Welcome, everyone, to Midday Magazine for this April 2nd, 2024.
Have your host, James J. Mailov here, and we're welcoming in the studio our great friends
from the South of County, YMCA.
We have Stephanie Lund with us, Community Events Coordinator, Stephanie, good to see you.
Good to see you.
Thanks for being here, as always, good to see you.
And Baxter aren't as with us, sports and camp director Baxter, always good to see you.
It's great to be here.
Appreciate you guys and big appreciation to try to study services, sponsoring this segment,
giving us an opportunity to catch up with our Y.
We appreciate that.
You guys doing good?
Everybody doing well over at the Y?
Things going well?
We are, the Y is definitely busy.
It's hopping right now.
Yeah, it is.
Yeah, it is.
I don't know how this happened, but it seems to have gotten even busier since the last
time you guys joined us.
It was not that long ago, either.
I cannot, my parents live over there.
So I drive past that building every day, at least a couple of times a day.
And it's always busy.
We encourage you to get one of your vehicles over there and make it busy as well, and
enjoy the Southwark County YMCA, especially with some of these events we have coming up,
Stephanie.
I'd like to dive into those.
We have our healthy kids day coming up right around the corner.
Yes, we do.
It's on Saturday, April 20th from 11 to 1.
It's a free event for our community, so we want to get kids and families out.
There's a lot of different activities we're going to have at the Y.
We have vendors that are coming that are going to just promote healthy habits for kids
and physical activity.
So why is across the country host this event that's been going on for over 30 years now?
And so it's a fun way to get the community involved.
We do a lot of nutrition education.
We do some relay races, we love gaga ball in the gym.
And then we also have the police department, fire department, they're coming out with
their vehicles.
We have some garbage trucks and tow trucks, so kind of a little such a truck outside as
well and some food vendors.
So it'll be a fun day for the family to come on out.
Anytime we have our fire departments or police departments at these events, it builds
that bridge between community and them.
I talk with Sheriff actually.
I'll have Sheriff Becker in tomorrow.
I'll be talking with him about it.
And I know how much they love these events.
They love being a part of these events.
It's such a, I don't want to say a break of a for lack of a better word for them and
their industries and what they do.
That's all really good and fun.
And it's going to be fun to have them a part of this.
But one of the things I appreciate about our, our why and really why is around the country
as you noted there.
It's one thing, wait, we want kids to be more active, we want kids to be outside more.
But that, it doesn't just stop there.
Then they give you opportunities to do these things.
It's not just preaching to you, it's also helping your community.
That's something that I really respect about our why and I respect about the why in general.
An event like this is a perfect event for something like this.
Again, it's a free event, so keep that in mind everybody.
This might be a chance for you to sample the why and find out why we love it so much
while we sign up every year for another membership.
And there's other great activities that are going to be a part of this event too.
I see a great list here of vendors, you're going to have games and crafts, you touched
on a little of this.
Yeah, we have some face painters, they're going to come out so you can get their faces painted.
We have free vision screenings as well.
So for those kiddos that maybe might be struggling or maybe not even know that they're struggling
with their vision.
Parents can have their kids get their eyes tested a little bit.
The pool will be open, so everybody can come swim as well.
So it'll be a fun event.
Last year we had over 400 people come this year, we're expecting even more.
Oh yeah, we can top that.
We can top that.
Let's do it.
And keep in mind as well, there will be food down there, you'll have some food trucks.
Yeah, we do have a few food trucks that will be out there as well, and especially because
this is lunchtime.
So for 11 to 1, if you come hungry, there will be some food.
And Stephanie, I don't want to put you on the spot here or anything.
We can edit this, we can change this or whatever.
I see free bike raffle, is that a free bike raffle?
It is.
Last year we were able to get a few donors to donate some money, so we were able to go
purchase some bikes.
So bikes for toddlers that have training wheels, and then we had one adult bike as well.
So I think we had five bikes last year this year, I think we have four right now that
have been donated.
And so as long as you come to the event, you'll put your name and number and we'll draw towards
the end of the event and somebody you could possibly win a free bike with a helmet.
I don't care if your last name is Bring.
Winning a bike is cool.
And that always feels good.
I read that, I immediately turned, I was 12 when I was reading, ooh, free bike.
That's a really cool thing.
Shout out to the people donating those, certainly.
And again, another step in that direction of the why saying, you know, we want kids to
be out there more, we want them to exercise more, do more.
Here's another one of those ways that you're helping people do that, being able to give
away bikes and stuff.
That's a really, really, really fun thing to be able to add to this event.
And if there are people out there, we've got this coming up in the 20th.
So if there are sponsors or anybody out there like that, can they still be a part of
this event?
Absolutely.
We are always welcoming more sponsors.
I mean, the more we get, the more we can offer and give.
