YMCA Jerry McCaw Family Centre Sarnia
1015 Finch Drive N7S 6G5 Sarnia, ON, Canada

In accordance with provincial government regulations, we will temporarily be closing our branches, as of Saturday, December 26 for a minimum of 28 days. You can find out more information at the link below.

Happy National Technology day! Virtual fitness has become all the rage and our partners at MOSSA have some great programming! Check out more here!

Virtual family cooking is underway!!! If you weren't able to join us this time we hope you can for our next event! Check out Rebecca in the kitchen and Ryann and her daddy cooking with us from home!

Happy Throwback Thursday! Here's an impressive image from a few decades ago! #TBT

Here's looking forward to a happy and healthy 2021! Do you have any New Year's Resolutions? Here are a few ideas for some inspiration!

Boot Camp is on!!

Modified schedule next week for all programs due to the holidays but still lots of action before the down time! Registration starts today at 9am for group fitness, Pickleball, parent and tot and rec swim. See you soon!

As 2020 nears an end, we wanted to take a moment to thank our donors, members and community for supporting the Y as a charity this year. We are excited to share our first Gratitude Report with you! https://www.ymcaswo.ca//Gratitude%20Report%202020_Final%20

Looking for some motivation as you get ready to start the week off right? Meet Tim, a long time member of our JMFC community who recently completed one of North America’s premier ultra-marathons, the Mohican Trail 100 mile run. He faced adversity multiple times during the run, batting the elements and even having to run an extra 8 miles after missing a turn. If that isn’t impressive enough, it was the third time he accomplished this incredible feat! He’s also done the 50 mile version three times as well. Tim swims regularly at the Y and inspires others around him to push themselves a bit harder. He’s always very friendly and helps keep the positive energy up wherever he is. We’re so proud of Tim on his amazing achievements and happy to have him as a Y member!

Happy Hanukkah!

Giving Tuesday is next week! A day to give to a cause you care about and support your favourite charities. This year, you can help your Y respond to the changing needs during COVID-19 and to help our community recover. Together. Learn more at https://www.ymcaswo.ca/donate-now

Today is National Trivia Day so here is some Y trivia! Where was the first YMCA located in North America? You can find out all about it here!

We are starting the new year off strong with virtual bootcamp tomorrow morning at 10am! Paul from the JMFC team will be leading the workout so it would be great to have some familiar faces from Sarnia join the fun. Please see below for details and we hope to see you tune in tomorrow!

Here’s what’s happening next week at JMFC! It will be our last full week of regular programs as the schedule will be modified over the holidays. Sessions are filling up so please try and book soon!

We are pleased to share that our Y was selected by Canadian Tire Jumpstart to receive a grant from their Sport Relief Fund. The fund helps community sport organizations like ours continue to provide access to sport and play for Canadian kids. This grant will go a long way towards helping us to respond to the changing needs of our community during COVID-19! #SportReliefFund

Although our branches might be closed, you can still access great YMCA programming through our YMCA at Home platform! Check it out! VISIT: https://www.ymcahome.ca/yfitness

Today is National Go for a Ride Day! Why not come visit us and take a spin on our fitness floor?!

Today is the National Day of Remembrance & Action on Violence Against Women. If you are in need of support, here is a valuable resource to look at. https://www.womensintervalhome.com/

There may be some things we can’t do right now, but there is also so much we CAN do! Be an advocate for peace and make a difference. Choose a cause you care about and take action! Sign a petition, donate, volunteer, or support a local business - the options are endless... #YMCAPeaceWeek #actforpeace

We have an amazing surprise for you - a full 45-minute yoga class in honour of #YMCAPeaceWeek! Peace starts with YOU. We all need to make time for self-care so we can better serve others. Join us for this peaceful yoga session with Y staff Mellissa. See you on the mat!

Today is National Personal Trainer Awareness Day! Let's give a shoutout to all of our Health and Wellness Coaches!

Like if you could use this with your kids right now! Kindness and empathy are nurtured in the home. What’s a fun way to encourage this with your family? Make a kindness tree. Every time someone performs a kind act, add a leaf to the tree and watch it grow! Follow our activity guide: https://bit.ly/3fcRmuo #ymcapeaceweek

We’re calling our community back and welcoming anyone who wants to join one of the largest fitness networks in Canada. It’s time to #ReuniteWithTheYMCA! We are now open!

November 20th is Transgender Day of Remembrance. At the YMCA we are dedicated to creating a welcoming environment for everyone and we hope that you will join us in observing this day.

Congratulations to this year’s YMCA Peace Medal recipients in the Sarnia-Lambton region: Lindsay Kirkland and Camilla McGill! While we are unable to host an in-person ceremony this year, we are excited to recognize these inspiring peacemakers and share their stories. Learn more about their amazing work in our video series! Lindsay Kirkland: https://youtu.be/j6Puqf23BE8 Camilla McGill: https://youtu.be/egQCFQJschA #YMCAPeaceWeek #sarnia #sarnialambton #lambtoncounty

It’s starting to cool off outside so come and get your sweat on with us inside at one of our awesome group fitness classes! Registration for next week is now live so book your spot soon. If you haven’t been back yet or tried one of our classes since we reopened, please let us know if you have any questions whatsoever and we’d be happy to help. See you in class!

