Fish Creek Weaver, Barbara Knupper

As always, the art fair will feature handmade works of art from Door County artists and fine crafts persons including watercolor paintings, jewelry, homemade candles and soaps, birdhouses, wreaths, greeting cards, mittens, scarves and more. Attendees will enjoy meeting with some of their favorite returning artists who participate year after year, along with a dozen new vendors for 2011.

The art fair is an opportunity to do some local holiday shopping and enjoy a spread of baked goods, soups, and sandwiches, while supporting the Door County YMCA Youth in Government Program. A silent auction with items from artists and local businesses will also be taking place all day. Admission is $3 for attendee’s ages 16 and older.

Founded in 1947, the YMCA Youth in Government is a nationwide program that provides students in grades 7- 12 withan opportunity to experience the democratic process firsthand. Proceeds from the Folk Art Fair make it possible for Youth in Government students to attend a four-day legislative session in Madison each spring.

If you have any questions about the Folk Art Fair, please contact Erin Hoffman at the Door County YMCA at 920.743.4949.

Click for a downloadable poster (PDF format).

National Costume Swap Day officially falls on Saturday, October 8, but swap events will be happening all October. The national event is jointly sponsored by Green Halloween, Swap.com and Kiwi Magazine.

In Door County, the Halloween Costume Exchange is a family-centered YMCA event inviting everyone to bring their children’s gently-worn costumes and exchange them for different costumes. The exchange enables families to reuse and recycle costumes that are usually only worn once, as well as save money without having to purchase new costumes.

The event begins at 1 pm when the community is invited to arrive with their costumes. Each family will receive one ticket per costume (up to 4) to be exchanged for a new costume. After handing in the costumes at 1 pm, attendees are invited to enjoy our inflatable bouncer while they wait for the exchange to begin at 2 pm. If you do not have a costume to exchange, you can purchase one for $10. You do not need to be a YMCA member to participate in the costume exchange. All costumes left over and funds raised will be donated to the Door County YMCA Childcare and Clothe My People. Additional donations will also be accepted at the costume exchange.

The YMCA Halloween parties are set for Friday, October 21 in Sturgeon Bay and Friday, October 28 at the Northern Door Program Center in Fish Creek. Visit www.DoorCountyYMCA.org or call 920.743.4949 in Sturgeon Bay or 920.868.3660 up north for more information on these events.

This community-supported wellness program offers those living with, through and beyond cancer, with a safe environment where they can participate in physical and social activities that address the special wants, needs and interests of cancer survivors.

As a participant in LIVESTRONG at the YMCA, the Door County YMCA engages cancer survivors through an approach that focuses on the whole person. Participants work with trained Y staff to build muscle mass and strength, increase flexibility and endurance and improve functional ability. In addition to physical benefits, the program is also focused on the emotional well-being of survivors and their families by providing a supportive “community” environment where people affected by cancer can connect during treatment and beyond.

Throughout this program participants have been introduced to programs at the Y including walking, Silver Sneakers, swimming, zumba, weight-lifting and cardio equipment training, as well as opportunities to listen to speakers on various wellness topics. Participants of the first two classes held earlier this year at the YMCA have been hppy to share the great results they’ve experienced physically and how much they enjoyed interacting with other survivors and the caring Y staff.

“Research shows exercise is the simplest way for cancer survivors to reduce fatigue, improve their mood and bounce back from the debilitating effects of cancer treatment more quickly,” says Andy Miller, LIVESTRONG Executive Vice President. “But there weren’t enough programs to help people affected by cancer reach their health and well-being goals, so LIVESTRONG and YMCA of the USA joined forces to create LIVESTRONG at the YMCA. The YMCA is the perfect collaborator because of its national reach, commitment to meeting the needs of all community members, and history of program innovation in support of health and wellness.”

“Cancer is life-changing. How strong a person feels in spirit, mind and body directly impacts how he or she lives through and beyond treatment,” says Mary Claire McHugh, Health & Wellness Director at the Door County YMCA. “At the Y, we work to give all people the opportunity to meet their health and wellness goals and are delighted to collaborate with LIVESTRONG to offer those who have been diagnosed with cancer the support they need to build both emotional and physical strength.”

Any cancer survivors interested in participating in LIVESTRONG at the YMCA is encouraged to contact the Door County YMCA. Since this program is supported by donations to the YMCA, there is no cost to participate. For more information contact the Christine Webb-Miller at 920.743.4949 at the Sturgeon Bay Program Center or Kristin Kirkham at 920.868.3660 at the Northern Door Program Center. Anyone interested in making a donation to support the LIVESTRONG at the YMCA should contact Cindy Weber at 920.743.4949.

Founded in 1997 by cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong and based in Austin, Texas, LIVESTRONG connects individuals to the support they need, leverages funding and resources to spur innovation and engages communities and leaders to drive social change. Known for the iconic yellow wristband, LIVESTRONG‘s mission is to inspire and empower anyone affected by cancer. For more information, visit www.LIVESTRONG.org.

