A Message Regarding Safety Practices at the Y

A Message Regarding Safety Practices at the Y

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Dear Members, 
As I am sure you are aware, we are now in the 2nd wave of the pandemic. New Jersey is recording its highest case counts since March. This at a time when many are experiencing pandemic fatigue, and some are letting their guards down. 
However, the YMCA of Montclair continues to put safety first and abide by protocols set by the Montclair Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control. 
WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO PUT SAFETY FIRST 
  • Our Park Street YMCA’s air ventilation has received important upgrades including the installation of two airPHX systems; the HVAC system has been thoroughly cleaned and HEPA filters replaced with MERV 13 filters, and a REME-HALO RGF Air Purification System unit has been installed onto our HVAC system that services the Aquatics areas.  
  • Continuous rigorous cleaning practices to sanitize rooms, pool areas, gym equipment, and touched surfaces by trained staff. 
  • Once a day we close our Park Street Facility for deep cleaning, including using an electro-static sprayer on our equipment.
  • Implemented our MotionVibe reservation system to ensure capacity regulations and, if necessary, contact tracing. 
  • Required mandatory mask-wearing, temperature check, and health screening per the State of NJ for all who enter our buildings. 
  • Mandated capacities in all member spaces, and created signage to help members maintain physical distancing. 
  • Equipment has been moved to create maximum distancing between members.
Many times, the phrase “we are all in this together” has been used during this pandemic. It’s up to all of us to take the following measures so that the YMCA of Montclair can stay open and be here for all our members.
WHAT WE EXPECT FROM EACH OTHER 
  • Masks must be worn properly at all times covering your mouth and nose. Masks must be worn in locker rooms, pool areas prior to swimming, and while moving through the hallways. 
  • Social distance. Keep 6 feet apart.  
  • Wash your hands; use the hand sanitizer provided throughout the building. 
  • Help us protect each other and our staff by refraining from congregating. We understand that many members come to the Y for community, and we will return to socializing as soon as it’s safe.
Please know that we care deeply for the health and safety of our members and our staff, and we must abide by these rules to protect all. During this time, the Y has a mandatory mask-wearing policy. Thank you in advance for abiding by this and all of our COVID-related policies.
Although we are heading into the difficult winter months, we know that there is an end to this. Vaccines will be distributed. Better therapies exist now than in March. We can do this together. As a community that values the wellbeing of loved ones, our friends, our neighbors, and those we don’t know, we can do this. For A Better Us. 
Stay safe and be well, 
Buddy Evans 
President and CEO  

Sensory Room Installation at the Park Street YMCA

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A pre-pandemic project gets restarted! Eagle Scout candidate Samuel Lagasse’s Sensory Room project is back on track. A Sensory Room can help an individual with sensory issues learn to regulate negative reactions to external stimuli by developing coping skills for these experiences.

Lagasse and his team began creating a Sensory Room at our Geyer Family YMCA last fall. The team consisted of fellow scouts Denzell Loblack and Max Ferrante and Scoutmasters Carl Joslyn and David Lagasse. Last fall and winter, the scouts worked on concept, design and built their first piece, a double squeezer.

The project is now located in the Meeting Room at the Park Street YMCA. The team is back at work, installing the materials created in the fall and setting up the room with shelving and padding to turn a hard fireplace into a cozy crawlspace. Next up will be the addition of building blocks, walking pads, and some posters to finish the room and supplement some of the material that belonged to the previous location.

Take a peek at how the Sensory Room is coming along.

YMCA Of Montclair Receives $20,000 from Sovos Brand/Rao’s Homemade for Playground Construction at Geyer Family YMCA 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

YMCA Of Montclair Receives $20,000 from Sovos Brand/Rao’s Homemade for Playground Construction at Geyer Family YMCA 

Montclair, NJ — Put on hold this summer due to the pandemic was the YMCA of Montclair’s plans to break ground for a new playground behind the Geyer Family YMCA.  However, the dream of the playground was kept alive by staff, volunteers, and donors who believed in the importance of creating an imaginative and accessible public playground. 

The YMCA of Montclair has received generous donations from Investors Foundation, the Provident Bank Foundation, as well as several individual donors for the playground. Today, Sovos Brands/Rao’s Homemade joins this effort by generously providing the Y a contribution of $20,000 for playground construction. 

“Demonstrating support for our community is extremely important to us always, but especially during this time,” said Risa Cretella, Executive Vice President, Group General Manager at Sovos Brands/Rao’s Homemade. “We are thrilled to be part of making this playground possible and giving children a safe place to have fun and make friends.”   

