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Y Water Rats Honored at Annual Recognition Night

Friday, May 3, 2013 by:Family Y
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Graduating seniors from the Y’s Water Rat Swim Team at the annual Recognition Night, held at Bedford Middle School, with Head Coach Ellen Johnston (l to r): Matt Wetmore, Sarah Cooperman, Naina Thota, Robert DeLuca and Maddie Prangley. Not pictured: David Fleming.

Graduating seniors from the Y’s Water Rat Swim Team at the annual Recognition Night, held at Bedford Middle School, with Head Coach Ellen Johnston (l to r): Matt Wetmore, Sarah Cooperman, Naina Thota, Robert DeLuca and Maddie Prangley. Not pictured: David Fleming.

The Water Rat Parents Club and Y Swim Coaches hosted the annual WRAT Recognition Night at Bedford Middle School on Friday, Apr. 26. Nearly 300 guests were on hand for a celebratory dinner, followed by an awards ceremony for graduating seniors and special recognition of other members of the 2012-2013 Westport Weston Family Y’s 200-member youth swim team.

Find more photos from the night on the Family Y Facebook page, and this slideshow on the Water Rat’s web pages.

Sarah Cooperman received the Water Rats Parents’ Club Bob Knoebel Scholarship, which honors Bob Knoebel, who retired as the Family Y’s Aquatics Director and 8 & Under swim coach in 2005. During his 29 years at the Y, Bob was very involved in community activities and events, creating the Point-to-Point Swim at Compo Beach, held each July, and the Strong Kids Triathlon, which the Y hosts at Staples High School each September.

This award is presented to a graduating senior who started swimming as an 8 & Under and who is involved in an activity of interest outside of swimming.  Sarah has volunteered at the Maritime Center of Norwalk for a number of years. Additionally, she was selected by Gault Energy in alliance with Polar Bear International as an Arctic Ambassador; she traveled to Churchill, Manitoba – known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World – with other youth to learn about and discuss global initiatives.

Apr. 26 2013 Rogers2Naina Thota received the Andrew Sawyer Memorial Award for her contributions to the team. The award honors Andrew Sawyer, who competed for the Water Rats in the 1980s. A nationally ranked swimmer, Andrew was the quintessential teammate.  He knew everyone’s name on the team and always had nice things to say to and about people. Lost at a young age due to an undetected heart defect, Andrew embodies the Y’s core values of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility.

Charlie West received the Cameron Bruce Memorial Award for representing the ideals of the Family Y in and out of the pool. The award honors Cameron Bruce, a former Water Rat, who died in an accident in 2010 at Queens University in Ontario. Not only was Cameron a talented swimmer, he was also a gifted musician and devoted volunteer who was deeply engaged in his community during his childhood in Westport.

The award in Cameron’s memory is presented to a Water Rat swimmer who steps up and shows on his/her own how to give back the Water Rat Swim Team, the Y and the community. Last year, Charlie spearheaded the “Swim for Bucks” swim-a-thon to raise money for the Y’s Building What Matters Capital Campaign to fund and construct a new facility at its 32-acre Mahackeno campus just north of downtown Westport.

Mary Cooperman is this year’s recipient of the Ann Atkinson Volunteer of the Year Award. It’s given in memory of a Water Rat parent who recognized that the success of a non-profit organization like the Y is due to its volunteer corps.  Ann developed the PET-WRAT program, which offers swim parents ways in which they can volunteer and earn credit.  This program has become the model for many swim teams throughout the country.

Apr. 26 2013 HunterMary Cooperman, the mother of Sarah, is a dedicated Water Rat parent and Y volunteer who, like Ann Atkinson, knows that much of the important work at our charitable organization is accomplished behind the scenes. From helping to develop and maintain the Water Rat website to contributing her design talents to the Building What Matters campaign, to being involved with the Parents Club Nominating Committee and helping with many years of swim-meet needs, Mary exemplifies the selfless service that Ann Atkinson performed and inspired in others.

“The success of our team is not solely in the water,” says Ellen Johnston, Head Coach. “We have a tremendous support group in our parents as we strive to help develop each swimmer to be the best they can be, in and out of the pool.  Our swimmers are a wonderful group of young people who are willing to challenge themselves, who are stellar ambassadors of the Water Rat Swim Team and who develop vital life skills and life-long friendships along the way.”