Structured as an introduction to sailing, this program will run weekly during the mornings from July 11 through August 5 and will emphasize safety, fun and education.

Josh VanLieshout, Egg Harbor Village Administrator writes, “The Village of Egg Harbor is very excited to partner with the Y. Their leadership and expertise in developing quality programming combined with their focus around youth development make this a great fit for the community and an opportunity for some great memories to be made in Egg Harbor.”

The participants of the program will learn to sail on 14 foot X-Boats owned by the Village which were recently purchased from a sailing school in Appleton and funded in large part by private donations. The week-long program will cost YMCA members and Village residents and visitors $225 and the general public $290. Scholarships are available through the YMCA Strong Kids program.

“We are very grateful for this opportunity to use one of Door County’s beautiful settings here in Egg Harbor to enrich the lives of our kids. Not only will this be a fun and educational experience out on the water, but also a great character building experience that emphasizes all the core values of the YMCA; respect, honesty, caring and responsibility,” says Matt Luders, YMCA Relationship Development Executive.

For more information or to sign up today, please contact the Y in Fish Creek at 920.868.3660.  Space is limited.

The Y realizes that employee wellness is a growing concern of every business – whether it is based on the need to reduce health care costs and absenteeism or to ensure a happier and more productive work place.

According to a report published by the Wellness Council of America entitled “Making the Case for Workplace Wellness” employers must now consider the following:

• Almost 66% of the increase in health care spending can be attributed to increasingly unhealthy lifestyle behaviors; most prominent among these is obesity.
• Employees who are considered to be high-risk for certain health conditions can be expected to account for 25% of total medical costs.
• Only 3 in 10 adults get the recommended amount of physical activity.
• Some 37% of US adults report they are not physically active at all.
• According to nationally renowned exercise scientist Dr. Steve Blair, physical inactivity and low fitness is perhaps the most important predictor of morbidity of mortality that we know of. Low fitness accounts for more sickness and deaths in the population than anything else that we’ve studied.

“Every business has spent the past few years streamlining to reduce costs and increase efficiencies in response to the economy. Reducing healthcare costs and absenteeism while increasing employee productivity and moral is one more tool businesses can explore to help their bottom line,” says Julie Davis, newly hired Corporate Membership Coordinator. “Establishing partnerships between area businesses and the Y is an exciting opportunity to support both local economic success and community health. I am excited to see what can be accomplished.”

Workplace Wellness programming will be available to any business of any size that wishes to participate. Programming will be coordinated through the Y, eliminating the need for each individual HR departments to find the time to create wellness programming for their employees. Uniformed programming will also allow employee groups to “challenge” each other to greater participation. Special incentives will be available to corporate members.

If you are interested in learning more about the ways the YMCA can partner with businesses to enhance employee health and productivity, please contact Julie Davis any morning by calling (920

Margaret Carroll

Carroll set out from Northport very early in the morning and swam the 4 miles across to Washington Island, stopping midway to take a break near Pilot Island.  Mike Boryk accompanied her in his boat during the crossing and Margaret said she could not have done it without his support.  Margaret had planned to do the swim one week earlier, but the weather are not conducive to a safe crossing.  The water was rough in the beginning of the swim, but she stuck with it and things calmed down as she progressed.

“The Y is appreciative of Margaret taking the initiative to do this swim as a fundraiser for the Y.  It is the support of members like Margaret that allows the Door County YMCA to do so much in the community.”, says Cindy Weber, Financial Development Director at the Door County YMCA.  “Thank you to Margaret for her efforts and to all that made a donation in her honor.”

When asked why she chose to support the Y, Carroll said, “I’m excited to do a fundraiser for the Y because to me the Y is one of the biggest assets in living in Door County. I regularly swim at the Sturgeon Bay Program Center and love the facilities and staff! The YMCA is a real community center for us, we are so lucky to have such excellent facilities for the size of our community. I can’t say enough about the great staff and the excellent programming to promote healthy lifelong activities.”   “We are surrounded by water on the Peninsula. The learn to swim programs at the Y are essential for both young and old to be able to enjoy the Bay and Lake Michigan. Swimming is one of the most relaxing and healthy activities and it’s easy on the body…There are so many miles of shoreland where the water is only waist high, it’s really a safe activity and so refreshing on a summer day.”

Last summer Carroll swam around the entire Door Peninsula. She had planned to do it as a fundraiser, but she was still relatively new to the area so she set off on her own. As she rounded the tip of the Peninsula last summer, she said, “when I looked across to Washington Island, I thought, someday I want to try to swim across.”

If you would like to make a pledge to the Door County YMCA in honor of Margaret Carroll’s swim, checks can be sent to Door County YMCA, 1900 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI  54235 with a note indicating the pledge is in recognition of “Margaret’s swim”.  All pledges will go towards enhancing swim programs at the Y.