“We would like to extend our deepest thanks to Sovos Brands/Rao’s Homemade,” said Buddy Evans, President & CEO of the YMCA of Montclair. “Having a place where local children of diverse abilities can engage in free play and healthy physical activity fills a real community need.”    

The playground was designed in collaboration with Professor Gary Fredriksen and student interns at Montclair State University’s Department of Art and Design. The playground was imagined as an accessible Rainbow themed playground that would include a Play Tower with an ADA staircase, slide, a greenhouse and florist play space, sand and water play, a tiered mountain riding road, an urban garden, and more. 

The Y plans to restart construction as soon as possible. The YMCA of Montclair is fundraising to reach their goal of $200,000 to build the playground.  If you are interested in donating, please contact Anneke Demarest, Chief Development Officer at ademarest@montclairymca.org.   

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ABOUT YMCA OF MONTCLAIR 

The YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that strengthens individuals, families, and community by developing spirit, mind, and body. We focus on healthy living, social responsibility, and youth development. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org. 

ABOUT SOVOS BRANDS
Sovos Brands is a food company with a mission to acquire and build one-of-a-kind brands that bring today’s consumers delicious food for joyful living. Sovos Brands invests in brands that have exciting growth potential, combining industry expertise with fresh thinking to bring its products into more homes across America.  

The brands in its portfolio include Rao’s, a line of premium pasta sauces, soups, frozen entrées and dry pasta; noosa, a producer of thick, velvety whole milk yoghurt; and Michael Angelo’s, a leading producer of authentic frozen Italian entrées. 

SOVOS™, RAO’S®, RAO’S HOMEMADE®, NOOSA® and MICHAEL ANGELO’S® are trademarks of Sovos Brands. 

Find out more about Sovos Brands at www.sovosbrands.com, Rao’s Homemade at www.raos.com, noosa at www.noosayoghurt.com, and Michael Angelo’s at www.michaelangelos.com. 

 

YMCA of Montclair Announces Formation of Education Committee

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Montclair, NJ — Since 1891, the YMCA of Montclair has served the greater Montclair community with a mission to address healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility.

To meet the challenges of a changing education and childcare landscape, the YMCA of Montclair launched an advisory Education Committee which met for the first time on September 15, 2020.

The Y’s childcare and education-based initiatives like School Aged Child Care and the Early Learning Center provide quality childcare to families onsite at the Geyer Family YMCA and in partnership with school districts. The newly formed Education Committee will provide guidance and expertise to the Y’s Youth Development Leadership team in the areas of childcare and youth education. “The volunteer committee is comprised of education professionals who have committed their time and expertise to help guide the Y to provide the highest quality early childhood education, school-age childcare, and educational support and enrichment,” said YMCA President and CEO Buddy Evans

The Education Committee will review services and support provided to students in Y programs, including curriculum; professional staff development; family engagement; public school partner communication; qualitative goal setting; and evaluation.

The Education Committee will add and adapt its goals as needs evolve in the community.

The YMCA of Montclair thanks the following education professionals for their service: Shirley Lewis, PhD; Izumi Hara; Michael Chiles; Tessie Thomas; Eve Robinson; Jennifer Finnerty; Sara B. Cruz; Naomi Kirkman; and Kim Santos, EdD who will serve as chair.

For more information about youth programs at the YMCA of Montclair, please visit www.montclairymca.org.

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ABOUT YMCA OF MONTCLAIR

The YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that strengthens individuals, families, and community by developing spirit, mind, and body. We focus on healthy living, social responsibility, and youth development. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford.

Faith Armstrong

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Faith Armstrong has been with the YMCA of Montclair for 30 years. During this time she has worn many hats but her passion is in child care. She has been the site director of the Cedar Grove after school program for 22 years before coming on board at the YMCA Early Learning Center. She has two grown boys who both grew up in Y programs. Faith has worked in the Y’s camp, after school, and early childhood programs. “I look forward to many years ahead working with your treasured gifts that you have entrusted to us on a daily basis.” During her free time, Faith enjoys baking and refinishing wooden furniture.

Angelica Velez

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Angelica is currently obtaining her Child Development Associate Credential. She has enjoyed teaching children ages 1 to 3 years old. She loves implementing creativity in her lessons and feels that it takes a village to raise children, so she is eager to build not only relationships with the children in her class but with their parents as well. Angelica is a mother of 2 boys ages 9 years old and 22 months. She is looking forward to working with your children and thanks you for sharing your precious little ones with her.