Category: Blog

The YMCA and Montessori Regional Charter School announced a new partnership to provide aquatics opportunities in Millcreek Township. The Y will manage programs and community rentals at the pool complex on the MRCS Campus, 2549 W. 8th St.

“MRCS has been steadily renovating our swimming pool with a vision to create something meaningful for the greater Erie community. We are proud to announce a partnership with the YMCA that brings this vision to life. We have the facility, and they bring the expertise in swim instruction and programming. Together, this collaboration is more than just a shared resource — it’s a wonderful opportunity to strengthen community wellness, safety, and connection across the region,” says Mark Zielinski, CEO at Montessori Regional Charter School.

“At the YMCA, we believe every child should have the chance to learn to swim and be safe around water. Partnering with Montessori allows us to bring that mission to more families in a new and exciting location here in Millcreek,” says Jim McEldowney, CEO at the YMCA of Greater Erie.

In addition to rentals for meets, birthday parties, practices and trainings, the Y plans to host youth swim lessons at the location as part of its seasonal programming.

To inquire about facility rentals and availability, contact the YMCA via email at [email protected]. To see photos and learn more, visit the new webpage here.

Erie Gives Day is Tuesday, Aug. 12! Please support the YMCA’s Annual Campaign as we raise funds for scholarships for early learning, memberships and program fees. Your gift gives deserving families, children, seniors and individuals the opportunity to benefit from the Y’s life-changing programs.

Here’s how to make a gift on Erie Gives Day!

Online

1. Visit ErieGives.org on August 12th starting at midnight! The Y’s direct page is https://www.eriegives.org/organizations/ymca-of-greater-erie
2. Credit cards accepted: American Express, Discover, Mastercard, or Visa
3. Minimum donation = $25
4. PLEASE NOTE: You will only be able to donate to 10 nonprofits at a time if you are giving online. You will need to complete multiple transactions .

By Phone

1. Call The Erie Community Foundation at 814.454.0843 between 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on August 12th
2. Minimum donation = $25
3. PLEASE NOTE: You can only donate to 10 nonprofits at a time if you aregiving by phone. Our staff will need to complete multiple transactions.

In Person

1. Bring your check & completed Check Form to The Erie Community Foundation between June 17th and August 5th.
2. Write a single check payable to “The Erie Community Foundation,” and we will distribute your gift(s) to your selected nonprofit(s)

By Mail

1. Complete our Check Form
2. Mail your check to The Erie Community Foundation at 459 West 6th Street Erie, PA 16507 between June 17th and August 5th
3. Write a single check payable to “The Erie Community Foundation,” and we will distribute your gift(s) to your selected nonprofit(s)

Gift of Stock or IRA

1. Consult your advisor and initiate your stock transfer or IRA distribution to The Erie Community Foundation by Monday, August 11th.
2. Complete a Check Form
3. Mail check and completed Check Form to The Erie Community Foundation
4. Stock transfers or IRA distributions should match the amount on your Check Form

For a full list of resources, check out the Erie Community Foundation’s Erie Gives FAQ Page.

Your feedback, suggestions and insight are key drivers for our YMCA — we are stronger when your input guides our priorities. That’s why we are excited to introduce Listen 360, a survey platform that will help you share your voice directly with Y leadership.

Throughout the year, members, as well as non-member program participants, campers, and childcare families, may receive a 2-question survey about their recent experience via text or email (from [email protected]). The surveys will use a simple rating system and will be easy to complete.

So please tell us what you think. Your feedback will help guide future programs, classes, equipment and renovations, as well as overall atmosphere and environment at our locations.

If you do choose to opt-out, you can do so through the first message you receive. But we encourage you to stay engaged and help us create the best Y experience for our community.

It seems like such a quick moment to respond to a text, answer a work email or make a quick grocery list, but quick actions can quickly become major distractions. And distractions around the water can have major consequences. In fact, 88% of child drownings occur with at least one adult present.

