News

Y-Games at Chabot College

Summer Camp Y- Games 2010

On July 23^rd, the YMCA of the East Bay had a summer celebration for youth who have been participating in summer day camp programs. There were over 380 youth from the YMCA of the East Bay who came together to participate in sports, exercise and fitness games at Chabot College. The flow of the day included instruction, demonstration, and competition in track and field events, ball sports, calisthenics and aerobic activities.

The day started with seven different YMCA camp groups coming by bus to one central location. Then, we opened the games up with a YMCA sports pledge and camp songs to get the youth ready for the day. The opening ceremonies ended with a relay race. Four youth from each group and one camp leader participated in a 5-person relay against the other six camps. The relay had five parts. Each part had a twenty-five yard component of running, sack racing, agility, and rope jumping. Let the games begin!

The amazing day came to an end with a parade around the Chabot College track with all the camp youth and staff holding branch signs, singing, dancing and celebrating their day of achievements. Each and every youth was given a medal for participating in the Y games. Each youth was recognized for his or her sportsmanship, character values and participation in the day. At the Y-Games everyone is a winner.
This day is just one of the amazing experiences that the youth take part in at YMCA summer day camp!

We want to thank all the volunteers and staff for their leadership, which made this event possible. We had numerous volunteers and staff leading events and activities throughout the day. The day definitely would not have been such a success without the support of the community and YMCA staff.

The Hilltop Family YMCA visits Tuscany for an evening of fun and fundraising!

“It was like I was back on vacation,” said Linda Cook, executive director of the Hilltop Family YMCA, when she entered the “Night in Tuscany” fundraising event at San Pablo’s Maple Hall on Friday, April 30, 2010. She had spent time in the Tuscany, Italy region a few weeks before and was taken by a hall transformed into an Italian villa.

The Rotary Club of San Pablo puts on this annual event to raise funds and awareness for important programs supporting people in San Pablo. This year’s beneficiaries were the Hilltop Family YMCA’s Youth & Government program and the Brookside Community Health Center’s Kids Club that are forming at both locations.

This sold-out event was attended by 165 people who enjoyed a fine Italian dinner by La Strada Restaurant, and the silent and live auctions. This year’s auctioneer was San Pablo’s Police Chief Joe Aita, who always finds a way to excite the audience with his humor and engaging personality.

“We are very grateful to all the San Pablo Rotarians, the live and silent auction bidders, volunteers and attendees for their support,” said Jeff Rothberg, San Pablo Rotarian and Membership Director at the Hilltop Family YMCA.

Youth and Government

The Hilltop Family YMCA plans to start a new delegation for the Youth & Government program this summer

The California YMCA Model Legislature & Court is a statewide youth educational program involving more than 2,200 high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, in a six-month "hands on" experience. Since its inception 55 years ago, the program has used a variety of activities to build, encourage, and strengthen the life assets and character traits that will help high school youth become involved, responsible adults who are decent and respected citizens.

The program is a high quality experiential and educational simulation based on California's State government. The program is very comprehensive, and its impact on the youth participants is dramatic. The core purpose of this highly regarded program is exemplified in its motto, "Democracy must be learned by each generation ".

A Winning Recipe for Summertime Fitness and Weight Loss

About this time of year many people start planning for all the fun things that summer brings; great vacations, activities, and need I say, "swimsuit season"?

Regardless of what you are looking forward to the most (or least) there is no better time than now to start kicking your health and fitness efforts into high gear. Implement the following "Summertime Fitness Tips" into your weekly routine and gain the strength, stamina, and confidence to truly enjoy everything summer has to offer!

Summer Fitness Tips
Practice your summertime cardio activities -If your planned vacation includes a lot of a particular type of activity, i.e hiking or swimming, choose to include that activity in your weekly cardio sessions -work up to doing 4-6 days a week of cardio for 30-60 min./session -monitor your intensity: work harder if you can talk effortlessly Strengthen your muscles -do 8-12 exercises, working all major muscle groups, 2 times a week -be specific: if your summertime activities include water skiing, choose exercises that challenge your balance as well as strengthen your arms and legs Stretch every day -it will reduce your risk for injury and minimize aches and pains -invest your time on muscles that are particularly tight Eat a well-balanced diet -pay attention to portion size, variety of food, and total calories consumed and make the healthiest choices possible each day!