The Water Rat Swim Team is a year-round, nationally recognized competitive swim program organized and operated by the Aquatics Department of the Westport Weston Family Y.  The Water Rats compete in Y competition at the local level through dual meets and at the state and national level. The team is also a registered USA Swimming Team sanctioned by Connecticut Swimming, Inc. and competes in USA competitive swimming at the local, regional, state, zone and national level.

For more information about the Family Y’s Water Rat Swim Team, visit http://www.westporty.org or contact Ellen Johnston at 203-226-8981, ext. 110 or ejohnston@westporty.org.

Apr. 26 2013 Group 1

 

Family Y Swim Programs Offer Mix of Fun, Physical Activity and Safety

Tuesday, April 23, 2013 by:Family Y
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A young swimmer has fun taking the plunge at the Y's Splash! Week learn-to-swim program.

A young swimmer has fun taking the plunge at the Y’s Splash! Week learn-to-swim program.

As swim season approaches, the Westport Weston Family Y encourages local children and parents to explore the many benefits of swimming, while also keeping safety top of mind. In the Y’s swim programs, participants can enjoy water sports, enhance or learn new techniques, meet new friends and develop confidence, while also learning safety skills that can save lives.

“Swimming is a fun and enjoyable activity for children and adults alike, and it’s an easy way to stay physically active and improve strength, flexibility and stamina,” said Nicole Turechek, Aquatics Director. “The Family Y is committed to providing as many opportunities as possible for everyone to swim and learn water safety practices – a vital life skill in a community like ours, blessed with so many beaches, inland streams and lakes and backyard pools.”

“We’re also fortunate to have the support of community partners like the Stew Leonard III Children’s Charities, which sponsors Splash! Week, our newest learn-to-swim program,” Turechek adds. “With their help, we were able to offer children daily half-hour lessons during the April School Vacation at a cost of only $20 for the entire week.” (See below for a  photo gallery of fun images from Splash! Week.)

Stewie the Duck, the Leonard Charities’ ever-popular mascot, will be back at the Y during the Y’s Hafaday Summer Swim Lesson Program. Now in its 36th season, Hafaday provides children ages 4 to 8 weekly sessions throughout the summer. Held from 8:45 am to 12:30 pm each day, Hafaday has both a lesson and free swim, with arts & crafts, music and gym time rounding out each morning of fun. Enrollment is under way at www.westporty.org; parents are encouraged to sign up their children soon, as most sessions fill to capacity.

Registration for the Y’s Summer Session begins Monday, May 6, with new classes starting on June 24. There are a variety of programs to choose, including parent-child swim classes, pre-school and youth swim lessons, as well as semi- and private swim lessons, at any age, with or without a parent.

Kim and Stew Leonard read from their Stewie the Duck book, a kids' favorite.

Kim and Stew Leonard read from their Stewie the Duck book, a kids’ favorite.

The Family Y also offers a wide range of Aqua Fitness classes, from Ruth Sherman’s treasured Senior Aqua Fitness classes in the warm-water Brophy Pool to Patty Kondub’s energetic sessions in the Stauffer Shallows. Those looking for even more of a challenge can try our Deep Water Workouts, held Friday evenings from 6:30-7:30 pm.

May is National Water Safety Month, an opportune time for the Family Y to recommend that all adults and children in their care practice the following safety tips when in and around the water:

  • Only swim when and where there is a lifeguard on duty; never swim alone.
  • Adults should constantly and actively watch their children.
  • Inexperienced or non-swimmers should wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
  • Parents or guardians of young children should be within an arm’s reach.
  • Children and adults should not engage in breath holding activities.

In addition to learning lifesaving water safety skills, children can increase their physical activity by swimming. Only 19 percent of U.S. children get 60 minutes of physical activity a day, according to the latest findings of the YMCA’s Family Health Snapshot – a survey that gauges children’s activity levels during the school year

Swimming motivates children to strive for self-improvement, teaches goal orientation, and cultivates a positive mental attitude and high self-esteem. It also teaches life lessons of sport and sportsmanship, so that children can learn how to work well with teammates and coaches and how to deal with winning and losing.

