Events – YMCA of Greater Toledo

Wayman D. Palmer to Host Topping Off Ceremony for New Facility

Posted on May 17, 2024 by Rosalyn Whickum

Toledo, OHIO – May 17, 2024 – The Wayman D. Palmer YMCA is set to celebrate a significant milestone in the construction of its new facility with a Topping Off Ceremony on Monday, May 20, 2024. The event will commence at 1pm, bringing together guests including Wayman D. Palmer Board Members, Board of Trustees, staff, volunteers, members, and representatives from The Lathrop Company.

The highlight of the ceremony will be the placement of the final beam, where attendees will have the opportunity to “make their mark” on the structure. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewcz and Brad Toft, President and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Toledo, will deliver remarks at 2pm, culminating in the ceremonial signing of the beam.

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said, “This Topping Off ceremony marks a significant step forward in the journey towards a vibrant and inclusive Toledo. With each beam, we’re building not just a structure, but an opportunity to create unity and community. Together, we’re shaping a future
where every neighborhood thrives.”

“The Topping Off Ceremony signifies a significant step forward in the journey towards the opening of the new Wayman D. Palmer YMCA,” stated Brad Toft, President/CEO of the YMCA of Greater Toledo. “We are immensely proud of the progress achieved thus far and eagerly anticipate welcoming the community through the doors of our new facility in the Spring of 2025.”

Located just a few hundred feet away from the current facility, the new Wayman D. Palmer YMCA will feature state-of-the-art amenities including an indoor pool, a modern fitness center, an updated gymnasium, community
gathering spaces, Toledo Public Schools Head Start Early Childhood education facilities, and the T.A.C.K.L.E. Program.

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About the YMCA of Greater Toledo
Driven by its founding mission, the Y has been a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening the community for more than 150 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships, and opportunities for all to learn,
grow, and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives, and generations, the Y aims to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment, and demonstrate the importance of
connections across the greater Toledo community. Learn more at ymcatoledo.org.

Contact: Shonna Moon, [email protected], 419.205.0777

For those who plan to attend, click here to complete the visitor release form.

Upcoming Pickleball Tournaments

Posted on May 15, 2024 by Rosalyn Whickum

Get ready to paddle up and show off your skills because the Wayman Palmer YMCA is gearing up for its 1st Annual Juneteenth Pickleball Tournament on June 22!

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, there’s a level of competition for everyone with three categories: Advanced, Intermediate, and Beginner.

Registration is open now, with member teams priced at $30 and non-member teams at $50 per team. Plus, each team will receive a tournament t-shirt, and the winning team in each division will proudly take home a trophy.

But that’s not all! In addition to the Juneteenth tournament, pickleball enthusiasts can also set their sights on the YMCA Mid-East Regional Pickleball Tournament, happening from June 28 to June 30 in Berwyn, PA. This regional event promises fierce competition and the chance to compete for the prestigious title.

What’s more, 39 gold medal winners from the Mid-East Regional Tournament will score a special invitation to the highly anticipated 2025 US Open Pickleball Championships! With registration now open for the regional tournament, it’s time to mark your calendars and prepare for some intense matches.

Exciting news from Pickle4 also adds to the buzz surrounding pickleball competitions. With a switch to Pickleball Den software, the US Open lottery for 2025 will see a ten percent expansion, offering even more opportunities for players to secure their spot in pickleball history. And fear not, as the additional invites from Y-USA won’t affect the previously announced 350 slots, ensuring the largest lottery in US Open history in 2025.

So, whether you’re a seasoned pickleball pro or just starting out on the court, there’s never been a better time to get involved in the action-packed world of pickleball tournaments. Don’t miss out—register today and get ready to serve up some serious fun! 🥒🏓 #PickleballTournaments #YMCAEvents #ServeUpFun

Walk/Bike to School Day Activities Encourages Safer Routes for Biking and Walking in School Neighborhoods

Posted on May 6, 2024 Updated on May 9, 2024 by Rosalyn Whickum

YMCA of Greater Toledo Partners raising awareness for safe routes

The Toledo Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program, of Live Well Greater Toledo and the YMCA along with their partners including the Toledo Public School District (TPS), the City of Toledo Transportation Dept., Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and numerous other participating organizations will join students and families from Garfield Elementary, 1103 N. Ravine Pkwy., Toledo, OH 43605 on May 08, 2024 to raise the awareness of the need for safer routes for bicycling and walking to school.

Walk to School Day activities can better the health of students through physical activity, increase student attendance, better academic achievement, create community connectedness, and enhance the air quality around schools. Through a partnership between the Toledo Safe Routes to School program and the City of Toledo, routes most frequently used by students are being improved through infrastructure projects, such as; sidewalk installation, curb bump outs, pedestrian refuge islands, and countdown crosswalks.

On May 8, 2024, families with students from Garfield Elementary were encouraged to utilize a remote drop off location at a nearby park (see attached map). Parents of students who typically are bussed or driven to school can utilize the remote drop off as an alternative on this day. Adult volunteers from multiple organizations and the school district will walk the students to school along a route located on N. Ravine Pkwy. This event is supported by the ODOT Safe Routes to School program that provides funding for school districts to encourage students to walk or bike to school. These programs also allow students to practice pedestrian safety, get physical activity before school, reduce traffic congestion around schools, and create healthy habits to last a lifetime. Multiple schools throughout the district will be celebrating National Walk and Bike to School Day on May 8th .

This program is being organized by the Toledo SRTS program, and made possible by funding provided through the ODOT Safe Routes to School Grant. The YMCA was awarded a two year rolling grant for $114,280.00 to continue SRTS education and encouragement programs in the TPS District and to update the current district School Travel Plan (STP) that will identify the infrastructure and non-infrastructure barriers students encounter daily that make it difficult to walk or bicycle to and from school safely and comfortably. The STP update will study the neighborhoods of all 41 K-8 elementary buildings and the high school buildings. The YMCA has been providing non-infrastructure programs such as walk and roll to school days, bicycle fix-it and safety days, walking school buses, and much more in the TPS district since 2014.

Available for interviews the day of the event:

Jenny Hansen, YMCA of Greater Toledo, SRTS Coordinator

Stephanie Bartlett, City of Toledo Transportation Dept.