Commitment to Community Capital Campaign

The Kandiyohi Area Family YMCA has, throughout its short history, been a leader. During the past twelve years, the YMCA has achieved recognition and earned a reputation as one of the leading human social service agencies in our area. Programs and services of the Y have continued to grow and meet the needs and demands …

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Meet the Trainer-Greg Loerzel

Hi.  I’m Greg Loerzel.  I am a personal trainer at the Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA.  I have been a member of the wellness staff here at the Y for almost three years now.  Prior to working here I worked at the Albert Lea Family Y in Albert Lea, MN. Passion for exercise and helping …

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5k Battle Plan

Runners at all levels of experience and physical condition can succeed at preparing for and then racing a five kilometer road race.  Opportunities to partake in local 5ks are virtually countless; on any given weekend throughout the summer season in Minnesota, chances are good that there is a 5k being staged within a one hour …

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Commitment to Community

The Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA was a grass roots idea started by a group of local citizens in 1996.  The YMCA used a variety of locations to conduct quality programs that continued to grow at a rapid pace.  In 2000, a Capital Campaign to build a new YMCA facility began.  Construction commenced in 2001 …

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Treat Your Feet Right!

Le’ts face it, our feet are extremely important to us.  They carry us for our entire lives.  It’s quite obvious then how important it is in the fitness arena to find an appropriate pair of shoes. Its a good idea to buy athletic shoes at a store that specializes in them.  You will find a greater selection and sales …

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Commitment to Community Capital CampaignMeet the Trainer-Greg Loerzel5k Battle PlanCommitment to CommunityTreat Your Feet Right!

May 16

Commitment to Community Capital Campaign

Categories:

Family Fitness, Family Wellness, General Fitness, Health, Training, Uncategorized

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The Kandiyohi Area Family YMCA has, throughout its short history, been a leader. During the past twelve years, the YMCA has achieved recognition and earned a reputation as one of the leading human social service agencies in our area. Programs and services of the Y have continued to grow and meet the needs and demands of our changing community.

The new century and the new decade have brought new and different challenges to our YMCA. Today, the YMCA finds itself serving the population with programs and services that meet critical social concerns. It provides for the individuals and families of all income and social levels. It is culturally diverse in its members and offers opportunities to the entire community. Programs have grown from basketball games and swimming lessons to child care, youth sports, teen programs, parent-child classes and health enhancement programs. Add to these programs the continued growth in membership, the challenges the YMCA is faced with today are significant.

In order to address these challenges while maintaining a high level of program excellence, the YMCA leadership has worked closely during the past few years to formulate a plan for the future. A long range plan was developed and a feasibility study was conducted to determine if the current needs of the YMCA could be met.

These needs were identified and evaluated, priorities were established and goals were set. To accomplish these goals and our objectives, the Board of Directors approved a major capital campaign to meet our needs through an expansion that includes the following:

New Multipurpose Gymnasium with Track
Expansion of the Wellness Center and Additional Equipment
A New Large Wellness Studio
Specialized Room for Special Needs Classes and Ready to be Fit Exercisers
Two New Racquetball Courts

The campaign will be a success for two very good reasons. First is the caliber of leadership. Jim Reith, Chair, represents the past, present and future leadership needed to head the campaign. He, as the chair of the past capital campaign recognizes that the future strength of the YMCA largely depends on the success of the campaign and has committed his time and talent to seeing the current project to completion.

Futhermore, the campaign represents a sound investment to those who have supported the YMCA in the past. These supporters include various corporations, financial institutions, foundations, businesses and individuals. They realize the objective is not merely to raise funds but to provide the vehicle needed to assist our community in the future.

We, at the YMCA, continue to meet the challenges of today. The success of this campaign will ensure our readiness to meet the challenges of the future. It is an opportunity for friends of the YMCA to participate in meeting our goals. We invite you to join this endeavor and make a Commitment to Community.

Theresa Wittenberg, Executive Director

For more information or to donate-

contact us

www.kandiymca.org,

call 320 222 9622

email theresaw@kandiymca.org.