A young Water Rat at the annual Blue-Red meet this winter, a fun event featuring kids and parents.

A young Water Rat at the annual Blue-Red meet this winter, a fun event featuring kids and parents.

The Family Y is also home to the Water Rat Swim Team, a nationally competitive group of 200-plus young swimmers, as well as the Y Masters, an equally accomplished team of adult swimmers who participate in organized workouts throughout the week and compete in national meets.

There is a place for everyone at the Y – anyone at any skill level can take swimming lessons. It is never too late to learn how to swim and to enjoy the water. The Y offers two levels of adult instructional swim classes, for beginners and intermediate swimmers, and private lessons.

As a leading nonprofit committed to youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y has been a leader in providing swim lessons and water safety for more than 120 years. Since its founding in 1923, our local Y has taught more than 33,000 local children how to swim! And to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate in our Y’s swim programs, financial assistance is available to those in need to help cover the costs.

To learn more about the Westport Weston Family Y’s swim programs, please contact Nicole Turechek at 203-226-8981, ext. 128, or nturechek@westporty.org.

Y Support for SpinOdyssey2013 and Race for the Cure Events

Thursday, April 4, 2013 by:Family Y
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The Westport Weston Family Y is proud to support the first annual Fairfield County Race for the Cure, scheduled to take place in Westport at Sherwood Island State Park on Saturday, May 11, Mother’s Day weekend. Conducted by the Connecticut Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the family event raises awareness and funds for breast cancer research and local breast cancer programs.

Events at the Race for the Cure in Westport include a 5K Race, 5K and 1.5K Walks, a Kids’ Short Run and Kids’ K and a Survivor Breakfast. The Westport Weston Family Y is one of many local sponsors. In addition to fielding a Family Y Race for the Cure team, the Y is conducting weekly training classes to help walkers and runners gear up for the event.

Led by Y Fitness Instructor Perry Moody, the class takes place on Thursday mornings, 9:30 – 10:30 am. Participants meet in the Stauffer Pool Lobby before heading outdoors, weather permitting, for a spirited workout session that combines walking and jogging along with advice from Moody on improving your technique for both.

“It’s a great way not only to support a great cause, but also to get into shape for the outdoor months ahead,” said Shelley Moll, Health and Wellness Director for the Family Y, who adds that the class is designed to benefit everyone, from first-time 5K walkers and racers to more experienced runners.

To join the Family Y Race for the Cure team, form a team, or register as an individual, please visit www.komenct.org.

The inaugural Race for the Cure event gives Y members and other active volunteers a new opportunity to lend “muscle” in support of a worthy cause. For years, a Family Y team of Spinning and cycling enthusiasts has been one of the most successful contributors to SpinOdyssey, an annual fundraiser for breast cancer research co-founded 14 years ago by Y staffer Patty Kondub (shown at right, holding banner with last year’s Family Y team).

SpinOdyssey 2013 takes place on Sunday, May 5, from 9 am to 3 pm at a new venue: In Westport, under tents at the Imperial Avenue parking lot (the site of the Farmer’s Market held on Thursdays). To join the Family Y SpinOdyssey team, contact Y Spin Instructor Judy Samuels at getgoingfitness@hotmail.com. You can sign up for 2, 4, or 6 hours on the bike; volunteers are always welcome, too. Individuals and teams can also register directly at http://www.spinodyssey.org.

The Family Y offers a number of spin classes each week; for the current schedule visit http://www.westporty.org. In co.njunction with Norwalk Hospital’s Whittingham Cancer Center and the Smilow Family Breast Health Center, the Y also offers the Cancer Survivor Fitness Program. The 12-week program includes cardiovascular and muscle strength exercises as well as relaxation techniques designed to reduce cancer-therapy side effects. For more information, contact Shelley Moll at 203-226-8981, ext. 198; smoll@westporty.org.

Connecticut has the second highest incidence of breast cancer in the nation, and several Fairfield County towns are among those with the highest rates of breast cancer incidence, mortality and late stage diagnosis.

Statewide, over 3,000 Connecticut women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone. That is why the work of Komen Connecticut and events like the Race for the Cure are so vital, and already making a difference in the lives of women in Fairfield County and the rest of the state.