Death's Door Passage at the northern tip of Door County, WI

Carroll will set out from Northport very early in the morning while the waters are calm in her efforts to swim the 4 miles across to Washington Island.  She will swim unaided, but be accompanied by kayakers and a boat during the crossing, stopping midway to take a break near Pilot Island. If water temperatures and weather are not conducive to a safe crossing, she will try again on a calmer day to make certain this is a safe venture.

When asking why she choses to support the Y, Carroll says, “I’m excited to do a fundraiser for the Y because to me the Y is one of the biggest assets in living in Door County. I regularly swim at the Sturgeon Bay Program Center and love the facilities and staff! The YMCA is a real community center for us, we are so lucky to have such excellent facilities for the size of our community. I can’t say enough about the great staff and the excellent programming to promote healthy lifelong activities.”   “We are surrounded by water on the Peninsula. The learn to swim programs at the Y are essential for both young and old to be able to enjoy the Bay and Lake Michigan. Swimming is one of the most relaxing and healthy activities and it’s easy on the body…There are so many miles of shoreland where the water is only waist high, it’s really a safe activity and so refreshing on a summer day.”

Margaret Carroll swimming around the Peninsula in 2009

Last summer Carroll swam around the entire Door Peninsula. She had planned to do it as a fundraiser, but she was still relatively new to the area so she set off on her own. As she rounded the tip of the Peninsula last summer, she said, “when I looked across to Washington Island, I thought, someday I want to try to swim across.”

If you would like to make a pledge to the Door County YMCA in honor of Margaret Carroll’s swim, checks can be sent to Door County YMCA, 1900 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay, WI  54235 with a note indicating the pledge is in recognition of “Margaret’s swim”.  All pledges will go towards enhancing swim programs at the Y.

The Kids Triathlon will take place at the Door County YMCA – Sturgeon Bay Program Center beginning at 2 pm.  There are three age divisions with different lengths for the swim, bike and run for each division based on age. Swimming is held indoors in the center’s pool and the biking and running are held on the YMCA grounds and in the nearby neighborhoods.

Race Day registration begins at 8:15 am and remains open until 30 minutes prior to the race. Registrations fees are $23 for each child participating.

The YMCA would like to emphasize fun with family and friends, participation, staying healthy and fit with this event. Overall times for participants will be available, however all those who participate and give their best will be a WINNER. Every participant will receive a t-shirt and an award.

Registration forms are available at either YMCA or online at www.doorcountyymca.org.  For additional details call 920.743.4949.

YMCA Healthy Kids Day will be celebrated across the country at more than 1,700 YMCAs. Last year, more than 700,000 people participated in YMCA Healthy Kids Day events nationwide.

Join the Door County YMCA this Saturday, April 24 from 9 am – 1 pm for the annual Healthy Kids Day at the Door County YMCA Sturgeon Bay Program Center. The entire day is designed to celebrate healthy living and encourage kids and families to get excited about physical activity and play together.

Studies show that kids who consistently engage in play are happier and healthier, and develop and enhance a variety of skills including motor skills, social skills, problem solving, and creativity. Experts recommend that kids engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day, which often results in higher self-esteem and better academic performance.

Family activities will be free and open to the entire community all day including bouncers, dozens of informational booths, free snacks, gymnastics try-it classes, Tae Kwon Do demonstrations, jump rope and hula-hoop contests, and door prizes.  Use of both Door County YMCA facilities will be free all day and anyone who joins the YMCA will receive 50% off the joining fee.

Door County Memorial Hospital is the major sponsor for the 2010 Healthy Kids Day.  Contact the Door County YMCA at 743-4949 for more information or visit www.doorcountyymca.org.

No Family Left Inside is a new initiative for Door County families stuck indoors this winter. This series of programs is designed to provide outdoor experiences for parents and children who want to explore and enjoy the beauty of Door County.

Each month, there will be fun activities to give families more outdoor time and to learn something about nature. The following programs have been scheduled:

Geocaching
Saturday, February 13 from 10 am  to 12 noon
Location: The Ridges Sanctuary, 8288 Hwy Q, Baileys Harbor.

Geocaching has been described as a high-tech treasure hunt” After discussing what geocaching is, how it got started and some of the tips and tricks, you’ll head into the woods to seek out a cache hidden somewhere within The Ridges Sanctuary. A few GPS units will be available for use during the session or you can bring your own.

Wander the Woods After Dark
Friday, March 12 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: The Ridges Sanctuary, 8288 Hwy Q, Baileys Harbor.

Have you ever explored the outdoors at night? Too scary? On this hike, you’ll discover that night explorations can be great fun and not at all frightening. We’ll learn about nighttime animals and their adaptations, call owls, and finish with a bonfire and s’mores. Bring a small flashlight if you’d like.

For more information on the programs being offered or to sign-up contact the Door County YMCA in Fish Creek at 920.868.3660. The cost of each program is $10 per family. All the programs are held at The Ridges Sanctuary, but registration should be done at the Door County YMCA.