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May 09

Meet the Trainer-Greg Loerzel

Categories:

General Fitness, Health, Training, Uncategorized

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Hi.  I’m Greg Loerzel.  I am a personal trainer at the Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA.  I have been a member of the wellness staff here at the Y for almost three years now.  Prior to working here I worked at the Albert Lea Family Y in Albert Lea, MN.

Passion for exercise and helping others with their fitness goals is what led me to be a personal trainer.  Prior to getting my personal trainer certification I was an electrical engineer.  As an engineer I spent endless hours behind a computer and at a desk (perhaps not the best career choice for a guy that grew up outdoors?), making my workouts at the end of the day that much more rewarding and an escape from the daily routine.  I believe many of us can relate to this.  Exercise can be a great release from the stress of everyday life, even if only for a brief time period.

I have always loved the challenge of pushing oneself to our physical limits.  Most people that have seen me train my clients know that I thrive on pushing their intensity.  The same goes for my own workouts.  My goal each session is to increase that intensity and do something we maybe have never done before or even thought we were capable of doing.  By pushing ourselves to the limit and beyond we can improve both physically and mentally.

A few pointers I would give, many of which we have all probably read or heard somewhere before:  Rome wasn’t built in a day, lifestyle change and body transformation take time, so be patient.  Little changes add up to larger improvements, just like 100 pennies add up to a dollar.  Just because we can’t do a full workout today doesn’t mean a partial one is a waste of time, do what we can today, don’t let it just get away.  It is great to think long term and have long term goals, but set small milestones along the way, baby steps will get you there, and celebrate along the way.  Lastly, my favorite; “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.”  Don’t be afraid to push yourself in a new direction, it may be just what is needed for change.

Whatever your fitness goals, if myself or any of the other trainers or wellness staff at the Y can be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask.

 

Train hard!

Greg Loerzel

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May 03

5k Battle Plan

Categories:

General Fitness, Health, Training, Uncategorized

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Runners at all levels of experience and physical condition can succeed at preparing for and then racing a five kilometer road race.  Opportunities to partake in local 5ks are virtually countless; on any given weekend throughout the summer season in Minnesota, chances are good that there is a 5k being staged within a one hour drive of your home!  Five kilometers is just a little over three miles and is an excellent first step into the great world of running.

Ideally, the best prep period for a 5k is 12 weeks, especially for a person’s first attempt at racing this distance.  However, with a concentrated effort, a reasonably fit person could be fairly well prepared with 8 weeks of focused training.  First-timers should pick a race to target for mid-summer and start their training  in mid-April.

Beginners who are new to running should focus their efforts on a walk to run program by matching periods of walking and periods of light running 3 to 4 days a week on an every other day basis.  The proportion of running vs walking should gradually increase by 10 percent each week up to the point where the athlete is eventually running a full three miles without a break for walking.  The athlete should compliment their running workouts with light strength training and non-running cardio workouts on the days that they are not running.  A minimum of one full day of rest is also essential!

Once the athlete has their first 5k under their belt, they can begin to fine tune their running workouts focusing  on three key areas of running concentration – interval work (for speed), tempo work (for pace) and endurance work (for both cardio and muscular conditioning).  Intervals help build oxygen efficiency, Tempo runs help the muscles process and disseminate lactic acid (bad stuff) and Endurance runs help prepare the body for surviving and thriving through long periods of exertion.  Three days a week of quality runs focusing on these three focus areas coupled with quality cross-training can add up to some outstanding running race performances!

Beginners should seek the counsel of runners they know and trust to glean knowledge from the experience of these runners.  Running Clubs abound in Minnesota and a simple internet search will yield a great deal of information concerning these organizations.  Many Health and Fitness centers offer courses or instruction on proper running technique.  For someone who is serious about starting a running program and doing it right, I highly recommend seeking the services of a Certified Personal Trainer who specializes in training runners.  A few quality sessions with a good trainer can really help get you off on the right foot (so to speak!).

Lastly, remember what running legend, the late Steve Prefontaine once said  “You cannot propel yourself forward by patting yourself on the back.”  So lace up those running shoes and get busy!

Conrad E. Bostron, Certified Personal Trainer and Accomplished Age-Group Runner

 

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Apr 25

Commitment to Community

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Uncategorized

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The Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA was a grass roots idea started by a group of local citizens in 1996.  The YMCA used a variety of locations to conduct quality programs that continued to grow at a rapid pace.  In 2000, a Capital Campaign to build a new YMCA facility began.  Construction commenced in 2001 and the new YMCA opened November 2002.