Until cures are found for breast cancer, early detection is the key to survival. For each of the past three years, Komen Connecticut has funded over $1 million in community grants to local organizations providing lifesaving services for women in need across our state.

These grants currently support breast cancer programs in Fairfield County, including: Norwalk Hospital, Bridgeport Hospital, Stamford Hospital, St. Vincent’s Hospital and CancerCare, among others.

Seventy five percent of Komen Connecticut’s net revenue supports local breast health programs across Connecticut and the remaining twenty five percent is invested in research to find the causes and cures for the disease. Not a penny of the money raised in Connecticut goes to support Komen National administration.

Although the organization invests in Connecticut breast cancer programs, much of its fundraising has historically taken place in the Hartford area.

“The Westport Race for the Cure is an exciting next step for our organization,” said Anne Morris, Executive Director of Komen Connecticut. “We are proud of the statewide impact of our community grants, and are thrilled to have a greater presence in Fairfield County. We need the support of all our local communities to help us continue investing in cutting-edge research and local breast cancer programs for Connecticut women and their families.”

“The Race for the Cure presents us with an opportunity to celebrate survivorship, honor those who have lost their battles, and impact local residents by raising funds to support education, screening and treatment programs right here in our state,” said Morris. “This event is the perfect platform to empower Fairfield County residents to join the local fight against breast cancer.”

For more information and to get involved, visit KomenCT.org, email race@komenct.org or call 860-321-7806.

Mossman Westport Y Indoor Tri Photo Highlights and Top Finishers

Monday, March 4, 2013 by:Family Y
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The Westport Weston Family Y hosted the first annual Mossman Westport Y Indoor Tri on Sunday, March 3. Conducted in partnership with Team Mossman Triathlon Club, the indoor triathlon consisted of a 15-minute lap swim, a 25-minute cycle on a spin bike and a 20-minute run on a treadmill.

Lisa Attle gets some encouragement from her daughter Camille during the cycle race.

Some 20 triathletes took part in the vigorous yet friendly exercise, and the top finishers were Valentin Lopes in the men’s division and Nancy Lovas in the women’s division. We’re proud to report that the Family Y relay team, of Patty Kondub (cycling), Nicole Turechek (swimming) and Jay Jaronko (running), finished in first place among relay teams … that they were the only relay team entered will surely be minor footnote in what we hope will become a Family Y tradition!

“This Indoor Tri gives local multi-sport athletes something to look forward to during the winter, and for new triathletes this is a great introduction to the sport, being in a controlled environment,” said Eric Beller, a Team Mossman member and volunteer for the day. “It’s safe, and you don’t have to bring your bike — you can just show up with your goggles and running shoes.”

Taking a moment to talk while she geared up for the cycling part of the race, Lisa Attle agreed: “It’s a nice format to introduce people to triathlons; it’s not so intimidating. Lisa was recruited, she said, by her brother-in-law Steve Attle, who finished second among men participants. Lisa got some additional family motivation from her daughter, Camille, who spurred her mom on during the cycle part of the tri (shown above).

Steve Attle, finishing the swimming portion of the Indoor Tri.

Here are the top three finishers in the men’s and women’s categories:

Men
First: Valentin Lopes
Second: Stephen Attle
Third: Joshua Croft

Women
First: Nancy Lovas
Second: Mary Money

Third: Kathryn Schumann

Proceeds from the Mossman Westport Y Indoor Tri will benefit the Family Y’s Strong Kids Campaign and Junior Athletes for Maccabi USA.

“Team Mossman isn’t just about racing, it’s about enjoying exercising and the camaraderie,” said Robin Myers, Race Director. “We thank the Y staff and our volunteers — without them this event doesn’t happen. But most of all, we thank the participants.”

For details about Team Mossman, please call 203-610-1817. You can also find out more on Team Mossman’s Facebook  page or by visiting www.TeamMossman.com. For more information about triathlete training opportunities at the Family Y, visit www.westporty.org, or contact Shelley Moll, Health and Wellness Director, at 203-226-8981.

‘March Into Wellness,’ this Saturday at Branson Hall

Thursday, February 28, 2013 by:Family Y
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Shelley Moll leading a group fitness class at the Y.

“March Into Wellness,” a new event sponsored by the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Saturday, March 2, 11 am to 3 pm in Branson Hall of Christ & Holy Trinity Church in downtown Westport.

