Welcome, everybody, to Midday Magazine for this February 4th, 2025.
Have your host, James J. Mail, off here, and welcoming into the studio.
Our good friend, Aaron Hess, MS Branch Executive Director of our Southwood County YMCA.
Aaron, good to see you.
Thanks for being here.
Thank you.
Thanks for having me.
Always good to talk with you.
We want to send a gigantic shout out to our friends at Tri-CD Services as well sponsoring
this segment.
We greatly appreciate them doing that.
Aaron, how have things been over at the Y?
Good.
Good.
Yeah.
It's our new year busyness that's still underway, and actually, it's a great thing.
So many new faces or even some faces that we just haven't seen in a while.
So, you know what it is?
January comes around.
You're like, hey, this is going to be a better year, and I'm going to make it a better
year.
Yeah.
And some people are able to stick with it, and some are, you know, come back here and
there and everything.
But all are welcome at the Y, and there's a lot of help from people over there at the
Y.
Those things too, if you want it, you know, reach it out, and the staff and different
people there always will anxious to help out anyway they can.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
And we're all friends over there, and to that point, it is friend week, the friend weeks
coming up.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Okay.
So, February 10th to the 14th.
This is a new promotion.
We haven't done this one in the past.
So, some of you knew about our January promotion.
Maybe you missed out on that, or maybe you chose not to take advantage of it.
Maybe February is a different month now.
So, the 10th to the 14th are members.
So, if one of our members refers a friend, as a member, you're not going to get charged
your March fee for membership, so you get a free month.
Now if you're the friend that gets referred, then you don't pay anything until March.
So we're waiving the rest of the appropriated fees for February, we're waiving the joiners
fee.
So you get essentially the 10th through the 28th at no cost, and then March would be your
first payment.
Aaron, you know how much I care about the Y.
I really do appreciate you guys over there and everything.
We pre-record these.
Are you sure you want to go forward with that?
Are you sure that that is a really cool idea?
That is a really sweet deal right there.
Yeah.
And I got it.
So, a little bit of a shout out.
So, we, some of, a lot of people, I should say a good number of you know that we are
in interim right now, and so we're working with the Stevens Point Y CEO, and they have
some new ideas of offerings that we could do, and so we decided, hey, this sounds like
a great opportunity for Southwood County to offer as well.
So let's, let's see how it goes.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
And, you know, one of the things too that can mentally help with, not only attendance
and all the other things at the Y and stuff, the people doing this, you know, there's
people out there that they like to go to the Y or like to work out maybe on their own,
but a lot of people, especially a lot of people that I know growing up, need an accountability
body or something similar to that, and here's a great way of doing that.
There's so many of us that have great intentions, really want to, but just need a little push
maybe, or need a little bit incentive sometimes.
This can be that too.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
I know, you know, for my, when I joined the Y in 1998, I was a member, I wasn't working
for the Y and I would go in, kind of do my own thing and then leave and then you start
making friends because that was new to the area.
So you start making friends and then you start, you know, all of a sudden you have this
accountability.
If I don't show up to work out, I'm getting a phone call, hey, what were you today?
I know this is your goal, let's, let's get there.
So whether it's a friend in that sense or whether it's accountability, maybe through
a group fitness classes or even personal training, you name it.
Here's the opportunities.
And I think another good note about this too is we all know people or have known people
that are looking for something to do or look, you know, especially, you know, and rural
communities are filled with people.
There's nothing to do around here.
You know, everybody's heard it before or something like that.
Here you go.
Here is something to do right away.
And what to do?
Well, you take your pick because there is so much to do at the Y. There are so many
different activities and events, whether you're just looking for something fun or you want
to get a workout in or just a light workout or go swimming all the above.
It's available for you at the Y.
And you get this added bonus with this promo.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Yep.
What are the dates for this again then?
February 10 through the 14th.
And if I'm going there and I want to, you know, recommend my dad or something like that.
