Y Activates Fort Wayne Kids 

FORT WAYNE, IN -- The YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne in Indiana and other local organizations helped begin Activate Fort Wayne, a new initiative financed by a $10,000 grant from the national YMCA to fight childhood obesity, according to The Journal Gazette. The Y, Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, IN, and the Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department will help teach 10,000 local kids about nutrition and exercise through free programs this summer. ...

Fundraising Campaign Begins for Oklahoma Y 

ENID, OK -- The Denny Price Family YMCA in Enid, OK, began a fundraising campaign to finance a renovation to expand the cardio and weightlifting areas as well as the development of a teen fitness area, along with new construction of a nursery and administrative offices, according to The Enid News & Eagle. ...

Nearby Centers, Discount Programs Encourage Participation 

EAGAN, MN – According to a study by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, people who use fitness center discount programs are more likely to live close to a fitness center (63.3 percent of those surveyed live within two miles of a participating fitness center), and nearly half of fitness discount users (43 percent surveyed) say they joined a fitness center because of the discount....

Idaho Y Buys For-Profit Fitness Center 

TWIN FALLS, ID – In a deal announced Monday, the YMCA of Twin Falls (ID) will purchase Twin Falls Fitness Center under the condition that the Y continues to operate it as a fitness center, The Times-News reported....

GA YMCA Hosts Soldier Send-Off Party 

HINESVILLE, GA -- The Liberty County/Armed Services Branch YMCA in Liberty Hinesville, GA, hosted a send-off party for local soldiers who have been called back to Iraq. The soldiers, part of the Third Infantry Division's First Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, spent time with their families playing games and activities that the Y had organized for the adults and children, according to a report by WTOC-TV. ...

JCC Association Earns Top Rating 

NEW YORK -- For the second consecutive year, Charity Navigator recognized the JCC Association for its fundraising practices. The continental umbrella organization for the JCC Movement earned the group’s highest four-star rating for fiscal 2005, which was the most recent data available. Charity Navigator is the nation’s largest independent evaluator and assesses 5,000 charitable organizations annually to determine how much each spends to raise money and what percentage of the dollars raised are allocated to programs and services. ...

YMCAs Get Interactive on Healthy Kids Day 

WASHINGTON, DC -- On Saturday, an estimated 550,000 children and families visited nearly 1,700 YMCAs nationwide for the 16th Annual YMCA Healthy Kids Day, the nation’s largest health day for children. In preparation for the event, Nintendo donated 100 Wii party packs to YMCA chapters nationally. ...

Study: YMCAs Kids Get More Activity than Average U.S. Child 

CHICAGO -- Children enrolled in YMCA programs not only have very positive attitudes about physical activity, but they also are more physically active than the average U.S. child, according to the results of a national poll targeting 6- to 12-year-old children conducted by YMCA of the USA....

Eastern Lycoming Y Hits Building Speed Bump  

– The Eastern Lycoming YMCA in Williamsport, PA, needs to raise about $1.5 million after bids for its new facility came in more than $2 million above the architect’s original estimate, according to The Williamsport Sun-Gazette...

NJ JCCs Outsource Fitness  

JCC MetroWest branch in New Jersey is outsourcing its health and fitness centers and membership functions to the Manhattan-based fitness management company Plus One, according to the New Jersey Jewish News....

YMCA of Central Maryland Plans to Double Size  

The YMCA of Central Maryland will conduct a major realignment of the organization, including plans to double the size of the organization during the next 10 years, rebrand the YMCA’s logo ...

California Introduces Tax Credit Bill 

SACRAMENTO, CA – A bill that is pending in the California Assembly would give businesses a tax credit to improve the fitness of their employees. The credit would be equal to 10 percent of what businesses spend each year on fitness improvement....

Man Pleads Guilty to Talbot County YMCA Peeping  

CHESTERTOWN, MD -- A 44-year-old Ocean City man pleaded guilty to using a camera in his locker at the Talbot County YMCA in Easton, MD, to film unsuspecting men and boys, one of whom he inappropriately touched, according to The News Journal. The sentencing for the suspect, Alan Travers, is expected in April. He pleaded guilty last week on one count of second-degree assault and 20 counts of video surveillance with prurient intent, the Delaware paper reported. ...

Club Operators Must Report Injuries to OSHA  

Washington Y Kicks Off ‘Helping Kids Grow’ Campaign  

The YMCA of Snohomish County in Washington kicked off its annual Invest in Youth Helping Kids Grow campaign in mid-February with a 2007 campaign goal of $812,000 to support the Everett...

AED Issue Active in Several States  

Several state legislatures are considering legislation related to automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Indiana’s Senate Health and Provider Services Committee introduced a bill early last month requiring all health clubs to have an AED...

Y Tax Dispute Could Affect Other Groups  

The dispute over whether YMCA of the Rockies should be exempt from paying property taxes on its two mountain camps continues and could affect more than 6,000 other religious-based organizations across Colorado...

New Jersey JCC Plans Expansion  

A $26 million, two-year expansion of the Jewish Community Center (JCC) on the Palisades will add 22,000 square feet to the center, which has more than 10,000 members. As part of the project, ...

Six States Earn an 'A'  

California, Illinois, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Tennesse received high markets on the The Obesity Initiative's latest report card, a best-of-the-best list of those states taking positive steps to combat the nation's obesity epidemic, especially as it affects children...

YMCA Partners with Hospital for Wellness Program  

The Clarion County YMCA is expanding its services by collaborating with a local hospital. Clarion Hospital’s fitness program, Wellness Works, will merge with the Y’s wellness services effective on March ...

The Cooper Institute Earns National Accreditation for its Personal Trainer  

The National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) granted accreditation to the Cooper Institute’s Personal Trainer Certification (CI-PTr) program for a five-year period. The Cooper Institute is one of only seven organizations to achieve NCCA accreditation ...

Florida YMCA Undergoes Expansion  

The 55,000-square-foot South County Family YMCA invested more than $389,000 in new fitness equipment and plans to celebrate its grand reopening in mid-February. As part of the two...

Atlanta JCC Partners with Gold’s Gym 

A nonprofit fitness facility and a for-profit club have formed a partnership in the Atlanta area. All North Metro residents who sign up for a family membership at three different levels--Total Health, Recreation Plus or Program Plus--at Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) will have the option of registering ...

IHRSA Members Report Increased Club Revenue and Improved Membership Retention  

Although some industry experts are forecasting increased competition and possible flat revenues for clubs this year, a recent survey reported an increase in revenues and a growth in membership ...

Arizona YMCAs Offer Free Memberships  

The Valley of the Sun YMCA branches gave away $100,000 in free 30-day memberships in early January to encourage families to improve their health in 2007. The Ys expected to give away 3,000 ...