Y-Mention It - 6/30/26

In this issue of Y-Mention It, find us out and about in the community, learn how you can support two communities this summer, and add a new dimension to your wellness routine! 

"Hi all, with summer approaching, we will be changing the pickleball hours to accommodate summer campers. Starting June 29th, Pickleball will be offered Tuesday - Friday, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, weather permitting. Cancellations will go out by 7:00 am the morning of, so please sign up for TeamReach or contact me with any questions. Are you a soccer player or fan? We are looking for volunteer sports coaches for our upcoming sports programs. If this sounds interesting, please reach out to me. Lastly, there are a lot of great programs coming up, including a new offering, Cards and Coffee! This is a morning social get-together for folks to enjoy a fresh brew and engage in a variety of card games, starting on Sunday, July 12th - you can grab your seat here. That's all for now, see you soon!"
- Hans Schumacher, Sports and Family Program Director 

"Hello, thank you for joining us on Wednesday for the Summer Sizzler. We had a great time seeing everyone who came. It's one of our favorite events of the year, and a great way to celebrate the (official) start of Summer. As a reminder, the YMCA will be closed on Saturday, July 4th, for Independence Day. We will reopen on Sunday, July 5th, from 9am to 1pm. Lastly, there is still space in swim lessons for folks looking to take advantage of the free swim lessons offer - take a look at available spots here. We ask that you only register your child for one swim lesson package per session, to ensure everyone can have an opportunity. Thank you, and have a great week."

- Emily LeViere, Senior Director of Memberships and Programs

"Happy summer, everyone! I hope yours is off to a good start. We are getting ready for our first bike tour in collaboration with the Cortland County Family YMCA! Join us on Saturday, August 1st, for 'Y' We Ride, a bike tour supporting both the Cortland and Ithaca YMCAs by riding through the beauty of both our communities. This bike tour offers 24, 58, 88, and 100 mile rides, complete with rest stops and celebratory dinner at TC3 after the event. All proceeds raised support membership scholarships, opening doors for families and adults to access their Y. You can learn more about the event here. Until next time, have a great day."
- Regional Executive Director, Gunnar Madison

Join the YMCA of Ithaca and Tompkins County and the Cortland County Family YMCA on Saturday, August 1st, for a summer bike tour supporting membership and program scholarships!

This "century ride" will take riders across the area, starting and ending at Tompkins Community College. The ride will be supported by rest stops complete with snacks, water, restrooms, a SAG crew both in vehicle and bike support, and an end-of-ride dinner celebration back at TC3.

Help us unite our communities by riding, volunteering, or sponsoring this community fundraiser. Use the button below to learn more! 

Join us for a 10-session introduction to barbells with personal trainer Ciera! Each session will help you build new skills and confidence with free weight training using barbells. 

This progressive series teaches proper and safe technique for lifting weights with barbells, with small class sizes to ensure individual attention. Intro to Barbells starts on July 1st, on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:00-11:00 am in the Functional Training Center.

Use the button to register for this new offering - space is limited!

Looking for an easy recipe to spice up your summer? YMCA 360 can help with Honey Sriracha Chicken with Zucchini Noodles. 

This 13-minute guided recipe will teach you a new twist on the faithful stir-fry. This dish includes extra veggies, substituting standard noodles for sliced zucchini.

The best part? this class and hundreds of others are completely free with your YMCA membership. Use the button below to see this recipe, and everything YMCA 360 has to offer.

The YMCA is coming to visit YOUR neighborhood this summer! The Y will be traveling throughout Ithaca and Tompkins County to bring FREE summer fun to families all over! 

Children can participate in a diverse range of exciting activities hosted by Y Staff at each location during the week! Please note: children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 

To coincide with the free activities the YMCA will be hosting, each child (up to 150) will receive a free goodie bag of toys to keep the fun going! These bags are filled with toys to help spark creative play and promote active fun. 

The first Pop Up and Play stop is at Stewart Park, starting on Monday, 6/29, until Wednesday 7/1. Visit www.ithacaymca.com/popup for future dates. 

Did You Know? 

The largest watermelon celebration might not be where you think! New York? LA? Nope - try Arkansas. The Watermelon Festival in Hope Arkansas is known as the largest watermelon festival globally, and is celebrating it's fiftieth year this year, this slice is for you, Hope! 

Until next time, we all can't wait to see you at the YMCA. 

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