Do I just talk to the front desk?
Is that how that kind of works out?
Yep.
So if you're a member and you want to refer it for and you'll stop at the desk and they'll
fill out the form.
So that way they get your name, that way you get credit.
And then they'll write down your friend's name or relative or whoever.
And that way that person, we make sure that that person coming in gets the rest of February
at no cost.
And we wave the joiners fee.
And it's a win-win.
It is a real win-win.
Find out more at their website, swcymca.org and be sure to follow them on social media.
We'll give you more details before we wrap up.
The Water Warrior Swim Proc group.
And I just saw that title and immediately got excited.
Sounds like a lot of fun.
Can we talk about that?
Yeah, absolutely.
So some people are familiar with like master swim programs and we're doing something similar
to that.
So Julia DeGroot is our Aquatics Director and she has a pretty extensive background and
competitive swimming.
And we know that we have some members and non-members that are maybe, maybe call themselves
recreational swimmers.
They like to be in the lat pool and swim laps.
And what this program does is it helps challenge the cardio endurance.
So Julia is working on the sets and how fast they swim and how long they swim, all that
good stuff.
And then she's also targeting their technique.
So we clean up some of the strokes so that their swimming becomes very efficient.
And the next thing you know, they feel like they're not having to work as hard, be
at their going faster.
And this is the wonderful thing about water.
You know, as a former swim team coach myself, you can't fight with the water and win.
You will always lose.
And so learning how to, you know, learning your entrance, learning how to kick, learning
all these fundamentals, becoming friends with the water is such a huge help and a huge
advantage.
Yeah.
So this is Julia's opportunity to kind of, you know, share some of her strategies and
techniques and tips and in the pool with the swimming, challenge people with their cardio.
And then, you know, who knows someone coming out of this program made the side that they
want to compete as a master swimmer or maybe they just, they want to stick with this program.
And yeah.
Yeah.
Journalistically, I appreciate you mentioning being a former swim coach, Aaron, journalistically
I will mention I am a Pisces.
I am part fish.
So we both love the water.
I'm a Pisces.
Are you two?
Oh, that's great.
They'll serious this.
You know, when I first moved to this area, swimming was really big, especially with young
people in high school and Lincoln and everything.
And it faded a little bit here, but we're seeing a real rise of it come back.
I'd say the last four or five years, we've had on the Kraken's coach and talked about
the young that swim team in the area and some of that.
And we've certainly spoke with members of the Y over years about the importance of kids
knowing how to swim and how important that is with spring, summer, it ain't that far
away.
And I think about that in a moment, having these kids, especially these young kids, these
young swimmers, having that already taken care of before spring even hits, before we even
get the warmer temperatures, they already know how to swim.
The reassurance of that for parents, you can't even put in the words.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah.
I mean, okay, where we're sitting right now, if I stand up, I can see the river.
You know, there's this community has water everywhere.
So it's all important whether you're a child, whether you're an adult, I mean, with this,
the nice thing with this program is that you can have young, through old, I mean, pretty
much any age can really participate in this because you can't go wrong, learning to be
a stronger swimmer, which is can't go wrong.
Yeah.
There's such a great exercise.
Yes.
You could tell, if you can, you tell me that you had knee replacement, great, let's get
in the pool.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
I fractured and fractured my ankle and tore my ACL and MCL in high school and it was
one of the first things they recommended was getting into the pool.
You know, once, once I was able to and everything and it's, it's so much fun.
It's so much fun.
Swimming and all these activities.
It is a great fun.
If people want to learn more about the Water Warrior Swim group, go send them to the website.
Yep.
You can go to the website.
We just put out a Facebook post for this program again.
So if you're, if you've liked or follow our Facebook page, you'll find it there.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
I can talk time every second.
It just got a little bit warmer in here, Aaron, because Camp Early Bird registration
is around the corner.
Yeah.
It makes me feel warm up a little bit.
Just thinking about Camp.
