YMCA Healthy Communities Day 2012

When we say we strengthen the foundations of the community, we mean it at the Y.

Our YMCA Healthy Communities Day is one of the easiest ways to show you how we focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

On July 12, we joined forces with our community health partner, WakeMed, to provide free medical screenings to children who need them most. In fact, this is the fourth year we've hosted the event.

We couldn't offer this gathering without the help of Saint Augustine’s University, the permanent home of our largest outreach camp, the Alexander Family YMCA’s Camp High Hopes.

Here's a look at the numbers.

• More than 850 children in YMCA Camp High Hopes, the YMCA’s subsidized summer day camps, received free health screenings
• Participating branches included the A. E. Finley YMCA, Alexander Family YMCA, Cary Family YMCA, Durham YMCAs, Kerr Family YMCA and Kraft Family YMCA.
• Health screenings included blood pressure and scoliosis checks by WakeMed, vision checks by Eye Care Associates and dental checkups by Wake County Healthy Smiles.
• Educational exhibits provided by the Raleigh Police Department, 4-H, Interfaith Food Shuttle, Safe Kids and the Poe Center.
• The YMCA of the Triangle’s annual We Build People campaign allows more than 1,100 children to participate in YMCA Summer Day Camps, Y Learning and other Y programs regardless of their ability to pay.

The numbers are impressive. But, the results of Healthy Communities Day are simply amazing.

HEALTHY COMMUNITIES DAY

When we say we strengthen the foundations of the community, we mean it at the Y. Here's one of the best examples of how we focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

How tall?

What happens when you combine the expertise of WakeMed, Saint Augustine's College and the YMCA of the Triangle? We call it Healthy Communities Day. 

It started this morning at 9:00 sharp on the Saint Augustine’s College campus. More than 700 children from our subsidized Y Summer Day Camps came to get free medical screenings from WakeMed, Eye Care Associates and local dentists. They also had a lot of fun.

This amazing event started three years ago as a dream of Dexter Hebert, Community Outreach Director of the Alexander Family YMCA.

 “The Y does a lot of amazing things, but we can’t meet all of the needs of children and families in our community,” says Dexter. “It just seemed to make sense to join forces with other organizations.”

Eye screening

  

Dexter started with WakeMed, the Y’s community health partner and Saint Augustine’s College, the permanent home of the Alexander Family Y’s Camp High Hopes, the Y’s largest fully subsidized day camp. They were thrilled to help. In fact, they decided to offer the event to all Y outreach campers.

"Many of the children involved in YMCA outreach programs don’t have access to preventative health screenings,” said Linda Barrett, manager of WakeMed Corporate & Community Health. “It’s exciting to see so many community agencies come together to make this happen.”

This year, the Raleigh Police Department even sent some four-legged friends for a visit.

But, the real purpose of the day was summed up by nine-year-old Sha-niaya.

“Are you healthy? I am!”








YMCA Camp High Hopes and other outreach programs are funded through the Y's We Build People program. Click here to learn more.