Thank You For Supporting Move to Give!

 

The YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka is pleased to announce that, despite a shift to a virtual format, the local charity’s premier event raised $50,000 last month. Given that the Y itself has experienced significant economic loss and setbacks due to the pandemic, this year’s event was of even greater importance than in previous years.

“We are blown away by the generosity of the community, from our sponsors to individual donors,” said YMCA Vice President, Brian Shelley. “Despite some tough decisions over the past year and a half, the Y is here for good and the success of this year’s Move to Give’s speaks to how much our community believes in the work we do as a charity.”

Move to Give started with a couple of dozen members who wanted to give back to their community and raise awareness for the YMCA. It has evolved over the years to include spin bikes, zumbathons, firetruck pulls, Nordic pole walking, weight lifting, stair climbing and more!

Due to the social distancing restrictions put in place and to ensure our community members’ health and safety, we decided to run this year’s 7th Annual Move to Give virtually, but that didn’t stop us from having fun. Participants of all ages got moving this year. Some chose to exercise at home, some played in parks, others opted to cycle near and far, and many walked with friends. Although we had to stay apart, Move to Give still managed to bring us together. Photo filters replaced our t-shirts, and most of our connecting happened on social media, but the spirit of Move to Give was alive and well.

 

 

 

 

 

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WHAT MOVES US?

We Move to Give for the opportunity to…

PLAY

• As the largest provider of licensed child care in our community, we welcome children from over 4,000 families across 75 licensed child care sites.
• We look forward to providing a safe space for 5,000 children to learn new skills and make new friends through our Day Camp Programs

“Joining youth leaders was an excellent opportunity for me to meet people that I can now consider lifelong friends. This program gave me chances to take initiative and leave my comfort zone, preparing me for any leadership role ahead.” – Justin, Youth Leadership 2014-2017

CONNECT

• Whether it is a child care centre, swimming pool, or employment centre, the Y creates a safe space for human interaction and connection
• The Y looks for creative ways to connect people with programs and services online when face-to-face interaction is impossible.

“Our community needs the Y because it keeps people healthy and strong all while building community and lifetime connections” – Catherine Z, Midland YMCA

TRANSFORM

• The Y connects with over 5,000 unemployed and underemployed individuals each year, supporting them on their journey to meaningful employment opportunities.
• The Y provides youth with opportunities to develop new skills and build positive social connections as they transition into adulthood.
• The Y connects thousands of people of all ages to the supports they need to live a healthy lifestyle. 1 in 10 YMCA members receives financial assistance to access our programs as they can’t afford to pay full fees.

“This life-changing experience not only made me think about things differently throughout my day-to-day life; it also gave me skills to help me become a hard worker.” – Courtney Lockhart, Youth Advisory Council Participant

BELONG

• Y members belong to something more than just a gym -they are part of a movement committed to building healthy communities by inspiring people to reach their full potential
• The Y offers safe places for youth to be with peers and the opportunity to express themselves.
• The Y provides the opportunity for people to support their neighbours by contributing to annual campaigns that make programs and services available to everyone.

“The Y is a safe space to help everyone stay active, which is so important for older adults, especially in the winter months when outdoor activities are limited and especially during the pandemic when we couldn’t travel to warmer weather and when there were so many extra things to worry about. We’ve been locked in for two years, rotting away stuck at home; our minds and bodies really suffered. The Y is working so hard to keep things clean and safe. I love coming here and seeing people of all ages and with many differences, it lets you know you belong. Keeping seniors active slows the need for long-term care and other supports” – Teresa, Midland YMCA Member

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This year’s presenting sponsor of Move to Give was Parkbridge.

“We recognize some people are really struggling these days, which is why continuing our support is so important to us. As fellow community builders, we at Parkbridge value the YMCA’s mission to make healthy living possible for everyone. On behalf of all my colleagues at Parkbridge, I’d like to thank everyone who took part and supported this year’s Move to Give event.” – Lachlan MacLean, Senior Vice President of Property Operations, Parkbridge

In addition to Parkbridge, the Y saw more businesses than ever before step up to sponsor Move to Give this year:

To learn more about how to support the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka, please visit www.GiveToTheY.ca.