Men's Summer Basketball League

Photo Credit: John Russell, Great Lakes Images

2011 YMCA Men’s “Summer” Basketball League


Cost: $475 per team until May 23, $500 per team thereafter. No player fee!

Nights Sunday evenings only at Traverse City St Francis High School

When: Begins June 12

Registration Deadline: June 1

Format: Round robin league format. High school age players and above are invited. Includes a end of season tournament.

Registration: May be started by completing the form below and returning it along with the team registration fee to the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA 3000 Racquet Club Dr. Traverse City, MI 49684. Call Barb Beckett at 231.933.9622 for more information or http://www.gtbayymca.org/ .

Help Send a Kid to Camp

Download a donation form at:

http://www.gtbayymca.org/files/Send%20a%20Kid%20to%20Camp.pdf

Thank you for your support

Family Night, Camp Sign-up, & Teens Dancing

 

FAMILY NIGHT AND CAMP SIGNUP

The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA hosts its last in a series of Family Night’s for the school year in May.

On Friday, May 6, the family night will also be a Summer Day Camp Registration Night to allow parents to sign up their children for camp. There is going to be 12 weeks of camp beginning June 13 for ages 3 ½ to grade 9. These include age appropriate activities both indoors and outdoors. Our camps provide fun, friends, 40 acres of woods and based on the Y 4-core values of Caring, Honesty, Respect, and Responsibility. The registration fee of $25 will be waved this night if parents register.

Besides camp sign-up we will have the facility and food for families. The family night begins at 6 pm at the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA main facility at 3000 Racquet Club Drive just south of S. Airport Road. Our next family night will be on Friday, May 20, 6:00 pm at the Y Early Childhood Center, 1100 Woodmere STE B in Traverse City.

More information is available at our website at www.gtbayymca.org or Katie Winslow, camp supervisor at 231-933-9622.

Y TEEN DANCE

Our monthly Y Teen Dance for grades 6 – 8 will be held on Saturday, May 7, from 7 pm – 10 pm. The dance will be held at the YMCA’s main facility at 3000 Racquet Club Drive, just south of South Airport Road, in Traverse City.

If you are not one of the 300 teens that regularly attend our Teen Dance events, you are missing out! Here's a great opportunity to get together with old friends, or meet tons of new ones, on a Saturday night.

Dance to the tunes of a professional DJ, shoot hoops, or play table games. Come socialize with hundreds of your friends and have a great time! Don't miss it!

Parents always welcome to chaperone.

Admission is $8.00 with student ID. Identification, proper attire, and conduct are required. YMCA members are free. Next dance will be held on August 5 (with no dances in June and July).

For more information at adult volunteer opportunities contact Katie Winslow at camp@gtbayymca.org or 231-933-9622. The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA website is located at www.gtbayymca.org and has a Facebook page and Twitter account.

The Y is for youth development. The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA provides a safe environment for teens to learn the proper values based conduct at teen dances.

“It’s more than just a membership … It’s the YMCA!”

Y closed Easter day

Y CLOSED EASTER DAY

The Grand Traverse Bay Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) will be closed on Sunday, April 24, 2011 in observance of Easter Sunday.

The Y will reopen on Monday, April 25 at 6:00 am.

The “C” is very much alive and well at the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA. While we are non-denominational, we proudly open our camp day and board meetings with prayer, we use a Christian curriculum at our day care, we teach Christian values in each of our programs.

Our mission is to put Judeo-Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.

If you have any questions or would like to learn more you can call the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA at 231-933-9622 or their website at www.gtbayymca.org.

“It’s more than just a membership … It’s the YMCA!”

Seeking more incredible donors to the New Y

The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA New YMCA Capital Campaign received an anonymous gift for $250,000.

A long-time supporter of the Grand Traverse YMCA and the New YMCA project is challenging new donors to contribute an additional $500,000 in a “$2 donation: $1 match” challenge.