Yeah.
We're super excited.
So Baxter is, again, he's our Camp Director.
He'll be his second year as our Camp Director and we're just looking forward to see Camp continue
to grow.
And last year we had such great turnout with youth and this year, you know, we don't
expect anything last.
In fact, more.
And this year, if you registered before March 31st, it's $10 off per week.
That you register for.
So that there's a little bit of a bonus and that you can get a little bit of a savings
there.
And, you know, as a parent or a guardian, it allows you to really kind of start planning
your summer out.
Yeah.
Great point.
We know summers fill up really fast.
Mm-hmm.
It's amazing.
So this way you can help plan that out.
And I know for Camp, for so many families, it's an opportunity, it's a fun opportunity
for your kid to have exceptional care, great adventures, while you still have to go
to work.
Yeah.
So if you're in that position where you, you're working and you need that, that child
care option and you know that your kids would appreciate just the new adventures every
single day.
This is a great opportunity.
This is the extra mile that the Y does in our communities, certainly in our own here.
But really a crime across the country, the YMCA's do these things, but I don't think
most of us expect the YMCA to, well, this is on your job requirements or something,
but the Y does this stuff left and right.
I always think it's really noteworthy, and our local Y's understand what child care
is in our country and in this state in particular.
And so bringing that up, I think, is key and really helpful.
Also should be noted too, how much fun this is and how exciting.
Every year, Baxter is in and I get envious.
I get envious.
One of the few things that get envious about in life.
I'm not an envious person, but I hear this stuff and I'm like, man, I wish I was a kid
again.
I wish I could do this stuff.
It sounds so much fun.
Yeah.
It's a great time and a safe good time too for your kids, which can't be taken lightly
this day and age.
It's a really unique opportunity.
Are there things, are there requirements that parents should know now that they can prepare
for when it comes to camp time and being able to sign up for camp?
Yeah.
When you sign up for camp, so when you reach out for information or whatnot, we have a parent
packet that goes through what we need, information that we need for each child so that we're better
prepared.
Of course, first thing that comes to mind is allergies.
We need to know all of that.
The exciting thing for this year is that we're partnering with the Boys and Girls Club.
So we're going to be able to provide breakfast and lunch for all these campers.
Oh.
Yeah.
It's just a great opportunity.
So you're not going to have to worry about packing your kids cold lunch or whatnot.
We'll take care of that.
And then, you know, and when, you know, the funny thing for me is I don't think most people
in the area even know that camp is there.
It's literally hidden in the woods.
You just go past Walmart, cross the bridge, take a right and it's hidden.
It's a hidden treasure.
It's 33 acres of woods and cabins and fantastic beach area right on like NEPCO.
It's just, it's beautiful.
It's like you're so close to town, but yeah, you have no idea once you're on property
that you're that close to town.
I really, I remember, I think it was in like six grade.
We had a field trip there.
It's the only time I've been there, but we had a field trip.
And I remember being there and not thinking, where are we?
I didn't know the area very well.
So I thought we were in a completely different town.
Yeah, it's just, you're so right about that.
And it's this wonderful treasure that's right there that we can take advantage of and have
our kids enjoy and everything.
And when you mentioned, you touched on this before and I do think it is noteworthy that
as adults, especially as parents, we're, we worry more and more about kids having social
activities, having opportunities to be social, learn social skills, make new friends, meet
kids from different, you know, areas or all of the above.
And camp is used to be and still is a here, but the tradition of it is, is not is what
it used to be.
And I love the idea of it coming back.
I'm seeing more and more.
I would say in the last couple of years, especially, seeing more and more parents like wanting
to do this one, they had their kids involved with it.
And oddly, or maybe not, many parents like me that didn't grow up with camp, but see
the power of it.
And like, well, I would have, I was a knuckle at.
So this would help me out a lot.
So they're seeing a lot of that and everything, and that's really encouraging to see.
