Whatever your desire, remember the YMCA of the Inland Northwest will always accept and encourage those who wish to pursue a 

healthy lifestyle.

Click here to view our Fall Program Brochure 

Thank you to all Spokane Valley Y members for your cooperation during July's trench drain installment in the Family Locker Rooms. Just as a reminder, we will be completely renovating the Men's, Women's and Family Locker Rooms over the next couple months. Each of the Locker Rooms will have the following new amenities: resin floors and shower walls, showers, lockers, plumbing features and toilet/shower partitions. In addition to these renovations, we will be conducting the annual refinishing of our gymnasium floor. We have outlined the estimated timing of these renovations below.  

• August 13 - Sept 3: Family Changing Rooms closed for renovation
• August 30 - Sept 9: Gymnasium closed for floor refinishing
• Sept 4 - 30: Women's Locker Room closed for renovation
• Oct 1 - 28: Men's Locker Room closed for renovation

We're excited to announce the arrival of a new sport at the North Spokane YMCA! Ga-Ga, pronounced Ja-Ja, is an Israeli game that is fairly similar to dodge-ball.

The playing field is an octagon shaped ring with walls that come up to about the waist. The referee then throws a soft ball into the center of the pit, and all of the players wait for the ball to bounce twice while chanting "Ga" each time. After both bounces, players then move around the ring while taking turns slapping the ball with their hands in an attempt to hit the other players. 

 

Weather Policy:

If lightning is seen or thunder is heard, the swimming pools, pool decks and showers will be cleared. In addition, no one will be allowed to swim or shower until the storm has fully passed.

Thank you all for understanding - we want to keep member safety a top priority at all three of our Y facilities.

Before September comes around and fills your busy work schedule with back-to-school stresses, consider bringing your family out to YMCA's Camp Reed from Thursday, August 23 through Sunday, August 26. Family Camp is a great opportunity for your family to spend time together in a wilderness setting without having to cook, drive, go to work, answer the phones and deal with the hustle and bustle of every day life.  

Situated on 555 private acres, YMCA Camp Reed's lakefront retreat is an ultimate outdoor getaway experience for your whole family.  Our relaxed schedule will allow your family to participate in all the activities that Camp Reed has to offer: swimming, canoeing, hiking, archery, basketball, soccer, rock climbing, chapel, critter talk, campfires and more!

Canoeing around picturesque Fan Lake is one of the many outdoor activities that Camp Reed has to offer.

There is nothing quite like having chips and salsa on the beach, by the pool, or at a BBQ - but you can also use salsas as salad dressings, on baked potatoes, toppings for fish and chicken, and the list goes on. 

Thanks to Mindy Wallis for sharing this great summer salsa recipe:  

- 1 can (14 to 15 ounces) blueberries in light syrup,      drained or 8 oz frozen blueberries, thawed

- 1/2 cup chopped red or yellow bell pepper

- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, parsley or mint, chopped          (loosely packed)

- 2 tablespoons red onion, diced

- 2 tablespoons canned green chili pepper (mild or        hot) or 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, chopped

- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

- 1 teaspoon honey                                            

- A pinch of salt  

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                          Source: Canned Food Alliance      

1. Combine ingredients in medium sized bowl; blend gently

2. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let flavors blend

More than half of our advisory board graduated high school this past spring.  With a few students eager to return in September, we are looking for high school sophomores, juniors and seniors to represent their respective schools on this board. 

For more information about joining the YMCA Teen Advisory Board, 
contact Christine Brischle, Association Teen Program Director at cbrischle@ymcaspokane.org or 777-9622 ext. 415

Pictured above are Teen Advisory Board members Kathleen Sweeney (far right), and Hannah Pulcastro (second from right) during a recent youth and community leader forum.

Grandparents play an important role in the lives of children, and at the YMCA's Early Childcare Center (ECC), foster grandparents provide this essential part of a child's development. YMCA's foster grandparents volunteer upwards of 100 hours each week to read and interact with children from 4 weeks to 6 years of age - and they love it!  "There is nothing more rewarding than reading to and playing with the children" says Doris, a volunteer at Lidgerwood Elementary.

The YMCA also uses volunteers for the School Age program for children from first grade through middle school. Volunteers allow the YMCA to provide the much needed attention to children in developing social skills that will help them shape our community in the future. 

To find out how you can get involved,
call Tony Manley at 777-9622 ext 479. 

Pictured here are foster grandparents Eydthe Natale (left) and Doris Jones (right) along with staff members Celeste Cleveland and Lisa Harris.