“This kind of giving is remarkable in so many ways,” according to Henry Peet, New Y Campaign Chairperson. “The gift in and of itself is incredible and provides momentum to get us closer to building the New Y. Second, by creating a challenge, this gift will not only inspire others to give but will secure another half million dollars in gifts toward our goal.”

New gifts and pledges received until the end of 2011 will be counted toward this challenge.

“We are fortunate to already have approximately 325 donors give nearly $5.9 million to build the New Y,” said YMCA CEO Tom Van Deinse. “People have given gifts from $25 to $1.7 million with some 11 philanthropists giving over $100,000 each.”

“Recently, Rotary Charities gave the New Y Campaign a matching gift of $325,000 because of the giving of other donors who matched this gift. This new challenge gift will help us gain some of the donations we need to build the New Y,” according to Van Deinse.

“The plans are in place and we are ready to go. Once we get the balance of the donations we will be able to open the New Y in 12 months,” noted Van Deinse. “We just need the additional $6.1 million in donations. Every gift, regardless of the size, gets us ever closer to meeting the campaign goal and building the facility.”

Utilizing donations already received, the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA has constructed two athletic fields on the property in 2009. These fields will be used for lacrosse, soccer, and YMCA Pop Warner football. One hundred parking places were created to support traffic. “We built the fields because our Y programs needed them now. Soccer and football practice took place last fall on the fields. Isn’t it great that the first activity at the New Y was 5^th and 6^th graders playing soccer?” noted Barb Beckett, YMCA Sports Program Director. “Our region deserves a New YMCA!”

The New Y Essential Phase will feature a pool, six indoor tennis courts, fitness area, indoor/outdoor aerobics studios, outdoor tennis and pickleball courts, chapel, a child watch center, and enough supporting locker rooms, administrative, and lobby space to serve 35,000 program users in the region. It is located on 20 acres at the old Oleson buffalo farm site on Silver Lake Road in Garfield Township and will be over 100,000 sq.ft.

“I get asked daily, ‘When are you going to build the New Y?’” said Dave Eitland, Y Director of Development. “The answer is simple. We have successfully raised half the donations with some incredible giving during hard economic times. People have seen the great value and asset this New Y will be to the region. They know the New Y needs to be built now! Once we raise the balance of the funds, we will build the new Y in 12 months. We deserve a New Y in our region!”

Plans are finalized, the athletic fields are in place, and all we need are donations to erect the building. It will only be through the extraordinary donations from many people throughout the Grand Traverse region that we will raise the additional donations needed and be able to start building in 2011.”

Donations to the New Y Capital Campaign can be made through the Community Foundation on-line at www.4good4ever.org or calling Phil Ellis, Executive Director of the Community Foundation at 935-4066.

Olympian Janet Evans event poster

Click here for your copy of the Janet Evan's event poster. Olympian Janet Evans will be speaking at the State Theatre, 233 E Front St, Traverse City, Michigan on May 12, 2011 at 7:00 pm.

Tickets available online at Treattickets.

Considered by many to be the greatest U.S. female distance swimmer of all time, Janet Evans will visit Traverse City to support the construction of the new Y building. Evans faced Olympic competition in 1988, 1992 and 1996 and captured four gold medals and one silver. She went on to win 17 international titles and held world records in the 400 meter, 800 meter and 1,500 meter free style events. A tireless spokesperson for personal fitness, Evans will speak on "Swimming for Sport, Health and Safety."

Tickets for this public presentation are $15 for adults, $10 for high school students, and free for youth ages13 and under when accompanied by an adult. Free tickets for youth ages 13 and under are limited to 5 per order and will be available during the checkout process by listing the name and of age of each child attending.

Will call tickets must be picked up at the State Theatre box office on May 12 before 6:50 pm.