“People think they’ll hear someone if they’re struggling in the water, because that’s what we see in tv and movies,” says Kelly Austin, Aquatics Director. “In actuality, drowning is silent and can happen in as little as 30 seconds. When we’re looking at our phones, we don’t see what’s happening around us.”

The YMCA has launched a water safety campaign-Phones Down, Eyes Up™, in order to draw at­tention to this safety issue and encourage parents and caregivers to put phones and tablets away when monitoring children in and around the water. The YMCA of Greater Erie is asking families to visit PhonesDownEyesUp.org to take the water safety pledge, indicating you will put away your phones when around the water this summer. Families who take the pledge will also have access to educa­tional tools, including a reminder wallpaper for their phones, monthly newsletters with water safety tips, and downloadable lanyards to signify their role as Water Watchers.

“At the YMCA of Greater Erie, we encourage adults to designate a Water Watcher when children are in or near the water,” explains Austin. Water Watchers are adults whose role is to watch the water­ undistracted by phones, books, conversations or alcohol. “We know how easily distractions can happen around water, but just one moment of inattention can have serious consequences. The Y is committed to empowering families with the tools and information they need to stay safe around water.”

To learn more, visit phonesdowneyesup.org.

The very first game of basketball was played on December 21, 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The creator was James Naismith, a 30-year-old physical education faculty member at the YMCA International Training School (later to be named Springfield College.) He was tasked with creating a game that could focus young men and be played indoors in the winter. He was given two weeks to do so.

Naismith knew he wanted the game to be interesting to keep the attention of players and yet easy to play and safe. He drew upon his knowledge of a childhood game called duck-on-a-rock, a game involving throwing a small rock placed on top of a larger rock. He also combined his knowledge of rugby and football to come up with “Basket Ball,” a game with only 13 rules that Naismith wrote on a scratchpad in less than an hour. To help keep players safe from injuries, he allowed no contact.

At the first game, the height of the goals was placed at 10 feet, determined solely by the height of the Y’s indoor running track. The score of the first game was only 1-0 as Naismith hadn’t yet thought to cut out the bottoms of the peach baskets. Instead, someone had to climb a ladder to claim the ball, which was a soccer ball, from the basket.

The game was a success from the start and word spread. Within a few days, the class was attracting a crowd. Teachers from a nearby girl’s school asked the Y to organize a girl’s team. A newspaper reported it as “an uproarious game accompanied by much yelling.” In 1936, basketball became an Olympic sport.

Today, James Naismith would be amazed at what his “simple” game has become. Thanks to his imagination, terms like “March Madness,” and “Final Four” are part of America’s collective vocabulary.

Over the last 165 years, all of our gyms have seen many basketball games. We are proud of not only the history of those games but also our current PLAY Basketball Program, which provides hundreds of youth in the Erie Community with opportunities to develop their skills, build teamwork, and stay active. Through these programs, participants improve their athletic abilities, gain confidence, and foster a sense of community, making it an essential part of the YMCA’s commitment to strengthening individuals and families.

Learn More About the History of the YMCA of Greater Erie.

Part of great customer service is ensuring great communication with our members. We know your routine is important, and we want to make sure you have the latest information on any changes, closures or cancellations.

The YMCA of Greater Erie has been using a texting system that struggles to support our large membership list. We typically only have enough messages to send to the membership one time per month. This leads to inconsistent and unreliable alerts.

We have looked at other texting platforms, but have not found a suitable alternative. Fortunately, we already have a great solution in our tool box — the Y360 app!

Starting March 1, 2025, we will be using the Message Center on Y360 to send reminders, updates and facility notifications. (You may have already noticed them!) As of that day, we will no longer send text messages.

To be sure you’re getting these updates:

1. Download Y360 and log in. The Y360 Resource Page on our website will help you get started.
2. In the app, click on the Message icon (top right next to the magnifying glass) – this will show you all the messages we’ve sent in list form, kind of like email.
3. We strongly encourage you to turn on your push notifications so that you are updated in real time and you don’t miss an alert for a closure.