A need for expansion has been evident for several years.  This last year the decision was made to move ahead and begin a NEW Capital Campaign to add on to the existing facility. The current building was meant to accommodate 3,000 members, today there are over 5,800.  Since the beginning of the campaign we have raised over 2/3 of our $3 Million goal.  Thanks to our many volunteers, the Community Phase of the Campaign is off to a HUGE success.

With an exciting new development regarding the ‘Mystery Donor’ from last week.  Holding up two fingers, the Mystery Donor has doubled the pledge to the Kandiyohi County Area Family YMCA’s capital campaign.

 After matching the initial challenge to match all pledges in a three day period up to $10,000, the Mystery Donor has now offered another $10,000 in matching funds.

More super campaign news, it is with great excitement and gratitude that the YMCA announces a recent gift of $250,000 from the Willmar Area Community Foundation. In a press release, Foundation Chair John Lindstrom stated, “The Foundation has been blessed to receive extraordinary gifts from people who care deeply about their communities, and the Board takes very seriously its stewardship mission of putting those funds to work in the most effective ways possible.”

Following a successful campaign, the YMCA plans to break ground for the expansion sometime during the late summer.

-Christy Marthaller

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Apr 18

Treat Your Feet Right!

Categories:

General Fitness, Health, Training

by

Le’ts face it, our feet are extremely important to us.  They carry us for our entire lives.  It’s quite obvious then how important it is in the fitness arena to find an appropriate pair of shoes.

Its a good idea to buy athletic shoes at a store that specializes in them.  You will find a greater selection and sales people who know and understand shoes.  There are all types of shoes: running, cross training, track, basketball, walking, etc..  Each are constructed to handle and support the type of motion involved in each specific activity.Lets take a look at running shoes.  There are many of them to attract our attention, but here are some helpful ideas when choosing a pair.1.  Understand your foot motion.  does your foot pronate (roll inward) or over pronate (rolls too far inward).  Knee issues are common among over pronators.  Underpronation is when you run on the outer edge of your foot.  Also be mindful of the degree of arch in your foot.  A shoe expert can help determine which shoe is the best for your foot.  The best shoe for you is the one that fits you best and feels most comfortable.
2.  How much running and what type of surface you run on can play a role in which shoe you want.  Also inform the sales person of prior injuries or concerns when choosing a running shoe.

3.  Pay attention to the fit of the shoe.  The heel should be snug to avoid slippage.  Try on running shoes later in the day when your feet are a bit swollen because typically this happens when you run.  There should be a thumbnail width between the top of the longest toe and top of the shoe.  Its a good idea to test run your shoe in the store to see if it is comfortable for you.  Always buy a quality shoe- your body will thank you!

4.  It’s good to replace your shoes after 500 miles of running to make sure they have proper cushioning and stability for your feet.

5.  It is a good idea to purchase two pairs of shoes.  Switching between two pairs allows the shoes to bounce back fully from the compression that running can cause.

Quality shoes are extremely important for all fitness activities to help reduce injuries and make our fitness experience more enjoyable!

-Janel Rodahl

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Apr 12

Healthy Family Home (Part 7) – You’re the Adult…

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Family Fitness, Family Wellness, Health

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Raising a family is a tough job. You are the primary role model for your children as they grow. They learn how to eat, to play and to connect with others and the world around them by watching how you behave and by learning what you teach them. As they grow and venture out into the world, other children and adults will also guide them, but you will still be the primary guiding force in their lives for a long time.
As the adult, you have a powerful influence on eating habits. It is your job and yours alone to determine what foods are purchased and served as well as when and where they are eaten. Through your choices and actions, you are teaching your kids every day what, when, where and how to eat and drink.
You also have an important role to fulfill in determining how your kids spend their time
while growing up. You are the boss when it comes to whether they are indoors watching television or outside playing in parks. You determine how much time they spend in structured, scheduled activities and how much time they spend creating their own play experiences. If your children are to have positive experiences in the natural world, it is likely that you will be the person guiding them. You are also in charge when it comes to bedtime and can have a tremendous impact on whether your kids are getting the sleep that they need to learn, grow and thrive.
You are a role model in all of these things and more. If children see you being active and playful, they will learn to be as well. By watching you move and be active in ways that bring you joy and a sense of play, they can learn that being active is a natural, necessary and even fun part of life.