Presented By

Y Capital Campaign-GT Reg. Community Foundation
250 E. Front Street
TRAVERSE CITY MI 49684
231.645.3670

Aquatics Newsletter

Click here  for information on the New YMCA Aquatics Center. Also features the speech that Janet Evans will make on May 12, 7:00 pm at the State Theatre in Traverse City.

Snow Day at the Y - April 20

Lacrosse Announcement

Call Rob at Y at 231-933-9622 for more information

Camp Signup Night on May 6th!

Noontime at the Y: April 19, 2011

Some of the activities at the Main Facility of the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA over the noon-hour today:

The joy of a well executed tennis shot!

Another noontime basketball pick-up game.

Waiting for the next pickleball hit.

Click here to find a program and activity for your noon hour or day at the Y!

Y Snow Day Program

Y Snow Day Camp is offered when TCAPS school is closed due to weather. 5 year olds and older. 6:30 am - 6:00 pm. Here's more information - http://bit.ly/dNP7OD 

YMCA Gymnasts Win Season Finale

(Shelby Township) – The Grand Traverse Bay YMCA girls gymnastics team finished their regular season the same way they started it – with individual event gold medalists, all around champions, and a team victory.

Last week’s Major League All-Star Invitational/State Qualifier, hosted by Olympia Gymnastics Academy, was the final regular meet of the season for the Y gymnasts, who now move on to State Meet competitions.

“We had a great regular season,” said coach Jennifer Van Deinse. “In fact, we had at least two all around champions at every meet we competed in this year.”

Level 7 gymnasts Annie Gerstner and Kendra Benak again led the YMCA team with all around first place gold medals. Benak placed first on vault, beam, and floor to help her win the 13 & under all around division, and Gerstner placed second on beam and won vault, bars, and floor to cement her all around first place gold medal in the 12 & under division. The YMCA’s Francie Flores placed second all around behind Gerstner, the sixth meet this season the duo has finished 1-2.

With Benak’s fall on bars, however, it was up to Patricia Davis, in her first meet back from injury, to provide the necessary score to seal the team victory for the Level 7 gymnasts. Twin sister Amy Davis, also in her first meet back from injury, captured third place on bars for the Level 6 YMCA team.

Kayla Jackson led the Level 6 gymnasts with a characteristically steady performance, placing second all around behind a second place vault, a third place beam routine, and a fifth place showing on floor. Olivia Flores placed third on floor and tied for sixth place all around. Samantha Neddo placed fourth on floor, fifth on beam, and seventh on bars, while Rachel Ovalle captured fourth on bars and floor.

Each of the YMCA’s Level 5 competitors received blue ribbons for their all around scores. Individual event medals are not awarded at Level 5 state qualifiers. Level 5 gymnasts include Sierra Klein, Kayla Brady, Jade Turner, Annemarie Jenkins, and Darby Drake.

The Level 6 State Meet will be held May 1 – 2 in Traverse City, followed by the Level 5 State meet May 7 – 8 in Freeland and the Level 7 State Meet May 14 – 15 in Kalamazoo. For more information about Y gymnastics, visit www.gtbayymca.org, or call Y Gymnastics supervisor Betsy Van Deinse at 929-2869.

Level 5 (left to right): Annemarie Jenkins, Jade Turner, Darby Drake, Kayla Brady, Sierra Klein

Level 6 (left to right): Rachel Ovalle, Kayla Jackson, Samantha Neddo, Olivia Flores, Amy Davis

Level 7 (left to right): first row: Gina Van Deinse, Kendra Benak, Francie Flores, Jennifer Van Deinse, Kelly Van Deinse. Upper Row Annie Gerstner, Patricia Davis

All Y Soccer Games are CANCELLED FOR 4/16/2011

Family Fun Night at Y Early Childhood Center

Family Fun Night tonight at the Y Early Childhood Center. FFN brings families together for fun, food, and activities. The YMCA Child Care Center is located on 1100 Woodmere Ave, Suite B, Traverse City, and holds a Family Fun Night geared toward younger children on the third Friday of each month from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. Free to YMCA members and $15 per family for non-members.