To turn on push notifications on an iPhone:
Go to Settings > Apps > Y360 > Notifications
On this screen, select Allow Notifications (toggle the button to the right so the circle turns green) and choose how you want them to appear by selecting the bubble under each option.

In addition to push notifications, you can continue to find updates on the “Facility Update” page on our website, ymcaerie.org.

This page can be found several ways:

1. Click the tile on the home page, about halfway down the page.
2. Click the shortcut on the banner above the main photo slider.

Please also ensure you have a good email address on file with us. Stop by the front desk at any of our locations to update your email.

Thank you, as always, for being part of the YMCA!

The history of the YMCA – like the history of the United States – is a story of incremental progress toward greater inclusion and equity for all. As we celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth, we are honoring the stories of Black leaders who helped move the Y – and America – forward, as well as recognizing that history continues to be created each and every day.

Anthony Bowen

A former enslaved man and the first Black American to become a clerk in the U.S. Patent Office, Anthony Bowen founded the first YMCA for the Black community in Washington, D.C., in 1853, eight years before the Civil War. Additional Black Ys and college chapters were established in the following decades, with membership reaching 28,000 nationwide by the mid-1920s.

William Hunton

The son a freed enslaved person from Canada, William Hunton began his Y work in 1888 as the first employed YMCA secretary at a “Colored YMCA” in Norfolk, VA. Hunton worked among the soldiers in the Army camps during the Spanish-American War and in developing Student YMCAs on Black campuses throughout the South. He helped communities meet Julius Rosenwald’s challenge grant to build YMCAs for Black communities, and then helped recruit and train the staff and volunteers to lead those associations.

Carter Woodson

In 1915, at the Wabash Avenue YMCA in Chicago, Carter Woodson organized the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which researched and celebrated the achievements of Black Americans. This led to his starting Negro History Week, the precursor to Black History Month.

Madam C.J. Walker

An entrepreneur, philanthropist and social activist, Madam C.J. Walker was one of the first self-made female American millionaires. She escaped poverty and built a company selling hair care products, which also gave her sales agents an income of their own. Walker was a philanthropic supporter of the YMCA and participated in and financially supported the NAACP’s anti-lynching movement.

Jackie Robinson

In 1947, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and became the first Black major league baseball player. This same year he also became a volunteer boys coach at the Harlem YMCA with fellow coach and teammate Roy Campanella.

Leo B. Marsh

In 1954, Dr. Leo B. Marsh became the first Black president of the Association of YMCA Secretaries. In 1971, Marsh brought the Black Achievers program (created by Quentin R. Mease

at the South Central YMCA of Houston) to the Harlem YMCA. With the help of volunteer adult mentors, the Achievers program helps youth of color succeed in school and develop a positive sense of self.

Jesse Alexander

After starting his YMCA career an outreach worker with youth, in 1969, Jesse Alexander joined the National Council of YMCAs as where he helped organize the National Conference of Black and Non-White Laymen and Staff, which dealt with supporting efforts to overcome racism in the YMCA and ensuring that YMCA organizations existed where communities of color wanted them.

Violet P. Henry

After holding various executive leadership roles in the Newark and Chicago YMCAs, in 1976, Violet P. Henry became the first woman to be named to a top management position at the Y’s national office. She provided leadership for numerous national and international commissions and committees that worked for the rights of women and people of color.

Kevin Washington

In 2015, Kevin Washington became the first African American – and the first person of color – to serve as CEO of the YMCA of the USA. Besides reimagining a new service delivery system across the Y movement, Washington was a leading national voice for relief from federal government for nonprofits devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. He spearheaded the highly successful #Relief4Charities effort, put Y-USA on a path to become an anti-racist, multicultural organization and engaged young people as changemakers in their communities.

Visit the YMCA Archives to learn more about the history of Black leadership in the YMCA.