Healthy Kids Day was a great day for the community

Healthy Kids Day is an activity-filled festival FREE to the community, celebrating the day’s key call to action, “Put Play in Your Day.”

On Saturday, April 17, 2010, over 350 people visited the Hilltop Family YMCA for Healthy Kids Day had a great time. We opened the Hilltop YMCA to the community and had over 75 families participate in the annual scavenger hunt down by the lake. The families that participated not only had fun during the scavenger hunt, but as one parent said “Wow this is the type of activity I could do anytime with the kids and they really enjoyed it” Healthy Kids day is a great way for the YMCA to promote new activities and healthy living to the community.

Throughout the day we kept the youth and families interactive with basketball challenges, an obstacle course, gaga pit, bounce houses, climbing wall challenge, and opened the YMCA swimming pool up to the community.

We gave away great prizes, but most of all put play in over 350 participants day.

This one quote from Cheri S. sums up the day “This is the first time I brought my kids to this event and it was fantastic-my kids and I had a great time together!”

This type of event couldn’t happen without the volunteers support. The YMCA would like to thank the El Sobrante Rotary Club and its youth Interact Club for volunteering. This is the second year in a row they have come out and supported the Hilltop YMCA during Healthy Kids Day.

An event like Healthy Kids day brings the community together as well as families and friends! Each and every year this event grows and the awareness of healthy living grows with it!

Dontate today and change lives!

The West Contra Costa YMCA (of which the Hilltop Family YMCA is a part) provides programs at over 40 sites serving children, youth and familiesin our community. See the map near our lounge for specific locations.

The Hilltop Family YMCA financial assistance program serves 900 members and over 275 families.

Each day, over 800 infants, preschoolers and school-aged children are served at YMCA state-licensed, high quality child development programs in West County.

Over 250 youth take advantage of our SPLASH Water Safety Program every year at no cost to them.

YMCA Camp Ravencliff has been offering resident camping to WCC youth and families since 1931. 60% of all youth campers benefit from campaign dollars.

Y-Team provides counseling programs in 18 WCC schools including all middle and senior high schools and some elementary schools.

These are highlights of what is being done by the West Contra Costa YMCA. There is so much more. It is vitally important that we continue this great work, and we need all of your help to do so. When one of our volunteers asks you, please give generously. If you are not asked, please consider a gift to the YMCA.

You may donate online by going to our websites Home Page click "Donate" on the information bar near the top, and then go to the bottom of the donate page to "Contact Us". We will acknowledge your donation very soon after it is made. You may also come to the front desk and our staff will help you!

Thank you for being a partner in our community!

Thank you for your generous donation to the Hilltop Family YMCA Annual Partners Campaign!

On behalf of the Hilltop Family YMCA, we would like to thank the members of the former Soroptomist International Club of El Pinablo for their generous donation of $1,333 to the Hilltop Family YMCA's Annual Partners Campaign.

This donation will go a long way in helping this YMCA serve the needs of youth and families in our community

March is National Nutrition Month

March isn't just about Saint Patrick's Day. It is also National Nutrition Month -a month-long nutrition education and information campaign sponsored by the American Dietetic Association.

The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.

For more information, visit www.eatright.org/nnm.

For personal help in smart food choices and sound eating habits, see a registered dietician. The Hilltop Family YMCA has a wonderful registered dietician, Tracy Taylor. For information on Nutritional Services at the Hilltop Family YMCA, ask the Welcome Center for a brochure.

Open Door Financial Assistance Available Today!

If you need help, we're here for you.

In times like this, everyone needs a safe haven. These are rough times. Government bail-outs. Stock markets dropping. Companies closing. Unemployment rates rising. Our whole community has been effected by this turbulent economy.

If you need help, we are here for you. Our Open Door Program for Financial Assistance follows a sliding scale, designed to fit each individual's financial situation. In order to foster a sense of ownership in the YMCA, you will be asked to pay some portion of the fees for membership.

The funds available for financial assistance are made possible through the generosity of our members and donors through the Community Support Campaign.

For more information, please contact our Membership Services Department at 510-222-9622.