We can buy a couple more bikes for the kids.
We can purchase more healthy snacks for the kiddos as well.
So if anybody's interested, definitely reach out to me.
Is there any registration needed or anything like that?
Nope, not at all.
Just show up.
Just show up and come and have some fun.
It's going to be a really good event.
We'll be highlighting it and talking about it on our shows.
Again, the South of County YMCA, healthiest kids day coming up April 20th, 11 to 1 over
at our South of County YMCA.
And we have other great events coming up as well that we wanted to touch on Stephanie.
We do.
So the next one after that is just two weeks later on May 3rd.
We are offering our first-ever senior social.
So it's for active older adults that are 55 plus.
We're going to be hosting this event over at Camp Alexander.
So it'll be a fun way to get people out to camp.
We plan on having a lot of different activities.
So it's from 6 to 8.30 pm.
We'll have some food, drinks.
We'll have a photo booth.
We have a DJ coming.
So there will be some dancing.
We'll have games for people to play.
We'll have some raffles.
And then we're going to have a bonfire as well.
So this is going to be a great chance for the seniors to come on out and whether you
bring your friends to this or meet some new people.
So it'll be a great way to be interactive.
It's a fun event and we need a big turnout for this.
I mean, a really big turnout for this because I want this around in another 10 years when
I'm able to be able to be a part of it and everything.
This is a really cool idea.
I think that our just as a community member and stuff and I think a lot of people that
I talk to about the why we tend to focus on the youth a lot and understandably so.
A lot of the great work that you guys do over there is focused on the youth.
But that's not the only work you guys are doing over there.
Another big part of what the wise focus is is our seniors and we have a very big senior
population in this area.
So being able to help them any ways possible is fantastic.
But giving having events that are geared towards them, that's pretty rare.
We don't have a lot of that.
We could use more of that.
Again, we have a big population in this area.
So it's a smart idea and it's also just a fun idea.
This is a great way for to get out of the house, to get to do some stuff, maybe meet some
new people.
Absolutely.
We've done father-daughter dances in the past, for dads and the girls, but seniors like
to dance too.
Why not get on out?
So let's put in the event and have some fun.
So we definitely, this is the first time we've ever offered this so we don't know how
it's going to go, but we have a lot of ideas and I think it'll be a great time.
Well, and that's a good note and I appreciate you sharing that because if you are a senior
and you're going to attend this, it's something to keep in mind that you might have some
notes or you might have say, hey, this went great, don't change a thing, something like
that.
We can have more of these events if we have people attend them.
The more we have a good turnout, the more, wow, they really turned out for this.
We should have more events like this.
So that's another great way of making these things happen.
And this is taking place over at Camp Alexander.
It is.
Yeah, I love Camp Alexander.
That's great.
It's a great event too.
With the event, is there anything else keep in mind?
Did you mention the raffle?
Yep, we're going to have some raffle baskets, so I mean, everyone loves raffles, right?
You are not kidding.
If there isn't a raffle with an event and I don't mention it, I hear from the listeners,
I hear from that love raffles around here.
So that's certainly a fun part of this and the dancing involved.
We're not talking break dancing, we're not talking like, you go out there, you're going
to have a good time.
Absolutely.
Yeah, we have a DJ coming, so the DJ has done our father daughter dance, has come to
our Halloween at the Y, so they do a great job.
So we'll see, you know, they'll have music playing the whole time, we'll have areas where
tables will be set up, they can eat and play games on the tables, and then if you want
to dance the whole night away, you can dance on the dance floor.
It's a great chance to get some exercise, get out of the house, do some stuff and have
fun.
And again, the more we have attending this event, the more we can have events like this.
It's going to be a fun one.
What are the dates and times for this one?
So this is on Friday, May 3rd from 6 to 8 30 PM.
There is registration because obviously we have to purchase a lot of stuff because we
want to provide food and drinks and all of that for everybody.
So registration does end by May 1st, so just keep in mind for that.
Definitely want to get your registration soon, so they can get those numbers, correct.
And we also have a family scavenger hunt coming up.
I love scavenger hunts.
I was dying to talk about this with you.
This is a really fun event.
Yes, this is a fun one.
So in the past, we've always done a mom-son scavenger hunt at camp.
And we figure this way, let's get the whole family out at camp this spring.
So the event is on Saturday, May 18th from 10th to noon.
And we plan on having some snacks and drinks and then explore.
Camp is 33 acres.
So we plan on doing different types of scavenger hunts.
We'll give you a list of things to find.
We'll give you a list of things to collect.
We'll hide some pictures and different things throughout camp for you to find and there
will be some prizes as well.
So it's definitely going to be a fun event for families.