Thanks for helping build the New Y!

We thank our donors to the New YMCA Capital Campaign who have donated $5.8 million toward the campaign goal of $12 million.

Click here for current donor list

Concept picture of New Y Aquatic Center that will teach 2,000 kids how to swim each year and be a place where people of  all ages can swim for fitness. Perspective is from upper level viewing hare that has seating for 100 for swim meets.

Make your personal donation or pledge at Your Community Foundation . 

Quick Start Tennis

A group of children showed here getting introduced to tennis through the Quick Start tennis. Balls, racquets, and court size is smaller to allow children to play more as they get the basics of play. Here they are learning at the tennis courts at the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA.

 

Photos by Mary Jo Schmude

Youth Soccer Schedules

Find all Grand Traverse Bay YMCA 2011 Spring Youth Soccer schedules by clicking this link:

Click here for the schedules!

Kids getting ready to play on the New YMCA Meijer Athletic Fields
Photo Credit: John Russell

Y Lacrosse: Crease Campaign

Crease Campaign

Published: Tuesday, April 12, 2011, Grand Traverse Insider

By GREG GIELCZYK
Sports Editor

Senior attack man Pat Wilson looks for an opening during Traverse City Crusader Y lacrosse practice at the new YMCA fields on Silver Lake Road last week. The Crusaders are made up of players from Traverse City St. Francis. Photo by Greg Gielczyk

Crusaders on a mission to capture league title

TRAVERSE CITY – Graduation took a bite out of the Traverse City Crusaders' defense from last year, but it didn't completely sweep the cupboard bare. There's enough experience coming back to help offset the losses.

Not that the team won't feel the absence of several outstanding midfielders, but there are enough players coming back who saw extensive action last season to help make the losses less painful.

One thing the Crusaders, made up of players from Traverse City St. Francis, know for sure is that their competition isn't going to shed any tears for their troubles.

Everyone is shooting for the YMCA Northern Michigan Lacrosse League championship with pre-season practice in full gear, and any edge a team can get is welcome.

Returning between nine and 10 solid players, all of whom gained valuable experience a year ago, certainly boosts the Crusaders' chances of getting back to the league title game.

"We've got some really good team speed, and it's just how well we gel together," said head coach William Grombala, Jr. during a sunny but chilly practice last week at the new Grand Traverse Bay YMCA fields on Silver Lake Road.

"Obviously, we want to get off to a good, fast start. Everybody has gotten better. We've been practicing since January.

"The level of competition is going to be up substantially. We're just going to take it that proverbial one game at a time and get after them."

Grombala, Jr. is installing a new offense this season, one that permits considerably more individual creativity that he hopes will promote more scoring.

Basically, it involves controlling spots on the field. When a space is vacated, other players move to that area.

"It just gives them the ability to be on the move, catch a ball on the fly, maybe get shot, maybe get a pass," the coach said.

"We've definitely have some good ideas of what we want to do with the talent that we have."

The Crusaders' offense is bolstered with the return of last year's leading scorer, Patrick Wilson.

Shoring up the midfield positions are Briggs Richmond and Quinn Lyman, who'll be counted on heavily.

Also back is junior middie Nick Clear, who is beginning his second season as a starter. His teammates voted him Most Valuable Player in 2010.

When the Crusaders' starting goalie broke his leg snowboarding last winter, it forced Grombala, Jr. to use two inexperienced players between the pipes.

Nathan Lodge gives the Crusaders that experienced goaltender they were missing last year.

With their new-look offense, the Crusaders should be fun to watch.

Grombala, Jr. also hopes it leads to more victories.

Next week: TC Thunder preview.

