A Message from our 2023 Honourary Chairs

Neil & Christine Jacobsen

We have reached the mid-year point of the year and we want to take a moment to reflect on the progress we have made together.
First and foremost, this week we are celebrating Gratitude Week at the YMCA, and we would like to express our deepest gratitude for your continued support and engagement. It is your dedication that allows us to fulfill our mission of building a healthier, stronger and more connected community.
Over the last several months we have witnessed youth discover a safe space through Y programming, adults that didn’t know how to swim and were fearful of the water take their first strokes, moms that were able to focus on their health and wellness while their children were cared for in Child Minding, and preparations put in place to send 1000’s of kids to camp. Each interaction, program and initiative is a testament to our dedication to improving lives and building a stronger, more inclusive community, and we couldn’t have done it without you.
The Y’s work is not complete though. As we move forward to the second half of the year,  there are still individuals, families and youth in need and challenges to overcome, as well as opportunities to grow. Together our passion and determination will guide us as we continue to make a difference, creating impact and igniting potential.
Together, we can build upon our mid-year success and create an even greater impact in the months ahead.

Y Story – Susan Hachey Walk a Thon


Susan Hachey worked at the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick’s Child Care for 25 years and worked one year with each age group before becoming a Director of Child Care, where she remained as a director for 18 years.  As retirement grew closer, Susan moved to working part-time with the After School-aged children for three years.
All through these years, Susan remained very passionate about raising money for the Strong Kids Campaign, now called Strong Communities Campaign. Susan helped organize different events throughout the years, including a Pie in the Face event, and hot dog and bake sales, but in 2009, Susan thought that a walk-a-thon would be fun for all and would benefit the Strong Kids Campaign greatly.  This walk was a success and continued throughout the years.
Susan passed away in September of 2022. To carry on Susan’s legacy the YMCA honoured Susan by hosting The Susan Hachey Walk-A-Thon for Strong Communities on Friday, June 16th.
Children, educators and a few other Regional Y staff walked along Churchill Blvd and raised $1,250.

Strong Communities Campaign Update


Glenn Carpenter Centre


Have you noticed our new entrance to the Glenn Carpenter Centre on the Foster Thurston Road?
This project has been a dream in the making. It will allow safe access to and from the facility. Minster Holder, Y Board Chair Brian Wheelock and Y CEO Shilo Boucher commemorate the expansion of the Glenn Carpenter Centre in February.
This road would not have been possible without the generous support of our partners!
Expansion of the Glenn Carpenter Centre will continue this fall with the addition of a new onsite building for an After School Program that will have the centre open all year long.

Winter Fest


We were excited to be able to bring Winterfest back to Camp Glenburn this year in support of sending kids to camp this summer.
We had a fresh snowfall which meant the day was full of sledding, making smores and sipping hot chocolate around a fire, followed by a delicious spaghetti dinner. We had a large turnout of Newcomer families and many got to experience outdoor winter activities for the first time.

Give the Gift of Camp Campaign


In April the Y’s in Atlantic Canada came together to raise funds to send 1,000 kids to camp.
We want to send a huge thank you to our community. The YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick raised $19,200 to send 96 kids to Y Summer Camp at no cost to their families.
We have seen an increased need for financial assistance in camp registration. During the campaign, we talked with families who reminded us that supporting them matters now more than ever.
This summer, the Gift of Camp Campaign continues thanks to our partners at Kent Building Supplies! This July, they’ll be spreading the word across 48 stores in Atlantic Canada, encouraging customers to give the gift of camp with every in-store purchase.
Thank you again to everyone who helped ensure children can shine bright this summer. We look forward to sharing camp stories and life-changing experiences with you this summer.

33rd Annual Red Triangle Gala


On Thursday, May 4, we held our 33rd Annual Red Triangle Awards Gala, presented by Emera New Brunswick, in recognition of this year’s Red Triangle and Leader to Watch recipients, Li Song and Emma Coakley.
The Red Triangle Award recognizes long and meritorious service, outstanding contributions and achievement in the community, while the Leader to Watch Award honours an individual who is a role model for other young adults in our community.
This year’s Gala helped raise $75,000 in support of the Strong Communities Campaign, through ticket sales, donations made during the gala and the generous support of our donors.

Celebrating our Volunteers


Linda Walsh: Aquafit Instructor

Linda has been a volunteer at the Y for 8 years and currently teaches Aquafit for some of our morning classes.
When asked what she loves about being at the Y, Linda said, “I love the interaction with people. I call it my happy place. The Y is very social and is very welcoming and to me it is a really good place to be.”
To learn more about how you can join Linda and others to become a volunteer, go to our Volunteer Page.

Volunteer Appreciation

Volunteering weaves us together, strengthening the fabric of our community by sharing their time, talent and energy to support one another.
In April we celebrated our volunteers with a special luncheon. Volunteers shared their “Y” story and we some received years of service awards.
Volunteers are at the heart of the Y. We could not do the work that we do without them.
We appreciate the work of all the volunteers in our community!

YMCA COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS


RBC Volunteer and Donation

In May, a team from RBC in Saint John helped us with camp cleanup at Camp Glenburn. A lot of hard work goes into getting camp ready for the summer and we couldn’t do it without your help! Following their volunteer work, RBC generously donated $1,500 to the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick to go towards the purchase of new programming equipment as we continue to offer programs for youth of all ages.
With the help of individuals and community partners, our spaces remain safe, clean, and welcoming spaces for children and youth to connect and create lifelong memories.

Little Free Library

You may have noticed a new addition to the front our building! We have our first Little Free Library thanks to Rotary Saint John.
Rotary Saint John celebrated the opening of the library with a grand opening in our lobby on June 3rd. They offered our members free books, bookmarks, snacks and a bean bag toss, with the lucky winner receiving a $50 Indigo gift card.
The Little Free Library in now open and we encourage all community members to take a book or leave a book. We couldn’t be happier to have this addition to the Y.