SNELL MOTORS GOLF TOURNAMENT A GO FOR MAY 20 AT NORTH LINKS.

Trust us, golf season will be here. This month, in fact.  

And we're hoping you'll join us in kicking it off in grand style at the Snell Motors Golf Tournament to benefit the Mankato Family YMCA. It's Friday, May 20 at North Links Golf Course.

This is the annual golf outing that puts the emphasis on fun for everyone involved, from the golfers to the sponsors to those of us wandering in the woods looking for our Titleist. The day involves lunch, dinner, 18 holes, a golf cart and non-stop opportunities to win prizes based on golf skills and plain old luck.

Regardless of who wins the longest drive, longest putt or one of the game-board prize packages, the real winners are those families who get to be part of the Y thanks to money raised at the golf tournament.  

Proceeds from the tournament go to help financially struggling families obtain Y memberships.

Act soon before this popular tournament fills up. To register your team by phone, call Joe Tougas at 345-9807.  

Cost is $99 per person, and the event is open to members and non-members alike.

Pepsi it to believe it

 

For years, the Pepsi Cube at the Y has served teens and pre-teens with a place to hang out and enjoy some time in a combination billiard hall/video arcade/rec room and lounge atmosphere.

But in mid-April, the doors were shut, the windows papered and the Pepsi Cube was closed. Questions and rumors abounded -- What was going on in there? Had yoga classes expanded? Were they scrapping the cool games and putting in a Tofu Hut franchise? A sign emerged in front reading "Closed for Awesomeness," but that didn't clear up anything. Finally, the doors opened and the membership was treated to a brand new Pepsi Cube.

The new cube has undergone more than a facelift. It's been transformed. Looking more like a college-game-room with its darker walls and brown carpet, the cube features new games including a hockey dome, skee-ball, Wii and Kinect along with old favorites like ping-pong, foosball and billiards.

Well-deserved praise has been directed at Karri Olmanson for the design and in-house experts Bob Dickhudt, Brad Bartels and Jim Weart for their work remodeling and renovating the room.

Next time you're in the Y, stop in. 

It's never too soon to think about going the distance.  

The Y's summer session running classes start in May, and in the mix there's one suited for you -- beginner or marathoner.

Whichever increment you choose, give yourself the glow, the exhilaration and the satisfaction of achieving a new distance - it will put you smack dab in the spirit of the Mankato Marathon season. Or like many of our 2010 class participants, it could put you in the marathon itself.

The Y's popular "Zero to 5K" class begins May 30 in the Life Center. This five-week class is ideal for those taking the first strides toward long-distance running.

The 10K training class,. also a five-week session, begins May 31. And when summer's underway, half and full marathon training begins. Register for any and all the classes at 387-8255.

Y signs three-year sponsorship deal for KidsK

 Photo by Pat Christman 

The Mankato Family YMCA has agreed to a three-year sponsorship of the Mankato Marathon's KidsK race.

The KidsK is a one-kilometer run for children ages 14 and younger and takes place Oct. 21, the day before the 2011 Mankato Marathon.

According to the agreement the Y will continue as the exclusive sponsor of the KIdsK through 2013.

"It's a great event and a natural one for us to sponsor," said Y Executive Director John Kind. "The excitement it generated last year among the kids here at the Y and beyond was something we love to see."

The 2011 race will take place at Sibley Park. Capacity for the KidsK is set at 300 and registration is open. 

A day with the 'Dogs

The 2011 Strong Kids Campaign comes at a crucial time for members 

It's not if they're going to grow up. It's how.

Making sure kids and their families in the Mankato area have access to the Y's healthy activities is what the Strong Kids Campaign -- ongoing through May -- is all about.  

Money generated in this member-to-member campaign goes toward help financially struggling families join the Y. Many members know that.

Not so well-known are the number of families in that category. In just the past two years, the percentage of member families receiving financial assistance at the Y has more than doubled.

Before 2009, the number of families who sought financial assistance from the Y occupied a steady 8 percent of total membership. Today, 17 percent of the membership receives some sort of financial assistance provided by the Y - thanks to membership fees, special events such as the golf tournament, United Way and the Strong Kids Campaign.  

"We're seeing really good numbers in terms of our membership," said John Kind, the Y's executive director. "But at the same time, the percentage requiring financial aid has never been higher. This is a rough time for a lot of people, and the campaign allows us and our members to make a lot of burdens out there a little lighter.

"I hope people understand when they give to the campaign, that they aren't just helping give somebody a break on the price," Kind said. "They're giving access to a place that can make all the difference in how people feel. How they interact with each other, how they feel about themselves. Nobody leaves the Y in a bad mood."

The Strong Kids Campaign is underway and goes throughout May. A donation station is set up in the front lobby, or members can donate online.

Double-trouble Dickhudt cleans up at racquetball tourney

If you were on a racquetball team with Bob Dickhudt, congratulations are probably in order.

Dickhudt was half of both first-place teams in the Spring Doubles Racquetball Tournament at the Y April 15 and 16.  

Results were:

A Doubles. First - Bob Dickhudt & Jay Folk

Second - Dick Lowry & Chris Lowry

Consolation - James Lindberg & Peter Lindberg

B Doubles

First - Bob Dickhudt & Matt Dickhudt

Second - Julie Saatzer & Andy Manning