Due to anticipated heavier wind and rain as the day goes on, all YMCA of Greater Charlotte branches will close today, September 30, at 2:30 p.m. Please stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we're celebrating leaders who make a difference in our YMCA and community! Ana Butters, who was born in Peru, has worked for the YMCA for 13 years and serves as our community development director at the Harris Family YMCA. Ana celebrates by taking time to recognize the culture, influence and contributions of Hispanics, both American and foreign-born in the U.S. She honors her own heritage by speaking Spanish to her daughters at home and keeping family traditions alive. Ana shares “an interesting fact about Hispanics from Latin America is that, although we all speak Spanish and share a very rich and diverse culture, most of our ancestors immigrated to Latin America from other continents. For that reason, we find a vast variety of foods, music, folklore, dialects, traditions and more throughout our countries and regions.”

Staff from Y-USA visited the Johnston and Simmons YMCAs last week to observe a new swim program both locations have been piloting. The program is designed specifically for teens and adults who have extreme fear in the water due to previous traumatic experiences. Charlotte was one of only 10 YMCAs across the country chosen to receive a $17,500 grant to pilot the program. Thanks to the incredible work from the Aquatics staff at both Simmons and Johnston and the feedback provided to Y-USA to develop the curriculum, the program will soon be available at YMCAs across the nation!

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 - October 15, we're celebrating leaders who make a difference in our YMCA and community! Sergio Chisaca, sales and service lead at the Harris Family YMCA, attended the YMCA's 20th World Council in Aarhus, Denmark this past July as part of our Emerging Global Leader Institute, where he represented not only the YMCA of Greater Charlotte and Y-USA but also his home country of Colombia. The experience opened Sergio to the many opportunities the Y has to offer both locally and globally. Sergio shared "going to Europe before 30 as an immigrant is a dream. It meant so much to represent my country on a global stage. My goal now after coming back is to pay it forward to other underrepresented staff and continue advocating for DIG causes for communities such as the Latino community among others.”

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Thank you to all of our 2022 C2 Obstacle Trail Run sponsors, participants and volunteers for making this years race such a huge success! A special thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, Price Brothers Inc Plumbing Contractors, for their continued support of the race.

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