Y Lacrosse: Buck Strong

Buck Strong

Published: Tuesday, April 12, 2011, Grand Traverse Insider

By GREG GIELCZYK
Sports Editor

With veteran goaltender Zane Rusinowski and key defenders returning, the Grand Traverse YMCA Bucks expect to improve on last year's 7-7 record, with definite designs on reaching the league championship game. File photo by Greg Gielczyk

Team looks for fast start, solid finish

TRAVERSE CITY – Coach Steve Cerone wants to break the Traverse City Bucks' habit of opening slow and finishing strong in Grand Traverse YMCA lacrosse.

He hopes that the Bucks can get off to a fast start, and maintain their momentum right on through the Northern Michigan Lacrosse Conference playoffs.

A league title would be the ultimate payoff, and that's clearly the team's goal as it prepares to kickoff the 2011 campaign on April 7 at home against Cadillac.

Comprised of players from Traverse City West, the Bucks usually struggle early in the season before finding their groove and making a late run.

Last year's 7-7 finish was the team's best since its inception just four years ago, but Cerone knows it could have been much better.

In the league playoffs, the Bucks reached the semifinals where they were defeated by the Crusaders, 10-5.

The Crusaders, whose players are from Traverse City St. Francis, fell to the Thunder in the championship game. The Thunder's roster is filled with Traverse City Central players.

"I consider it was a success," Cerone said of the Bucks' 2010 season. "Every team within our division we played twice, and improved with every game.

"Our biggest highlight was we lost to (the Crusaders), 14-3 the first time and then we beat them the second time, 11-8.

"Basically, we kind of finished where I was hoping for. But, it would have been great to have made it into the championship."

Every team goes into the season with high hopes of making it to the championship game, and the Bucks certainly have that goal this season.

The Bucks lost only one starter, top defenseman Ian Howe, to graduation and return seven starters – including veteran goaltender Zane Rusinowski.

Cerone is high on a couple of newcomers, Colin Peters and German foreign exchange student Malte Eumseil.

Both are midfielders. Peters played on the West hockey team, and is in excellent physical condition.

Where the Bucks should be strongest is in the attack ranks with the return of two four-year starters in J.J. Chouinard and Adam Debevec. Cerone also expects big things from sophomore Jake Monette.

Despite losing Howe, the Bucks' defense has experience, and is battle-tested.

"Our midfield is young from last year, but they've improved tremendously," Cerone stated. "Hopefuly, we can pull off a win against Cadillac."

The Bucks are faced with a challenging early-season schedule, facing every team in the conference from April 7 to April 21.

"In the past we've kind of gotten off to a slower start, and improved through the year," Cerone commented. "So, this year I'm hoping that we start off ahead of ourselves, and hopefully improve (from there)."

The Bucks are inching toward a league title this year, and are determined to sweep all ahead of them in order to reach that goal.

Next week: TC Crusaders preview

Contact Greg Gielczyk at ggielczyk@jackpine.net.

Olympic Request : Janet Evans

Olympic Request

Published: Tuesday, April 12, 2011, Grand Traverse Insider

By GREG GIELCZYK
Sports Editor

Olympic gold-medalist Janet Evans will lend her support to the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA's fundraising campaign to build a new facility on Silver Lake Road. Evans will speak in Traverse City May 12 at the State Theatre. Photo Special to the Insider

Gold medalist to assist Y in fundraising goal

TRAVERSE CITY – As a graduate of a YMCA swimming program herself, four-time Olympic gold medalist Janet Evans didn't hesitate when approached about lending her support to the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA's fundraising campaign to build a new facility on Silver Lake Road.

As part of the new complex, a competition pool is planned pending a successful fundraising effort.

Evans, who held three world records that have since been broken, enrolled in swimming classes in her home town and began competitive swimming at an early age.

She's appearing in Traverse City on May 12 at the State Theatre from 7-8:15 p.m. through the auspices of "The New Y Capital Campaign." Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for high school students and those 13 and younger will be admitted free if accompanied by a parent or adult.

