August at the Wardle Family YMCA
So would you like you like to join our monthly digital mailing list? Then by all means have this newsletter delivered directly to your inbox: click here to sign up
July at the Wardle Family YMCA
So would you like you like to join our monthly digital mailing list? Then by all means have this newsletter delivered directly to your inbox: click here to sign up
[Port Royal, June 28, 2018] According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around 22 million kids receive free or reduced-cost meals thanks to the National School Lunch Program. However, once the school year ends, 5 out of 6 of those kids, no longer have access to free or reduced-price meals, leaving many children without during the summer months.
The Y is working to fill that gap of food insecurity, and thanks to support from the Walmart Foundation and local partner agencies and organizations, will help keep children healthy and well-nourished this summer. Participating youth in summer camp and afterschool programs receive both food and fun through nutritious meals and snacks, while enjoying recreational and learning activities aimed at keeping bodies and minds active. At more than 1,000 locations across the country, including the Wardle Family YMCA in Port Royal, the Y offers the Summer Food Program to any child under age 18.
The Wardle Family YMCA will serve over 29,000 free meals here in Beaufort County and at our summer camp sites in Jasper County. Moreover, the Wardle Family Y is an ‘open site’ so any child under age 18 can receive a free meal at the Y in Port Royal (1801 Richmond Avenue) Monday to Friday from 11 am to 12:30 pm, through August 17, 2018. The Y is able to provide the food program with the assistance of Beaufort County School District in addition to the support from Walmart Foundation and YMCA of the USA.
“Hunger has a lasting impact on the development of children,” says Kaylin Garst, Branch Executive Director of the Wardle Family YMCA. “Without access to nutrition-filled meals, kids can’t focus, become restless and may engage in risky behavior and ultimately, can’t reach their full potential. The Y’s Summer Food Program helps to make sure kids can enjoy healthy and delicious meals all summer long.”
Garst is also a Regional Food Program Facilitator assisting other YMCAs throughout the country in providing successful, year-round food programs.
Participants in the Migrant Education Summer Camp also receive dinner as well as breakfast and lunch. These campers and their families are also supplied with shelf-stable, ready-made meals thanks to the donation of 2,000 of these meals by the Lowcountry Food Bank.
“In addition to our partners, volunteers also play an integral part in the success of this program,” Garst added. “We are fortunate to have volunteers through Beaufort County Disabilities and Special Needs Department. It has been a joy having these volunteers with us this summer serve meals to campers!”
During the school year, the Wardle Family YMCA also serves healthy dinners and snacks as part of its afterschool program, providing hundreds of kids with nourishment and academic enrichment.
Now in its eighth year, the Summer Food Program is part of an existing national partnership between YMCA of the USA (Y-USA) and the Walmart Foundation to address child hunger, which is more prevalent during the summertime. The program is just part of the Y’s year-round effort to address child hunger.
June at the Wardle Family YMCA
So would you like you like to join our monthly digital mailing list? Then by all means have this newsletter delivered directly to your inbox: click here to sign up
The Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry is pleased to announce that we were selected as the 2018 Outstanding Non-Profit at the annual Civitas Awards held on May 24, 2018!
The Civitas Awards are hosted by the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce and recognize outstanding businesses, organizations, and individuals who are exemplary in our region. Our Togetherhood Committee was also nominated as Volunteer of the Year 2018. We congratulate all the nominees and winners! Well done!
(l to r): Cliff Mrkvicka, Beaufort Regional Chamber Chairman; Jennifer Tuckwiller, YMCA Chairman; Russell Baxley, Beaufort Memorial CEO
(Back l to r): Ralph Fuller, Mary Edwards, Kaylin Garst, Larry Schaefer, Jenny Kopke, Marian Schaefer, Leigh Aiken, Mike Bostwick (Front l to r): Jennifer Tuckwiller, Denice Fanning, Dolores Fuller, Karoline Schiller, Angie Williams, Amy Roberts, Bennett Schiller.
Gabrielle Auerbach, 16 wins the 2018 Beaufort River Swim.