The event will be promoting health and wellness providers from throughout our community, with complimentary consultations, classes, seminars and other services.

Shelley Moll, the Family Y’s Director of Health and Wellness will be giving MELT demonstrations on the half-hour. As profiled recently on the Dr. Oz website, this is a simple self-treatment anyone can do at any age to erase pain and tension in your hands, feet and lower back brought on by everyday stress, overuse and age. There are three quick and easy sequences you can do to get out and stay out of pain, and feel better every day, that take no more than 10 minutes.

The Family Y offers a MELT & Stretch group-fitness class on Mondays, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.

Shelley will be joined by practitioners from Kaia Yoga, Propper Chiropractic, KoKo Fit, Performance Physical Fitness, and many other local wellness providers. All are welcome at the March into Health and Wellness Expo this Saturday. Admission fee is $10 per individual; $20 per family. For more information, visit westportwestonchamber.com or click here.

Meet ‘the Oscarettes,’ the Family Y’s Golden Girls of Group Fitness

Friday, February 22, 2013 by:Family Y
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Theirs is a bond formed of equal parts barbells and bagels, tested by life’s shared traumas and made enduringly strong by the joys of friendship and fitness.

Every week for the past 16 years, a close-knit group of ladies have gathered at Oscar’s Delicatessen on Main Street following their exercise class at the Westport Weston Family Y.

They call themselves “The Oscarettes,” and together are enjoying a run that would make Dame Maggie Smith proud.

“We met at the Y and have shared joys and sorrows with each other for 16 years at Oscar’s,” says Jean McGurk. “We go to the theater, have vacationed together, celebrated birthdays, family losses and new grandchildren.”

“They’re a very tight group and are such active people,” says Shelley Moll, the Family Y’s Health & Wellness Director and instructor of the Oscarettes’ favorite group-fitness class, called Stretch and Strength. “They have a great life — I aspire to be them when I’m their age.”

Like most seasoned ensembles, the makeup of the Oscarettes has shifted over the years, with a core of Ms. McGurk, Greta Ackerman, Harriet Heineman, Emily Gibbons and Alice Crowther. Pearl Marcus describes herself as an honorary Oscarette, though Shelley Moll would count her as a bit of a ringer: “Pearl was a phys ed teacher in the Westport school system – she was my daughter’s gym teacher.”

Meet our "Oscarettes (l to r): Pearl Marcus, Greta Ackerman, Jean McGurk, Emily Gibbons, Harriet Heineman and Alice Crowther.

Alice Crowther has similar credentials: She taught Fun Fitness classes at the Y, before the Y’s current group-fitness program was established.

Greta Ackerman has been a Y member since 1979, and when the 42-year Westport resident moved with her husband to Trumbull several years ago, she planned to start attending fitness classes closer to her new home.

“I tried lots of different places, but the teachers are so wonderful at the Y, I had to come back,” Greta says. “They spoiled me, actually – the classes are fun and they’re creative. You don’t even know you’re exercising.”

The Stretch and Strength class involves light weights and movement, and on a recent day included, as Shelley described the class, “three or four au pairs in their 20s, a handful of women in their 30s, 40s and 50s, and our Oscarettes, some of whom are close to 90. That’s the nice thing about it – this class, and its participants, is welcoming and inviting.”

The Y’s Oscarettes have no plans to stop their après-exercise bagels at Oscar’s, even after the new Y at Mahackeno is up and running.

“Oh, we’ll still go to Oscar’s after class,” Jean McGurk promises. “We drive over here anyway, so it won’t change a thing.”

In fact, the Oscarettes have already ensured a lasting presence in the Y’s new home being built at Mahackeno – by uploading a group photo with a donation to the Y’s “Picture Yourself at the New Family Y” fundraising effort.

Their photo, along with those of hundreds of other Y members and supporters, will be a part of our interactive picture mosaic of “The Westport-Weston YMCA,” a watercolor by local artist Kassie Foss of the Y’s historic Bedford Building. When complete, this picture mosaic will be permanently displayed in our new Y as a 6 ft. x 4 ft. mural.

“We support each other, and it’s our way to support the Y,” says Greta Ackerman.

To picture yourself at the new Family Y, visit www.pictureyournewy.org.

