A Transformative Experience

“We’re trying to go from a transactional relationship to a transformative one,” says Marty Pastura, president and CEO. Pastura says the transaction is what gets people in the door, but it’s what happens once they’re inside that makes people stay. 

Wendy Spitznagel encounters stories of transformation quite often in her work. As the director of health initiatives, she focuses on important efforts like chronic disease prevention. The YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program is designed to help those at high risk adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles and reduce their chances of developing type 2 diabetes.

She says it’s common for program participants to have never set foot in the building until enrolled in the one-year program. But once they do, their journey begins and often that means significant change. 

“We help people become comfortable in a workout environment and find common ground where they can be active and supported in their health goals,” Spitznagel says.

Speaking of health, LIVESTRONG® at the YMCA addresses the needs of those going through cancer treatment or on the path to recovery. The 12-week program is a proven, evidence/research-based program that empowers cancer survivors to take an active role in their own health by engaging in a strength and conditioning program at their local Y. 

In addition to the individual focus, the YMCA has evidence of transformational experiences for youth, adults and families. For example, it has placed a focus on the teen population in order to influence kids in positive ways. The 7^th Grade Initiative (free memberships for 7^th graders throughout Allen, Whitley and Wells counties) and the Youth and Government program, are part of these efforts. 

In addition to offering these specific programs, the YMCA makes it a point to cater to the mind, body and soul. While other community organizations focus on the first two, the YMCA takes it a step further while attending to spiritual needs. Sometimes that takes the form of character development programs; other times the spiritual undertone is more overt, like with the annual Good Friday breakfast. 

Perhaps the most visible example of putting Christian principles into practice is the scholarship program which offers subsidized membership and program fees to more than 20,000 people annually. One family who has benefited from the scholarship program is the Steele family. Gretchen Steele states, “The relief I experienced at the Y allowed me to be a better mother to Henry, Ruby, Ellis and August. Now that my husband, Ben, has completed his education, our family is able to afford the full price of our membership, never forgetting the generosity the Y provided to us during our temporary, yet substantial, financial hardship.” 

At the end of the day, the YMCA is a community hub, where everyone can make a connection. Families can spend quality time together and build or strengthen bonds. 

“That’s the transformative part; it’s not just the exchange of money for a service,” Pastura says.

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