From Program Participant to People Leader From her first swim lesson to leading the YMCA of Niagara’s people and culture initiatives, Connie’s lifelong journey with the YMCA is one of growth, resilience, and dedication. Beginning as a young swimmer hesitant to get her face wet, she overcame countless challenges to become a mentor, a first-generation university graduate, and now an HR Manager. Throughout every chapter, the YMCA has provided Connie [...]
Where Fitness and Friendships Unite: Mark Crecco's Story By Jen Schmaltz When Mark Crecco moved to Beamsville in the summer of 2023, he knew only a handful of people. Though his family had been in the area for over a decade, Mark was starting from scratch as a newcomer from Montreal, looking for ways to connect with his new community. He didn’t expect the local YMCA to become [...]
Meet Anthony & Joey: A Father-Son Duo on a Wellness Journey, Strengthening Their Bond at the YMCA By Jen Schmaltz Anthony and his son Joey were no strangers to fitness. Before the pandemic, they had been members of the YMCA of Niagara in Grimsby. Still, like many others, their routine was interrupted when the world came to a standstill. With the reopening of the YMCA post-COVID, Anthony and [...]
Water Safety Tips Republished with permission from ACTIVE FOR LIFE According to the Canadian Lifesaving Society, drowning is the number one cause of unintentional injury deaths among children between 1 and 4 years of age, and the second leading cause of preventable death for children under 10. Learning to swim is the best way to stay safe and prevent drownings. The society says that to survive an unexpected fall into deep water, the [...]
Study: Early Swimming Promotes Early Development Republished with permission from ACTIVE FOR LIFE Swimming is one of the most important skills that children can learn. Swimming provides for basic safety in and around water, and it also opens the door to dozens of other water-based activities ranging from canoeing and kayaking to kite sailing. But the benefits go even further. Research suggests that learning to swim in early childhood leads [...]
