On April 7, the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka will host its fourth annual fundraising event, MOVE TO GIVE, taking place simultaneously across our region in Barrie, Collingwood, Gravenhurst, Innisfil, Midland, Orillia, Parry Sound and Wasaga Beach. To kick start this massive fundraising event, 78 YMCA Child Care and school age programs across Simcoe/Muskoka hosted “Moving and Grooving.” Children and their families collected “change to make change” in their communities across the region and raised over $24,000 towards the event goal of $100,000.
To keep this momentum going, we’re asking our community to join the more than 1,300 people across Simcoe/Muskoka who came out last year to raise funds to help provide over 15,000 people with access to YMCA programs!
Building Healthy Communities
Being physically fit is only one part of having a healthy life. There are a number of social determinants affecting the health of our communities, such as childhood obesity, social isolation, chronic disease, unemployment, youth development and poor health and lifestyle choices. At the Y, we’re committed to continually assessing the needs of families in our comm
unities to understand how to serve them best through our programs and services. We provide a wide variety of programs that offer invaluable resources throughout our communities including health, fitness and recreation programs, education, child care, employment and training programs, immigrant settlement services, camp and outdoor skills, leadership and volunteer development.
The goal of this tremendous fundraising event is to not only raise funds to help our children, youth, adults and families access YMCA programs, regardless of their ability to pay, but to continue to provide the necessary community programs to help address these social issues today and for generations to come.
To encourage families to come out and be active on April 7, we’ve got activities for all ages. From running or walking 5km to massive indoor cycling sessions, triathlon, swimming challenges, fire truck pull and more — participants will have the opportunity to challenge themselves physically while at the same time, give back to their community and have fun!
We hope you’ll join us on April 7 to help raise money for this important cause. For complete schedules of what’s happening in each community, and to register for events, please visit www.movetogive.ca.
Thank you for your continued support!
Rob Armstrong is President and CEO of the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka; focused on investing in communities, ensuring all people have access to the Y and implementing programs that are helping thousands of youth and families to learn and thrive. Prior to joining the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka in 2011, Rob held senior leadership positions at the YMCA of Edmonton, YMCA of Owen Sound, YMCA of Cambridge and most recently YMCA Ontario. Rob holds an Honours degree in Physical and Health Education from Queen’s University and has since augmented his education with advanced courses from the Harvard Business School of Entrepreneurship, Ivy School of Business and Queen’s University Executive Education Program.
Since coming to Simcoe/Muskoka, Rob has taken an active leadership role in the Child, Youth and Family Services Coalition of Simcoe County and Barrie’s Pathways to end homelessness. He served on a number of boards including local Community Foundations, Affordable Housing, Parks and Recreation Ontario and the Minister of Health Promotions Health Advisory Committee.