On Saturday, May 19, Gabrielle Auerbach finished the 12th Annual Beaufort River Swim (BRS) with a time of 51:00:05 to become the first female to win the event in its history. Auerback hails from Kennesaw, GA and is sixteen years old. Top male finisher was Charles Michael, age 19, of Bluffton with a time of 51:23:65. All results for the 3.3-Mile race can be found at runsignup.com.
The 3.2-mile Beaufort River Swim is the only competitive open water swim held in Beaufort County. This year’s competitors ranged in age from 13 to73 and traveled from as far away as Rhode Island.
The BRS is a fundraiser for the Wardle Family YMCA Learn to Swim program, which provides swim lessons to local children and adults who would not otherwise have the means or opportunity to learn to swim. In 2017 alone, the Y taught over 1,500 swim lessons with more than half of these being a direct result of scholarship assistance provided by the Learn to Swim Program and the BRS.
April at the Wardle Family YMCA
So would you like you like to join our monthly digital mailing list? Then by all means have this newsletter delivered directly to your inbox: click here to sign up
March 2018 at the Wardle Family YMCA
So would you like you like to join our monthly digital mailing list? Then by all means have this newsletter delivered directly to your inbox: click here to sign up
February 2018 at the Wardle Family YMCA
So would you like you like to join our monthly digital mailing list? Then by all means have this newsletter delivered directly to your inbox: click here to sign up
On Thursday, February 15, 2018 the Wardle Family YMCA welcomed members and guests to their Annual Meeting, which recognized volunteers, donors and staff who helped advance the Y’s cause to strengthen the foundation of our community.
The Y celebrated the positive impact made through Y programs and services as $350,000 in scholarship funds were raised and distributed in 2017. This assistance helped thousands of youth and families through YMCA membership, sports, summer camps, childcare, preschool, youth boating and swimming lessons. The annual Boots & Bling Fundraiser and Silent Auction raised over $48,000 for the annual Y capital campaign.
The meeting was presided over by incoming YMCA Board Chair, Jennifer Tuckwiller, and Y CEO, Michael Bostwick. The Y celebrated the many programs, services and opportunities they provide and, most importantly, gave thanks to the volunteers that truly bring magic to the non-profit.
The Y welcomed four new board members: Dr. N’kia Campbell, Director of Academic Initiatives for Beaufort County School District; retired educator Andy Thacker, State Farm insurance agent Taylor Malphrus; Chris Bowman, branch manager at South State Bank. Outgoing board members, Dr. Gregory McCord and Cheryl Comes were thanked for their many years of service to the Y. Also, Bostwick recognized past board member Peter Post, who was inducted into the National YMCA Hall of Fame.
Kaylin Garst, Y Branch Executive Director of the Wardle Family YMCA reported on the improvements and changes made at the Wardle Family YMCA during 2017. These included refinishing the basketball gym floor, new pool heater and filter, new membership software, a new bus for childcare and implementation of a stoplight report for Y staff and members. YMCA senior-specific programming was highlighted by Wellness Director Denice Fanning, and Y member and volunteer Larry Schaefer reported via video on Togetherhood, the Y member-driven service committee.
During the Annual Meeting, two volunteers received special recognition for their service to the Y. Larry Schaefer received the 2017 Robert V. Wardle Service to Youth Award. This award is given in honor of Robert V. Wardle, whose donations were significant in the founding and continued operation of the Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry. Larry Schaefer has been the Togetherhood committee chair for the past 2 years and has been instrumental in leading this volunteer group in projects ranging from the Postal Carriers Food Drive benefiting HELP of Beaufort to building custom flower boxes for the Senior Center on St. Helena Island to building and installing a little lending library for the Y. In 2017 their volunteer hours exceeded 500 hours and included a fundraiser for the Y, raising $500 for our Learn to Swim Program.
Bethany Byrne was named the annual Youth Sports Volunteer Coach for 2017. Ms. Byrne has been a volunteer aquatics coach over the past several years volunteering her time to assist with the BYAC Tiger Sharks Swim Team and aquatics department.
Tuckwiller also reviewed the YMCA association name change to Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry, which better communicates the Y’s original charter to serve both Beaufort and Jasper counties. She also announced that the YMCA now offers nationwide membership, which allows any active Y member to visit any participating Y in the USA, free of charge. beaufort-jasperymca.org
Copyright Wardle Family YMCA. All Rights Reserved.