Yeah, it's not only a great way to do stuff together, but I think, too, to, like, really,
like, you're helping kids problem solving, you know, that's something that I think is
a fun part of this, to kind of, with all the fun and excitement, gets lost in the shuffle
sometimes, but the cooperation and those things, there's never, there's never enough opportunities
to teach kids these things and for them to learn them.
To learn from mom and dad or whoever there's a part of the team, that's always a fun
part of this.
But also, getting a chance to explore the camp is such a great thing to be able to do and
really experience and have fun with just no downside to something like this is such
a fun event.
Anything people should keep in mind, especially if they've never done scavenger hunt before.
Yeah.
I mean, definitely you'll have to dress for the weather.
We don't know what May is going to be like so that the event is happening rain or shine.
So if you find that it's going to be a little wet, put your rain boots on in a rain jacket
and come on out and have some fun.
So it's just, and you're going to walk a lot.
So just expect to kind of explore if you have little ones, maybe bring a stroller, but
it'll be, it'll be neat to see families creating memories together.
Yeah.
Keep in mind, this has happened.
This event is taking place at Wisconsin, so you'll need a winner jacket and shorts and
shorts and a windbreaker and maybe some sweatpants.
You know what?
Just wait until the event.
We'll figure it out in Mother Nature.
Let's us know.
But this is going to be a really fun event.
And again, what are the dates and times again?
At a Saturday, May 18th, from 10 to noon out at Camp Alexander.
There is registration.
So make sure to register by May 15th.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And keep in mind as well that this is a great lead in to the camp open house that's going
on.
And the camp open house is the same day.
What a great coincidence.
But how weird that that happened like, no, this is a really smart idea.
It's a really cool idea to kind of, if you will, combine these events sort of in kind
of segue into them.
And it segues us into talking to Baxter about camp and a little bit about this.
How excited are you for this open house?
We're finally right here at this time of year, where we're ready for an open, the camp open
house.
I'm very excited.
We spent all last week out at Camp.
Our campers had a great time and the sun and the snow and the rain and everything that
you can imagine.
So excited.
Yeah.
We're excited for the open house immediately following that scavenger hunt.
It'll be a chance just to come out with your whole family.
This one doesn't require a registration.
Just enjoy the property, explore with your family, play some games, camp games, meet some
of the counselors.
It's really a good opportunity to find out if your kid really wants to go to camp or maybe
to entice them a little bit and have them something to look forward to.
Yeah.
There's a lot of friends of mine that went to camp Alexander as kids and everything and
talking with them about this just to kind of gear up for the interview today.
One of them was asking, well, you know, that was like 20 years ago.
I wonder how much it's changed since then.
And I imagine it's changed quite a bit.
And Baxter, I know you weren't necessarily there 20 years ago to know what change has changed
it hasn't.
But what are some of the things even from last year to this year that is a new about camp
and exciting about it?
Well, we've done a lot of different programming for this summer.
You're going to find that there's a lot of variety for the kids to choose from every
day.
There's going to be new activities every day will swim.
The counselors are going to be very involved in a leadership role, allowing our other
kids to step up and take some charge.
We have junior counselors as well and it's really just supposed to be fun all summer long.
But we're going to have good structure.
There's going to be a free thinking model.
So the kids will be able to choose the activities they do instead of being told what to do.
It's for everyone.
We're going to have times where if you want to go read a book in a hammock for the next
hour, that's what you can go and do.
We're going to have a lot of opportunity to do what the kids like to do, not necessarily
playing kickball all day every day.
Yeah, is that a change backster?
Is that there's that how you guys have run the camp for a while now?
It'll be different.
It's essentially getting rid of a themed week.
Without having a themed week, it allows a parent to choose any week during the summer
that their kid would like to go to camp more so conveniently, but still have the opportunities
to do the things that they love.
In the past, if they couldn't go to fishing week and their passion is fishing, you kind
of felt like you missed out, but this year you're going to be able to fish every
single week, not every single day because we're going to have many activities, but we want
to allow you to play in the water, to make your crafts, to fish, to swim, to do everything
you can imagine.
Yeah.
It gives a lot more versatility to the kids, and you remember what it was like when your
parents or an adult gave you a task or let you decide something, it felt great.
The early steps we take to adulthood in learning what it's like to make decisions on an everyday
basis in those, and you feel so adult-like, you feel so big and important.
It seems to give these kids a little of that, being able to do it that way.
And they don't always make good decisions, sometimes they'll sign up for something they don't
want to do, and they'll learn a new skill that they didn't necessarily want to do.
But that's kind of the point, you make mistakes or you choose the right activity, and that's
where you'll meet your new friends because you don't know what you have in common with
someone else if you never ask.
And they get to do those things and experiencing those things in a safe environment, too.
That doesn't always happen in real life and real time and everything, getting those experiences
in like this gives you more reps, which is so much of life, is having more reps with
whatever we're talking about, and the experience is like that, are fantastic.
