The YMCA of the Coastal Bend is pleased to announce that its Y-Welcome Week saw several large turnouts throughout its run. During Y-Welcome Week, the YMCA of the Coastal Bend held several specially themed days that were free and open to the public, including a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb Challenge, a Group X Happy Hour and Bring a Friend to the Y Day. The week capped off with a Group X Sampler Day, where attendees were able to participate in 30-minute samples of the YMCA’s Group X Class lineup.
Membership join fees were waived during the week, allowing anyone to sign up for the Y with no initial costs. While 18 people took advantage of the waived join fees, even more members of the Y and the community followed the YMCA of the Coastal Bend’s Facebook page so they could receive updates on the YMCA’s activities. The Facebook audience of the Y grew from 498 likes to 722, showing a net increase of 224 followers in just one week.
The YMCA of the Coastal Bend had to reboot its Facebook page in July after the original page was placed under review. According to Gwen Ruppert, the Interim CEO for the YMCA of the Coastal Bend, no reason was given for the page’s shutdown. The YMCA of the Coastal Bend had to create a new page.
Ruppert was excited to see the turnout for Y-Welcome Week. She felt that while there is still more to be done to broaden the YMCA’s community reach, Y-Welcome Week was a good start.
“As CEO, there is nothing better than witnessing our YMCA directors, instructors, staff, members and community come together for a YMCA Saturday sampler to participate and encourage one another to go to the different groups’ exercise classes, all held in one morning,” said Ruppert. “… It was a standout moment to me, to see everyone connecting, talking about how they loved a new class and appreciating one another’s company while eating yogurt parfaits or breakfast bagels.”
To Ruppert, seeing a community come together at the Y and encourage one another is nothing short of fantastic. Several local businesses also joined in on Y-Welcome Week, including Executive Surf Club, Grow Local Farmers Market, Water Street Oyster Bar, the Antonio E. Garcia Arts and Education Center, the Water Street Central Kitchen, the Corpus Christi Run Club, Six Points Nutrition and the La Retama Central Library. These businesses participated by being stopping points on the Y-Welcome Week Bingo card. Completing a straight line on the card awarded attendees with a free YMCA t-shirt.
Y-Welcome Week was headed by Victoria Sookiasian, the membership and wellness director for the YMCA of the Coastal Bend. Sookiasian wanted to not only welcome new members, but also re-invigorate the YMCA’s community engagement.
“I think we really made an effort to tie in the community more and share what we’re offering and really get the Y name out to the community. I think with more people following and seeing us, they’ll be able to join in.”
Members of the community shared what it was that they loved about the YMCA as well. According to Sookiasian, several members of the SilverSneakers senior class wrote about why the Y was important to them.
“To read some of their answers and see how much the Y means to them and how much it’s an outside family that gets them moving and gets them started going through their week, that just meant the world to me.”
“We would like to ride the momentum of Y-Welcome Week,” said Ruppert. “Better yet, let’s press on the gas and go full throttle. Even though Y-Welcome Week has ended, we continue to welcome all to the YMCA. We are for all. There is truly something for everyone at the YMCA. No matter your fitness level or what shape or size you are, there is something to inspire you to be active at the YMCA.”
To keep up with the YMCA of the Coastal Bend, visit them at ymca-cc.org or come to the Y at 417 S Upper Broadway.