As you explore each of the pillars of a healthy family home, you may be introduced to new ways of thinking and behaving that will require changes if you are to realize the benefits. Change is hard. At the Y, we understand that. Chances are, you may be doing some of these things already. That’s terrific! You have something to build upon as you try to build new behaviors into your family routine. We encourage you to take small steps and find early opportunities for easy wins. Don’t try to change everything all at once. You are going to have both setbacks and victories. Learn from the setbacks and celebrate the victories. Above all, we encourage you to find and explore ways to make the journey toward a healthy family home an enjoyable one.

-Healthy Family Home YMCA of USA

find more information at http://ymca.net/healthy-family-home/

 

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Apr 02

Healthy Family Home (Part 6) – Sleep Well

Categories:

Family Fitness, Family Wellness, Health

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Continuing our effort to help encourage a Healthy Family Home this is the fifth in a series dedicated to the Healthy Family Home initiative with the YMCA of the USA.  There are 5 pillars of a Healthy Family Home: Eat Healthy, Play Every Day, Get Together, Go Outside and Sleep Well.

Rested and Ready to grow!  One of the best ways to raise healthy kids is to make sure they – and you – get enough sleep.  A healthy family depends on it.

 

Key Healthy Habits

  • The More the Better  Based on their ages, children need different amounts of sleep.  Doctors recommend between 10 and 12 hours per day for kids between the ages of 5 and 12.  When children do not get enough sleep it can cause moodiness and impact their ability to learn in school.  Additionally, recent studies have found links between sleep and obesity in children.  It may seem strange, but the more hours that kids sleep the less likely they are to become obese.
  • Make Rest Your Priority Too  Restful sleep also has important short – and long term  health benefits for adults, including a role in maintaining our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory, learning, and other vital functions.  Researchers are also beginning to pint towards the benefits of sleep for the prevention of heart disease and other chronic conditions.  Doctors recommend seven to eight hours per night.

 

FAMILY GOAL EXAMPLES

Try getting the family together to select one of the following goals or come up with your own.  To begin, go for something that is realistic and achievable.  In one week, get back together and see how you did and what you learned.  Take into account this week’s experience, set another goal and keep going.  You can do it!

  1. This week, I will read one bedtime story to my child each night.
  2. This week, we will turn off the TV one hour before bedtime.
  3. Three times this week, the adults will be in bed before ______ p.m.
  4. Three times this week, the kids will be in bed before ______ p.m.
  5. Each day this week, I will not have any caffeine after ______ p.m.

Our Own ______________________________________________________________

*At the Y, we are for healthy living. We believe it begins at home. The relationship between adult and child can be the primary source of health in a young person’s life and a powerful motivator for adults to build more health into their own lives.

-Healthy Family Home YMCA of USA

find more information at http://ymca.net/healthy-family-home/

Don’t forget to plan ahead for Healthy Kids Day here at the Kandiyohi County Area F

amily YMCA.  Coming Tuesday April 23 5-7:30 pm.  Join us for games, activities and fun.  It is a FREE event that is open to the public.

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Mar 14

YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program- What is diabetes?

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General Fitness, Health

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Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are above normal. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose, or sugar, for our bodies to use for energy. The pancreas, an organ that lies near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to help glucose get into the cells of our bodies. When you have diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in your blood.

Did you know?

•   Almost 26 million Americans have diabetes –
but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. About
79 million adults in the United States  have prediabetes.

•   People with prediabetes
are likely to develop
type 2 diabetes

 within 10 years,
unless they take
steps to prevent
or delay the disease.

• Diabetes is a leading
cause of heart disease,
stroke, blindness, kidney
disease and nerve disease.

THE GOOD NEWS . . .

Lifestyle changes such as eating healthier, increasing physical activity and losing a modest amount of weight can prevent or delay development of type 2 diabetes in those at high risk for the disease. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program can help you adopt and maintain these healthy habits to reduce your risk and ensure that you can live life to its fullest.