Again, all the positives to this and, and it's right around the corner.
You can get there.
You can start making plans for it right now, everybody.
Absolutely.
If you want to see your kid, or if you want to hear your kid at the end of the night,
say that they didn't miss their cell phone, tablet or whatnot, camp is a great place,
because that's, you know, I know backstories that this many times where he just gets a lot
of joy out of kids, feeling comfortable, letting the electronic device go off to the side,
while they go off into the woods and just have, have these great explorations and whatnot.
We're speaking with Aaron Hess, Branch Executive Director of Southville County YMCA, the big
thing to try city services sponsor in this family night is right around the corner.
And it's on 14th, it's on Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day.
So if you're, especially, you know, if you're a family and you're looking for something
fun to do with your kids, we are going to have, we have,
open swim and the recreational pool, we're going to have some fun games and the gymnasium,
just, just some fun activities that are going to be available for you.
If you're a non-member, you're not a member of the Y, it's just five bucks, you know,
five dollars come on in, use the Y, you know, have fun in the gym and the pool and whatnot,
have a great time with your kids.
We want this to be an opportunity for anyone in the community and we don't want this to
be, you know, a financial hit.
So, you know, if you're a non-member, it's only five dollars for your entire family.
You know, and if you've been listening for the entire hour, everybody, thank you.
And you may notice a theme there, whether we're talking to a store of point bus and their
price is being what they are and being affordable for the community.
And our YMCA, and we'll talk more about this before we wrap up.
But our Y goes above and beyond when it comes to that, got to keep the lights on.
We got to keep people, you know, employed and all that.
But more importantly, to the Y, it's getting people in the building, it's getting people
apart of these events, whether it is the family night or some of the other things we've
talked about over the years.
It's so important.
I have such a high respect for that in this day and age especially.
And it really notes how important it is to attend these events when you can and support
our Y and show them that we appreciate the work that's being done.
And a fun night like this makes it really easy to do that error.
It makes it really easy to show you guys support and everything.
Would you have a fun thing like this lined up?
There's a lot of couples out there and a lot of families out there that may not necessarily,
you know, you got kids, you got a lot of things going on work week.
You don't really get to have a romantic night like you might have wanted to or something
like that.
This is a great way, I think, of mixing worlds, of being able to have some of that while
also making sure the kids are entertained and you're, yeah, you did, you were adults.
You got out of the house.
You did something.
Yeah.
That means something nowadays, especially the older you get, it means more and more.
It's an actual literal win when you get yourself to go out and do things.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
So as much fun as this is for the kids, you can also feel good from it and make plans for
a family night.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
And let's say you don't have kids, but you want to date night anyway.
Yes.
What better way to work, you know, to have a date night, go work out, thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Go wherever you want to go.
I don't know.
One of the best Valentine's days I ever had was very similar to this and that's what
we did.
We went to a gym and worked out and everything.
Yeah.
We had a good time.
I will say as great as all of this is, too, again, the affordability of it, too, and
nowadays where you're looking at some other things you could do where this one is not only
really affordable, but say you haven't, you're not a member of the Y and you have been
thinking about checking it out.
Here's a great opportunity.
Absolutely.
Yeah.
Yeah, whether it's just for yourself, whether it's you and another person or whether it's
a family.
You know, it's $5, you know, for the Y, you know, we were calling it family night because
we understand we need to have more options for families in our area, you know, one
other thing that we at, we started what we opened up the Adventure Center, which is our
job and facility for child watch and whatnot.
But again, you know, it's not opportunity for families to go in that space.
Kids can have a fun time playing on the slides and all the toys and whatnot that's in
there.
But again, you know, understanding this area, you know, needs more opportunities for families
to come together and have a good time together.
So, you know, as a Y, we're trying to do a much better job at recognizing that and figuring
out where we fit in and what options we can offer that works for the Y and of course for
our people.
Well said.
Yeah.
And it's very noteworthy and noticeable that you guys are doing that.