For the current schedule of our group-fitness classes, click here, or contact Shelley Moll at 203-226-8981, ext. 198, to discuss what class might be right for you. The Y’s Spring Session of classes and programs begins the week of Feb. 25 and continues to mid-June.

To make a donation and add your own photo to the Family Y's "Picture Yourself at the New Family Y" project, please go to www.pictureyournewy.org.

Family Y Progress Report, Friday, Nov. 9

Friday, November 9, 2012 by:Family Y
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One of the few things saved from the remediation of our Child Care Center -- our accreditation plaque.

The end of a second week of trying conditions and complex tasks as the Westport Weston Family Y strives to resume operations. But with cooperative weather for the weekend and restoration plans fully in progress, we end this week on a hopeful, upbeat note.

Pat Costanzo, the Family Y’s indefatigable senior director of facilities and management, reported on Friday afternoon that remediation efforts are well in hand and that essential replacement parts and ensuing repairs to our electrical and mechanical systems damaged by Superstorm Sandy are coming into place. Progress also has been made on our efforts to restore temporary power to our entire facility.

As these systems are repaired and tested early next week, we’ll know more about our capability to begin to resume partial operations to our members and community in the days that follow. We’ll continue our best to keep you up to date about our recovery efforts and timeline for reopening.

In the meantime, Family Y staffers have done their best (and called in a lot of favors) to procure alternate sites for some of our classes and programs. Here’s the current schedule for those Family Y activities. (Please note that Patti Kondub’s “dry” aquafit class scheduled for Monday morning at the Senior Center will not take place as scheduled, as the Center is closed for Veteran’s Day.)

We also encourage our Members to avail themselves of the reciprocal privileges that allow them to use other local YMCAs during our temporary closure.

Child Care

One particular focus late this week was about the status of our Early Learning Programs. Our Family Y is the area’s largest provider of child care services, and we fully realize how hard these past two weeks have been for our Y families with young children who need care, and maybe more importantly, need a semblance of normalcy and order back in their lives.

Tasha Dennison, senior director of child care and school age programs at the Y, met with her staff on Friday to, among other things, confirm the list of equipment and supplies that we need to purchase both for the temporary move to the first floor of the Bedford Building and for the Child Care Center when we move back downstairs.

Tasha is also working with the state licensing authorities and other agencies (like the Westport Fire Department) to gain approval to move into our temporary space.

It is impossible for us to give a firm date of when we’ll be able to restart our Child Care services at the Family Y. If everything falls into place, it’s likely that the earliest date would be Monday, Nov. 26. We have scheduled a meeting with all our Child Care families for Monday evening and will update them at that time with the latest information.

Fortunately, we can report that our Family Y will be rebuilding its Child Care Center with all new, beautiful equipment, furniture and materials. Sterling Investments has generously offered to purchase materials through one of our main vendors, Discount School Supplies, which will greatly aid this effort.

Again, thank you for your continued patience and understanding. We will keep you up to date about the latest developments in our recovery effort and how these efforts may impact the timing and scope of our reopening.

If you have a specific question or would like to volunteer your support, please contact Rob Reeves directly, via rreeves@westporty.org or 203-226-8981, ext. 131.

To support our Family Y with a financial contribution, please click here to access our online donation form, or contact Paul Bernetsky, Chief Development Officer, at 203-226-8981, ext. 115 or pbernetsky@westporty.org. (Use the Comment box to give us specific information about processing your gift. We thank you.)

More information about our Family Y, including additional photos, may be found at www.westporty.org as well as the Y’s Facebook page.

Re-Building What Matters: Family Y Update, Nov. 6

Tuesday, November 6, 2012 by:Family Y
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Family Y staff gathered on Tuesday in the darkened Stauffer Pool area to discuss efforts to resume operations as soon as possible.

“The good part? Realizing how important our Y is to peoples’ lives when it’s not around,” said Membership Coordinator Midge Deverin on Wednesday at a gathering of Westport Weston Family Y staff on the bleachers of the darkened Stauffer Pool.

Midge was relating her heartwarming encounters with Y Members and friends during a recent trip to the local Stop ‘n’ Shop, who stopped her in the aisles to inquire about her own family’s welfare (all fine) and to ask about our Family Y’s status and efforts to resume operations.

