rep Reebok – w/ Heidi
8:30am Restorative Yoga – w/ Julie
9:00am Cycle – w/ Tracey
9:30am Zumba – w/ Kellie
11:00am Silver Sneakers – w/ Curtis

Eastside YMCA
6:00am – HIIT – w/ Erin
8:00am – Tabata – w/ Doug
9:00am – Cycle – w/ Sandie
9:00am – Silver Sneaker Classic – w/ Dianne
10:00am – Cardio Fusion – w/ Brynn
10:00am – Kids Class
10:00am – Silver Sneakers Yoga – w/ Dianne
11:00am – Metabolic Fit – w/ Sherry
1:00pm – Silver Sneaker EnerChi – w/ Pam

County YMCA

Our County location will have classes from our Virtual Y Streaming all day in their fitness studio. Stop in and pick out your favorite to stream.