By Allison Peck
Listen to the full interview on our Kubota Podcast
Fall is bringing a busy lineup of programs and activities to the Ogallala YMCA, with opportunities ranging from youth sports and children's programming to fitness classes and family events.
Melissa Edmonds, executive director of the Ogallala YMCA, said the YMCA's fall schedule is already in full swing.
Flag football has started with seven teams and about 65 children registered. Edmonds said participation is roughly the same as last year, despite the addition of tackle football for third graders, which has taken some children out of the YMCA's program.
The YMCA's adult fitness classes have also returned for the fall.
Silver Sneakers classes with Kim Morrell include water aerobics on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, along with a weights class and chair yoga on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Jackie Bishop's evening water aerobics class has also returned, while Teresa continues to offer a bands, weights and balls class.
Class schedules are posted on the bulletin boards in the YMCA lobby.
New fitness opportunities could be coming later this fall. Edmonds said Shelby, who recently became a certified personal trainer, is looking at starting a restorative yoga class toward the end of October. Shelby is also gauging interest in a possible "Mommy and Me" workout class designed to allow mothers with younger children to bring them along and participate together.
Shelby is currently the YMCA's only on-site personal trainer and has already taken on her first official client. People interested in personal training can contact the YMCA or stop in to talk with Shelby and set up a consultation.
Edmonds said she appreciates the approach Shelby is taking with personal training, which she said recognizes that getting healthier can involve more than physical exercise.
"For her, training isn't just like physically training," Edmonds said. "You have to retrain your brain and your emotions and dealing with all the things that come with starting to work out."
The YMCA has also redesigned its Rugrats program for younger children.
Instead of competing with other activities on the community calendar, the YMCA has partnered with the Ogallala Public Library. Rugrats will now be part of the library's story time on the first Tuesday of each month, with the YMCA designing an activity to go along with the book being featured.
Edmonds said the goal is to make participation easier for families while giving young children an opportunity to move and participate.
Another family-focused event is coming in October with the YMCA's first Daddy-Daughter Dance.
The event is scheduled for October 17 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 per pair and are available at the YMCA.
The evening will include music from DJ Seth "Top Eye," along with lights, a fog machine and a bubble machine. Shelby will also be available to take photos, and a red carpet will be set up for families.
Edmonds said events like the Daddy-Daughter Dance are about more than entertainment. She said they give parents an opportunity to spend one-on-one time with their children, something that can be difficult for families with multiple kids.
"Family is always the most important thing," Edmonds said.
The YMCA's after-school program is another area Edmonds said she is particularly excited about this fall. The program is settling into a new routine, with staff working to introduce new activities and make the experience more engaging for children.
Family nights are also returning to the after-school program, with a different theme planned each month.
The YMCA is also looking for community donations to help with food costs associated with the program. Edmonds said the YMCA has experienced an unexpected increase in snack costs and is seeking donations of money as well as easy breakfast, lunch and snack items.
A donation tub is located inside the YMCA's front door, and monetary donations can also be made through an account at the YMCA.
Edmonds said community members have already stepped up, including Becky Wheeler and her husband, along with the Women of the Moose, who have provided financial support.
She said the community support is especially meaningful because many of the children served by the after-school program come from low-income families.
The YMCA also offers a "Schools Out" program on teacher work days. The program provides all-day care from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. when school is out for a teacher work day, although it does not cover school holidays.
The cost is $20 for the first child and $16 for each additional child.
On regular school days, after-school programming runs from approximately 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m., with earlier starts on 1:30 dismissal days.
Edmonds said the goal across the YMCA's programs is to provide opportunities for people at different stages of life, from young children and youth sports participants to adults and seniors.
More information about YMCA programs, schedules, registration and upcoming events is available at the Ogallala YMCA.