Tickets can be purchased through TREATickets.com, or at their kiosks in Horizon Books and at the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

At the end of the evening, there'll be a message about the fundraising campaign to build the new Y, and Evans will speak to the Breakers Swim Team.

The campaign committee and the Y's board of directors have set a goal of raising $4 million this year.

Evans feels it will be worth the cost.

"I learned how to swim at a Y, and it obviously changed my life," said Evans, who lives in Los Angeles and has two small children of her own.

"It took me on the course that I found myself on. My mom doesn’t know how to swim, and my dad just kind of floats.

"They took my brothers and me to the Y when I was 18 months old, so I feel very strong about the Y swimming programs. I feel strongly, also, about drowning prevention.

"I have two children of my own now, a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old, and I realize how important it is to teach children how to swim."

Evans pointed out that drownings are the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5.

"You guys have a lot of lakes, and a lot of water around you, and I think every child needs the opportunity to learn how to swim," she remarked. "The Y is the perfect place for them. So, I think you guys need a pool, and that's why I'm coming."

Once she turned to competitive swimming, Evans quickly excelled, breaking the world record in he 400, 800 and 1,500-meter freestyle events when she was 15 back in 1987.

Evans picked up her first gold medal at the Seoul Olympics in 1988, competing in the 400-meter individual medley. She brought home two other golds as well. In her final Olympic appearance in 1998, she carried the Olympic torch.

"I had two older brothers, so I was very competitive with them," Evans says of her desire to race. "I joined the team when I was 4.

"But, I didn't really get the fire to compete in the Olympics until I was 12. The Olympics came to Los Angeles, and I was able to watch some of the swimming. That really inspired me to do it.

"For me, it was a question of just working hard. It just kind of grew from there."

It took a lot of hard work, including swimming about 12 miles a day.

Parental support and great coaching helped.

"I was tough mentally," Evans said. "I kind of like to think my stars were aligned, and I had some good opportunities. It all kind of fell into place."

Her stature as a world-class swimmer gives her instant credibility with her audience.

"It helps people to listen," event organizer Lynn Schultz said. "There's a great need for another pool here open to the public. The one at the Civic Center is more than 30 years old. It just isn't enough for this community, and I don't know how long it can continue to function."

Schultz added that the group is serious about what they're doing, and they care.

Kicking it off with a fun event for the community will hopefully spark increased interest.

Contact Greg Gielczyk at ggielczyk@jackpine.net.

Olympian Janet Evans to speak in TC

Olympic Champion Swimmer Brings Her Support For The New Y and Pool To Traverse City

Traverse  City, MI – Considered by many to be the greatest U S  female distance swimmer of all time, Janet Evans will visit Traverse City to support the construction of the new Y building.  Evans will make a  public presentation at the State Theatre on Front Street. 

Evans faced Olympic competition in 1988, 1992 and 1996 and captured four gold medals and one silver.  She went on to win 17 international titles and held world records in the 400 meter, 800 meter and 1,500 meter free style events. 

A tireless spokesperson for personal fitness, Evans will speak on “Swimming for Sport, Health and Safety”, on Thursday, May 12 at 7 p.m. at the State Theatre. Tickets for this public presentation are $15 for adults, $10 for high school students and free to youth under 13 when accompanied by an adult.  The tickets are available online at TREATickets.com and through the kiosks at Horizon Books on Front Street and the Convention and Visitors Bureau on Union and Grandview Parkway.  Tickets will also be sold at the Dennos Museum box office.

Supporters of building the New Y will use this as an opportunity to kick off their     efforts to reach this year’s goal of $4 million in added gifts and pledges.  This would position the Y to obtain bids for this project in 2012.  The Y currently does not own their facilities on Racquet Club Drive.  We have purchased property on Silver Lake Road for a new facility to meet the growing needs of the region.   The new facility would include a much needed public swimming pool.   Despite the beauty of the water all around us, there are many youth who never learn to swim and the tragic consequences are incidents of drowning. 