Aaron, wanted to take a moment to talk about senior options over there too.
We've been talking a lot about kids and families.
I want to make sure to cover that as well.
Yeah.
Absolutely.
So, a few options that we have for our seniors, you know, as we get older, we need to
move.
We need to keep moving.
You know, sitting is, you know, is pretty detrimental with health and whatnot.
Anyway, but we also know that you need to have fun.
So sometimes, you know, maybe we forget we have some programs for seniors and, you know,
we have our forever fit program and our active older adult group.
Those are both group exercise classes where, you know, as a member, it's free, it's a
non-member, you pay for a day pass or whatnot.
And it's the ability to have these low-impact workouts, you're moving, you're getting
some great range of motion, and the best part, you're with your friends, you're having fun
with each other, you're laughing and you're smiling.
So that's always a great one.
And then our forever well, our forever well group, which is 55 plus, they meet every
Monday at 11.15 a.m. in our teaching kitchen.
They always have to have popcorn, they always have to have coffee and there's usually other
treats involved.
So, and with this one, really, you're getting together and you're having a good time.
It's simply a social activity.
So if you're looking for that, that, again, that opportunity to socialize, perfect.
I love that program, that's awesome.
Oh, that is a really cool idea.
I mean, four years away from that.
I got, I'm not too much farther from that than you, I'm pretty close myself.
So that's good to know.
We'll keep that program around for a while here, we'll keep that going.
That's a really cool option.
And speaking of options, wrapping up, talking a little MFA is with you.
Yeah, we always like to talk about our MFA program because that, so membership for all, again,
this is our opportunity to make sure that anyone who wants to be a member of the Y can finance
should not be a deterrent, should not be a barrier.
So, you know, our program is so streamlined now where you come in, you give us your name,
your address, we're able to look it up and see where you land on our scholarship line.
We don't have to bring financial information in, you just have a nice conversation with
our staff, we figure it out right there at the desk.
And again, we are so happy to do this.
So regardless, if you've been on our membership for all program for one month, one year, ten
years, it doesn't matter, we are, we want this to always be an option for this community
because really that's what the Y is about.
We like to say we're not just a gym and swim, but we are here for the community regardless
of income, regardless of, you know, where you're at in the social class or anything like
that.
Yeah, it's the, I like to think of the Y similar to our library, it's a, the great equalizer
in our community.
Everybody is treated the same, everybody is welcome.
It's such a great resource and just a reminder to everybody, that building ain't that old,
I mean, it's still pretty brand new over there, it is sparkling, it is just, it's been years
and I still, I pass it every day.
And I, it's yet to get boring to me, like it's, every time I look at it, it's, it's a,
it's a beauty.
I want to keep it filled, keep it with people and we're able to do that with all of these
amazing programs.
Aaron, if people have follow up questions, one of them more, how can they get in touch
with you?
Yeah, absolutely.
So you're always welcome to give us a call at the Y.
The R and Line is 715-818-9622.
You're always welcome, check out our website, swcymca.org and we also have our Facebook
page, which we try to update pretty regularly.
I have not gotten into TikTok yet or like the, what's the other stuff?
Yeah, I don't know, I'm just as old, I don't know, but we'll, we'll ask the younger
people, we'll find out, but they, you can find them on all social media, really.
Yeah, yeah.
And again, the Facebook page is a great way to not only keep up to date, but maybe share
some things that they do and other people on your timeline might see them that wouldn't
otherwise.
Absolutely.
And find out more at swcymca.org.
Aaron, thank you so much for the time and what you guys and your staff put into the
community.
Say hi to everybody for us.
Oh, we will.
I will.
Thank you.
Looking forward to talking again soon.
And do you want to say a thank you again to Tri-CD Services sponsor in the segment?
We appreciate them.
We appreciate you.
Thanks for listening, everybody.
We'll have a more midday magazine coming up here at 975 FM 1320 AM WFHR.