Help us spread the message of peace and inclusivity in our communities, and share some joy! Create these beautiful paper cranes, symbolizing peace, and display them in a window for everyone to enjoy. Follow our activity guide here: https://bit.ly/3nrECmm #YMCAPeaceWeek

if you love the feeling of getting a letter or postcard in your mailbox . Never underestimate the power of a handwritten note! Write a letter, send a compliment card, or reach out to someone who might be struggling right now. It will go a long way to help people feel connected and like they belong. #actforpeace #YMCAPeaceWeek

One small gesture can make a BIG difference. Pay it forward - perform a random act of kindness or share something nice that someone did for you. #YMCAPeaceWeek #actforpeace

Registration for all group fitness classes and Pickleball next week goes live tomorrow at 9am. If it the weekly schedule looks busier than usual it’s because we’ve added more classes and Pickleball sessions! Starting Monday morning we’ll be hosting an early morning group power workout at 6:30am and we’ve added extra Pickleball sessions on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. If you want to secure a spot please try and book as close to 9am as possible tomorrow morning. See you soon!

With the Fall upon us, we want to take a moment and express our gratitude to our donors for supporting the Y during this unexpected year. Because of this generous support, we were able to pivot and adapt to address the new reality faced by our members and participants. You are helping us build a vibrant, healthy, and inclusive community. THANK YOU!

Lane swim and Aquafit registration for next week is now live! Spots are filling up fast though so please book as soon as you can to reserve a spot. We’ve even added a few more afternoon lane swim times due to popular demand. If all continues to go well, we will keep looking to add options where we can but will continue to take things week to week as part of our phased approach to reopening. Please let us know if you have any questions at all. See you soon!

We’re taking Monday off for Thanksgiving but we’ll be right back at it Tuesday with all of your favourite classes! Enjoy the long weekend and all of the wonderful things that go with it. See you soon

Taking care of our Mental Health is an important part of living a healthy, active life. YMCA at Home offers virtual health and wellbeing activities that can be accessed anytime and anywhere. During #MIAW20, dedicate 10 minutes to one of the activities and your Mental Health, like our Y Wellness Series! Visit our website to access and learn more: https://ymcaswo.ca/virtual-y

Aquafit is back next week at JMFC! Like lane swim, this is a very popular program so you’ll want to book as soon as you can to get a spot. Please see the schedule below for more details and information. Let us know if we can be of any support at all. See you in the pool!

Book your spot soon for all of your favourite group fitness classes at JMFC! We had a great first week back indoors as the weather is cooling off. We’re working hard, having fun and staying safe all under the same roof. Register soon as there are limited spots available. Please see schedule below for details and we’ll see you next week!

Lane swim at JMFC is adding a couple afternoon swim times due to popular demand! Please see next week’s schedule and notes below for more details. Sessions are filling up fast so try to book as early as possible to reserve a lane. See you soon!

LAST DAY FOR NOMINATIONS! The YMCA was proud to honour Sosina Tilahun, a youth leader, with a YMCA Peace Medal in 2019. Sosina recognized a need in her neighbourhood and created a program called Youth Connect (YC) that helped to foster academic excellence and encourage community engagement. Sosina voluntarily created this program that not only gives youth an opportunity to connect with others in a safe space, but it is also keeping some of them off the streets and away from negative influences. Sosina is creating real change and contributing to a healthier and more peaceful community. NOMINATE A PEACEMAKER TODAY! https://ymcacomms.typeform.com/to/i4QGDT5U

On #OrangeShirtDay, we honour & commemorate residential school survivors. We also reaffirm our commitment to building strong communities where #EveryChildMatters & to the ongoing process of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and communities in Canada.

Meet Brian. Brian was awarded a YMCA Peace Medal in 2018. Brian is active in his community working with individuals & youth to promote positive relationship-building skills. Brian is also a strong advocate for women’s rights, the environment and global equality. While Brian has his own counselling practice, many of his clients are pro-bono. Brian has also been a guiding force in the lives of youth through his 20 years of foster parenting. Do you know someone like Brian? Nominations close tomorrow. Nominate a 'Brian' today! https://ymcacomms.typeform.com/to/i4QGDT5U

Since being diagnosed with Epilepsy at 2 years old, Ava has not gone 12 hours without a seizure. She has donated her birthday money, sold keychains, and raised funds to purchase special monitors and anti-suffocation pillows for Epilepsy warriors like herself. Ava was 7 years old when she awarded a YMCA Peace Medal as she inspires our community to thrive, be selfless, and show that anyone can overcome any situation. Do you know someone in your community like Ava? Nominate them for a YMCA Peace Medal by September 30. #actforpeace https://ymcacomms.typeform.com/to/i4QGDT5U

Have you taken a look at our YMCA Member All Access platform? You can receive countless resources including our YThrive exercise program. Jump into Fall with the new October launch workouts available October 1st 2020! Visit https://www.ymcahome.ca/member for more information. You’ll need a password to sign in. During your next time in the branch, stop by the front desk to ask our friendly staff team and we would be happy to share it with you! We can’t wait to see you!

We're incredibly proud to have reopened! We continue to be dedicated in ensuring the health and safety of all of our members, staff, volunteers, and anyone who walks through the door. With a financial assistance program in place, we are able to support everyone in our goal of enriching our communities.... You can read all about it in the article below! #ReuniteWithTheYMCA