Can you tease any of these events to us?
I don't want to give anything, I don't know spoilers here, I don't think like that,
but are there anything that you're excited about that you want to touch on?
Oh, I'm excited about everything.
All the things, that was a load of questions, that's a really, that's not fair.
You know, specifically the ice went out a month ago and I can't wait to get into the
water.
That's just me, I love to fish, we have an archery range, we've got axe throwing, so really
I'm just excited for summer, and the last week our spring break camp went so well that
all I can think is, couldn't just come faster, let's get a little bit warmer weather, let's
get out there and just have, let's play all day.
There is virtually no type of kid that couldn't enjoy camp, but for parents out there with
maybe children who maybe have a disability or something else along those lines, are there
is there a ability for them to attend camp?
Absolutely, camp's fully accessible, we don't want anybody to feel like they can't come
or shouldn't come to camp, all of the activities are able to be done by everybody.
We have a great group of counselors already, we're still hiring counselors, but those
that we have are rock stars and inclusive, they're just some of the best people you could
meet.
Absolutely, I second that, I couldn't agree with that more, got an amazing team over there
and always have really, as long as I've been in this town that way it's a great people
working there.
When it comes to the parents out there that maybe haven't had their kid attend a camp
before or anything, is there anything they shouldn't know?
Or anything they should keep in mind going into it?
Well, it can be a different experience for the parents and the kids, both the day camp
and our resident camp, one, it could be your first night away from home, which is scary
for both the kids and the parents, but no matter what we're going to make it comfortable,
we're not far from home, it's not like you're dropping them off in a different state
and say and see in a week, it's very comforting for both sides, and then the day camp, it might
be scary to have to go meet new people, it might be scary to have someone new in charge
if you've never met the counselors or myself, and I think we'll notice a lot of kids breaking
out of their shell, maybe showing their own personality instead of what people expect
them to be because that's kind of what camps about.
So it's a good place to learn who you are, learn some of the things that about yourself
personality-wise that you may not have thought about, very open-minded.
Remember in school, you get done, you know, you have the school year ends, you have summer,
and then you come back and you see your friends again, or see people you haven't seen
in a long time and so and so has changed so much.
They have seemed so different than the last time that you saw them and everything.
They probably went to camp, you know, that's a big part of it.
It is such a great opportunity, I'm teasing a little bit, but I'm also very serious
about this because I have a lot of friends that did this.
And it was an opportunity for them to get to know themselves more and find out things
they liked and found out more about themselves at a young age that I think really helped them
going forward, whether it's in, you know, middle school or high school or what have you.
There is no more middle school, so high school or whatever.
It's an opportunity to build themselves up as well, along with all these other skillsets
and just having fun.
It's just a fun event as well.
It can't be a great time.
Find the kids branching out more as soon as they get home from camp.
They'll say, I want to try this.
I want to try that.
And it's because they just got done trying every activity under the sun and now they want
mom and dad to experience it.
Yes.
Do a little bit more again, no downside to something like this.
Find out more about it if people want to find out more about this or maybe we're looking
for volunteers or are you mentioned that there are some hiring going on over at the
Y. Want to encourage people to check out the website, SWCYMCA.org, SWCYMCA.org.
Be sure to follow the Y on social media as well.
It's a great way to keep the date on things that they are doing and support what they're
doing.
And then if people want to volunteer with any of the events that you were touching on
earlier, Stephanie, how can they get in touch with you?
Yeah, they can either call the Y, 715-818-9622 and ask for Stephanie or they can send me
an email, S-Lund at SWCYMCA.org, definitely would love community members to be a part
of a lot of these events because they're a lot of fun.
Yeah.
And backster, how about for you if people want to volunteer with camp or anything like
that, how can they get in touch with you?
Well, they can use all of the same resources that Stephanie just mentioned.
You can also email me, which you can find online, otherwise it's aren't ARNDT at SWCYMCA.org.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Again, that website is SWCYMCA.org, be sure to go there, find out more information, and
certainly follow the Y on social media.
It's great follow.
Thank you both for the time, appreciate everything you guys do in our community and what you guys
are doing for the youth around here and all of our ages around here.
But also want to make sure to thank you for bringing these flyers, too, so we can talk
about them and highlight them in our morning shows and everything.
So thank you for the time, you too.
Thank you, James.
Maybe one of these days we can get you out to camp to do your show.
I'd love that.
Oh my god, that'd be a blast.
I'll get a blast.
I'll get a couple of our rambunctious kids to come and interview with you.
We are doing that.
No, we're doing that.
We're doing that.
We're doing that.
Plan on it.
It's awesome.
And I want to say a big thank you to Tri-City Services as well sponsoring the segment.
A big thank you to them.
We'll be back with more Midday Magazine for you tomorrow right here at WFHR, locally grown
radio.
