Ionia County
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Help High School Football Players Tackle the Heat
Posted August 29, 2012 in
By Justin Lyons, Senior Health & Wellness Director, Spartan Stores YMCA Did you know that in recent years, 29 high school football players have died from heat-related causes? Countless others have come dangerously close. What really scares me is when athletes feel symptoms of heat exhaustion, they do not recognize the risks. Because they don’t want to “wimp out,” they often opt to “play through” the headache, dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, chills, nausea and muscle cramps that signal heat exhaustion.
Football players are more prone to dehydration... Read More
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Fall Internships for College Students
Posted July 31, 2012 in
At the YMCA we value your time and talents. We are committed to youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. And we can’t do it without interns. View and apply for our open positions for fall here!
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Olympic Impact is Epic
Posted July 30, 2012 in
By Jean VanCoevering, Advance Spinning Instructor, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids
The race for Olympic gold is the focus of athletes, judges, and audiences both at the events and in homes around the world. I was thinking that of the 36 different competitive categories that athletes can participate in during the Games, a member or program member at the Y can learn 29 of them in one way or another at the Y.
Many sports are new from when I remember watching Olympic Games as a... Read More
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Values of the Olympics
Posted July 26, 2012 in
By Andy Page, Executive Director, David D. Hunting YMCA
I have always been a competitor, and felt that competing in sports, whether a team sport or an individual sport, improves a person’s character that carries over into their daily life. Training to compete and participating full out, giving it my all regardless of how I finish, I have always come out better for the effort.
Starting Friday, July 27, 204 nations meet to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England. The Telegraph, a... Read More
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Does Your Organization Participate?
Posted July 17, 2012 in
By Kelly Knecht, Corporate Relations Membership Director, YMCA Greater Grand Rapids
The Y is dedicated to supporting a vibrant, thriving community and workforce through our Corporate Membership Program. Now, over two hundred west Michigan companies have joined this program and have crunched the bottom-line numbers and like what they are seeing.
After spending seven years in the healthcare industry, I observed a wide disconnect between wellness plans administered by the employer, insurance company, and the third party vendors which is still ongoing today. The... Read More
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The Silent Signs of Drowning . . .
Posted July 17, 2012 in
By Joe Edger, Aquatics Director, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids
As a parent of two children and the aquatics director at the David D. Hunting Y, I wanted to share with you some thoughts that as parents you could use to prevent a child’s drowning. Reactions lifeguards are trained to spot the signs of drowning that give them a clue before a drowning takes place.
Contrary to what is portrayed on television or in movies, drowning is not loud; in fact, a drowning is... Read More -
Summer Program Guide
Posted July 06, 2012 in
NEW CLASSES START THE WEEK OF JULY 22NDIt’s back and better than ever! Our new summer program guide is now ready for you to download – Print it out or click on the links and sign up online! It’s a cool tool to help you look at all the great classes we are offering this summer and see what fits in your busy schedule.
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Give Your Wedding Guests the Gift of Health
Posted June 18, 2012 in
By Sarah Byler, Registered Dietitian, YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids {image_1}
Here comes the bride and here come the calories. As summer wedding invitations go out and the RSVPs come in, those in charge of selecting the reception menu have the option of providing more nutritional foods and beverages for their guests.
As you plan your reception and review the menu choices, look past the cost and ask your caterer if they offer healthier, more nutritious options for your wedding guests to select from. Many... Read More
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Breaking Metabolism Myths
Posted June 12, 2012 in
By Justin Lyons, Senior Health & Wellness Director, Spartan Stores YMCA {image_1}
Every summer the same stories seem to repeat themselves. Talk about losing weight resonates among family and friends. Topics on aging and how metabolism is affected pop up. Theories on what foods “might” speed up your metabolism are established, and questions of what working out does to a person’s metabolism are debated.
As you listen to comments made by family and friends, you realize that there are many myths regarding metabolism. I... Read More
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Annual Suits From Suits Program Kicks Off!
Posted April 23, 2012 in
Grand Rapids, MI – The Paul Goebel Group has joined with the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids for the fifth year in a row to sponsor Suits From Suits, an innovative program to collect and distribute gently used swimsuits for boys and girls, ages 6 to 10, so that children will have the proper swimwear needed to participate in YMCA aquatics programs. {image_1} Meg Goebel, President of the Paul Goebel Group, states, “It’s estimated that the approximately 15,000* children, ages 6 to 10, who live in the core city of Grand Rapids, have never taken a... Read More