More information about Janet Evans’ appearance is available online at TREATickets and for campaign giving at 4good4ever.org The YMCA Capital Campaign. 

Y EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPANDING BUILDING

First Published in the Grand Traverse Insider – April 10, 2011

Y EARLY CHILDHOOD EXPANDING BUILDING

By Dagny Monette

Y Director of Child Care, Families, and Camp

The Y Early Childhood Center had to recently build a new room and rearrange our configuration of our classrooms so that we could serve more children.

We, at the Grand Traverse Bay YMCA, take our commitment to the community seriously.  We believe that we have a responsibility to meet the needs of those in the Grand Traverse area by providing the very best programs possible.

As most people are already aware, the Y works hard to offer the best in sports, fitness, camps, and family programming.  Even though our Center has been open since February, 2009, many people don’t know that we have also dedicated ourselves to providing area families with high quality child care.

We know that working parents in our region are in need of top-notch child care at a reasonable cost and we have set out to meet that need.  In fact, in our six-county area, sixty-seven percent of children under the age of five come from households in which both parents work outside of the home.  We are working to provide those families with a high quality child care option at our Early Childhood Center and the response from the community has been great.

Nationally, the YMCA is the largest provider of child care in the country and the Grand Traverse Bay Y is following suit.  In fact, since just October, we have seen our enrollment increase by over 65%.  Because of the high demand for our program we have decided to expand and just opened a fifth classroom in our Early Childhood Center this week.

We’re excited about this growth and are thrilled that so many families are choosing to partner with us for their child’s care and early education.  We’re proud to be able to offer a high quality, values-based program designed to meet each child’s individual needs.  With our new addition, we’re able to provide classrooms for children from infancy through pre-k.

Our Early Childhood Center encompasses a classroom for Infants (birth-12 months), Young Toddlers (12-20 months), and Toddlers (20-29 months).  Along with a Preschool (2 ½ - 3 ½ year olds) and a Pre-K (3 ½ - 5 year olds) classroom.  We have a classroom for everyone.  The facility is a 9,600 square foot building with its own gymnasium and outdoor playground.  Our center is adjacent to the TART trail which we use to access the library for weekly story time visits.

The children in our center are able to grow, learn, explore, and play in a safe and nurturing environment that is set up for their success.  We focus on providing students with an age-appropriate curriculum for all stages of childhood development from birth through age five.

We know that 90% percent of a child’s brain development occurs by the age of five and we know what a positive impact we can have on children during those first years.  We value and appreciate the opportunity to be a part of those formative years for so many children.

Our highly trained staff members know how to engage children in their own learning and are skilled at helping children develop a life-long love of learning.  That caring, dedicated staff is our biggest strength.  Their love for children and their commitment to providing the best care possible is the backbone of our program.

However, our work doesn’t stop there.  We’re more than just what takes place within the walls of the Early Childhood Center, we are the Y.  We build a sense of belonging within the community by giving families opportunities to get to know us and one another outside of child care.  For example, we hold a Family Fun Night event at our center on the third Friday of each month.  This event gives families a chance to gather together for a meal, fun activities, and a chance to socialize with one another.

Parents have told us that the accountability of the program was one of the factors in choosing the Y Early Child Care program. The program is part of the larger Grand Traverse Bay YMCA with its 65 programs, its Board of Directors, and it affiliation with the YMCA of the USA where this program is accountable to a larger program both locally and nationally. They have the security of a state licensed program and the rigor of the State of Michigan’s approval process.

Our early childhood program is another example of our commitment to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. We will continue to grow, build and develop the program to meet the needs or our families and employers of our region.

To learn more about the Grand Traverse Bay Y Early Childhood Center, visit our website www.gtbayymca.org, check out our Facebook fan page, or contact Dagny Monette at 421-3568.

Still time to sign up for Y Spring Classes!

Click here for registration information