It was the first all-staff meeting since the facility was heavily damaged and temporarily closed by Superstorm Sandy on Monday, Oct. 29.

What follows is an update about our recovery efforts as of Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 6:

Bottom line: The Family Y is likely to remain closed through next week as we strive to restore power, heat and other essential services (such as fire-safety measures) to the facility.

In the meantime, Y Members are encouraged to avail themselves of the reciprocal privileges that allow them to use other local YMCAs.

Family Y staffers are also trying their best to arrange temporary alternative sites for certain classes and programs, as feasible.

For example, Sally Silverstein, who heads up our Sports & Recreation program, has scheduled practice time at the Norwalk YMCA, starting Tuesday afternoon, for some of our Y’s gymnastics students, who are busily training for upcoming competitions and performances.

Ellen Johnston, head coach of the 200-member Water Rat Swim Team, has used the Wilton Family YMCA and Staples High School for practice sessions. She’s also been able to shift this weekend’s home swim meet to Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT.

Their Y colleagues are in the process of trying to arrange temporary use by Y Members of local facilities for swim lessons, aqua fitness classes, volleyball, yoga and other Y classes. We will strive to keep Y Members and especially participants of these programs informed of these developments and their schedules as soon as possible.

The Family Y’s Kinderkids program has joined with our After School program for older students at Long Lots elementary school, with that program resuming on Wednesday.

Significant progress has been made in cleaning out the Child Care Center, submerged under feet of water.

Tasha Dennison, senior director of Child Care and School Age programs, continues to work with state authorities to secure a temporary license for hosting our other Child Care programs at the Y once heat and other services are restored and while our Child Care Center, located in the lower level of the Bedford Building, is remediated, rebuilt and restocked.

We’ve detailed the damage done, as well as the complicated task of making repairs to antiquated, “grandfathered” mechanical and electrical systems damaged by the tidal surge that flooded the sub-levels of our circa 1923 Bedford Building, the equally vintage Firehouse that now serves as our two-level Fitness Center, as well as our Weeks Pavilion Aquatics Center, added to the Y in the 1970s.

Pat Costanzo, our super “super,” sounded an optimistic note at Wednesday’s meeting when he cited tentative plans to install a second temporary external generator that would supply power to the Weeks Pavilion, which also houses our Gymnastics Center and racquet courts.

“Our schedule could change for the better, allowing members to utilize parts of our building, such as the fitness center, sooner,” said Pat, our Senior Director of Facilities Management, on Wednesday.

“My goal is to give you back your building,” he added to the 30 or so program directors, teachers and instructors, warmed only slightly by the ambient heat of the Stauffer Pool’s water. “Your jobs will be to make our classes fit with what we’ll have, at least to start off with.”

Many of our Y’s instructors have taught at the Y for years, even decades, and for them, it’s less a job than a calling. Ruth Sherman, who has taught aqua fitness classes at the Y for more than 40 years, spoke of how she has phoned many of her students, some in their 90s, to check in on them and to let them know of the Y’s status.

Other Y staffers are engaged in similar efforts to reach out to Y Members personally, particularly our seniors who may not have access to updates on our website and emails.

Our Family Y’s roots run deep and remain strong.

“This is not a speed bump; it’s a speed mountain,” said Family Y CEO Rob Reeves on Wednesday. “We hope our Members will hang with us, but we will honor requests by members who want to or need to freeze or cancel their memberships.”

“But know this,” Reeves added. “We’re not looking for a way to ‘get out’ of our old building at this critical point. We are intent on continuing our mission of service to our Members and community as soon as humanly possible.”

We also promise to keep you up to date about the latest developments in our recovery effort and how these efforts may impact the timing and scope of our reopening.

If you have a specific question or would like to volunteer your support, please contact Rob Reeves directly, via rreeves@westporty.org or 203-226-8981, ext. 131.

To support our Family Y with a financial contribution, please click here to access our online donation form, or contact Paul Bernetsky, Chief Development Officer, at 203-226-8981, ext. 115 or pbernetsky@westporty.org. (Use the Comment box to give us specific information about processing your gift. We thank you.)

More information about our Family Y, including additional photos, may be found at www.westporty.org as well as the Y’s Facebook page.

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