The first class

When the YMCA opened in Grimsby, Barb taught the very first fitness class in the gym. “I remember it was a Monday,” she says. “I was teaching an aerobics class… and I remember going out there going, well, we’re going to break the floor in today.”

That day included two classes back-to-back: cardio followed by muscle. The facility had just opened, and Barb was excited to help get things started. Sixteen years later, she’s still leading classes and helping people stay active. You can find Barb several times a week teaching AquaFit, HIIT, GentleFit, Strength Training, and more classes at Niagara West YMCA.

Don’t let the gray hair fool you

Barb has a sense of humour about the assumptions people sometimes make when they see her teaching. Other staff will tell people “Don’t let the gray hair fool you, she’ll kick your rear end in her classes.”

One day, two younger participants joined her HIIT class and quickly realized she wasn’t joking. “At the end of the class they came over and said, ‘You were right. I can’t believe how hard that was!’”

Her classes are energetic and challenging, but they’re also full of encouragement.

More than a workout

During our conversation with Barb in the YMCA lobby, the interview kept pausing as people stopped by to say hello. For Barb, those moments are exactly why she volunteers. “I’m not getting financial, obviously,” she says. “But I’m getting friendships.” She works hard to create that same sense of connection inside her classes.

“I hope they become social. They make friends and connections,” she says. Participants start recognizing each other, making plans to attend the same classes, and encouraging each other to keep showing up.

Removing barriers

Even with decades of experience, Barb appreciates the support the YMCA offers volunteers. When she began volunteering, the YMCA helped her complete certification and training at no cost. “So I certified through them and it didn’t cost me anything,” she says. That support helps volunteers bring their skills and passion into the community.

Why she keeps coming back

After all these years, Barb says volunteering still gives her a sense of purpose. “It gives me purpose… it gives me like I’m committed to something more than myself,” she says. And the reward is simple. “The reward you get back is the smiles.”

Across the YMCA of Niagara, volunteers help create those moments every day, whether they’re supporting in child care programs, helping at community events, assisting at day camp, or leading fitness classes like Barb.

“What I love about volunteering,” she says, “is that I get more out of giving than I get.”

If you’re interested in getting involved, you can learn more about YMCA volunteer opportunities here.