Find out if you are at risk. Visit

http://www.ymca.net/diabetes-prevention/.

When your doctor tells you that you’re on the border of being diabetic please take that seriously and start making decisions on what you need to change to prevent this. Little adjustments you make for yourself now can come a long way in changing this outcome. Some things might be watching what you eat closer than you have been or getting some exercise in your daily routine. An individual only needs to decrease their weight by 7% to make a difference from crossing over the line into becoming a Diabetic.

Here at the YMCA we offer a YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program that meets weekly for 16 weeks and after that meets 8 monthly times to help individuals with those little changes and providing support along this journey. Next session starts May 14th at 6:00 pm.

-Britney Lingl

-YMCA of the USA Diabetes Prevention Program Educational Information

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Mar 08

Healthy Family Home (Part 5) – Go Outside

Categories:

Family Fitness, Family Wellness, General Fitness, Health

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Continuing our effort to help encourage a Healthy Family Home this is the fourth in a series dedicated to the Healthy Family Home initiative with the YMCA of the USA.  There are 5 pillars of a Healthy Family Home: Eat Healthy, Play Every Day, Get Together, Go Outside and Sleep Well.

Key Healthy Habits

  • Protect the Right to Play  More children than ever are involved in scheduled, structured activities.  children benefit greatly from unstructured play as well.  According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, free play helps children grow and develop toward important intellectual, emotional, and social milestones along their developmental journey toward healthy teen and adult years.
  • Introduce Children to Nature A growing body of research is pointing to the fact that time spent in contact with nature is good for everyone, but that it is particularly important to the healthy development of children.  Nature engages all of the senses, helps children to develop curiosity and creativity, reduces stress and fosters a sense of wonder and a desire to explore and learn.  Children who spend time in nature are also more likely to develop a lifelong sense of connection to and concern for the environment.

FAMILY GOAL EXAMPLES

Try getting the family together to select one of the following goals or come up with your own.  to begin, go for something that is realistic and achievable.  In one week, get back together to see how you did and what you learned.  take into account this week’s experience, set another goal and keep going.  You can do it!

  1. This week, I will take my children to a park to let them play.
  2. This week, we will have a family discussion about priorities.
  3. This week, we will plant something together.
  4. This week, we will do a family nature scavenger hung.
  5. This week, we will take ____ (#) family walks together around the block

Or come up with your own goal.

*At the Y, we are for healthy living. We believe it begins at home. The relationship between adult and child can be the primary source of health in a young person’s life and a powerful motivator for adults to build more health into their own lives.

-Healthy Family Home YMCA of USA

find more information at http://ymca.net/healthy-family-home/

Here in Minnesota there are so many great things to do outside.  During the winter there is sledding, ice skating, cross country skiing and much more.  In the summer with the trails and lakes you could find a new place to explore weekly.  The goal with any of the Healthy Family Home subjects is taking the time as a family to do something together.  Take the first step, you wont regret it.  Just stay away from the poison ivy!  -Christy Marthaller

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Feb 28

Trainer Spotlight – Janel Rodahl

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General Fitness, Health, Training

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Greetings!  I am Janel Rodahl and I am BA Degree from the University of Minnesota in Fitness and Health Education.  I have 30 years experience coaching, teaching, and personal training.  I have Varsity Head Coaching experience with high school age girls as well as all ages in the fitness industry.

I personally have been recognized nationally in basketball and have been named Girls Track and Field Coach of the Year.  I’ve coached record setting volleyball teams and have coached state entries in girls track and field.   I hold all current YMCA certifications.

I have a passion for helping others live a healthy lifestyle and have a strong belief in the YMCA’s core values.

Stay Healthy,

Janel Rodahl

Janel is one of the Y’s qualified Personal Trainers.  Personal Training at the Y is a fee based program to help establish an exercise routine.  Trainers work with people of all ages, help keep you on track, stay motivated and assist you in achieving your desired goals.  Available in Land or Water, staff recommend at least two sessions when you begin personal training.  Our personal trainers are certified by nationally accredited organizations.  Contact the Wellness Center with questions or to sign up.

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