Southern Chester County YMCA Welcomes Tara Paglia
Southern Chester County YMCA is pleased to announce the appointment of Tara Paglia as the new Competitive Aquatics Director and head coach of the Barracudas Swim Team. Tara comes to Southern Chester County Y after coaching for a United States Swim Program in Delaware County, as well as teaching part-time at the Rocky Run YMCA.
As the Competitive Swim Director, Tara wants to enhance team unity, stress the YMCA mission and values and overall make the Barracudas swim team the best they can be.
When asked what she hoped to accomplish in her new position, Tara states, “My goal for the Southern Chester County YMCA is to provide the community with a competitive swim program that teaches kids values they will take with them throughout their life. Our program not only provides a platform for young, new swimmers to begin their competitive swimming career, but the ability for elite swimmers to progress and become faster, more successful swimmers. ”
Tara, a Framingham, Massachusetts native and graduate of Northeastern University, has swam competitively for both United States Swimming and Northeastern University. She and her family currently reside in West Grove, PA.
West Chester Area YMCA Welcomes Melissa Hanley
West Chester Area YMCA is pleased to announce the appointment of Melissa Hanley as the new Aquatics Director. Melissa comes to West Chester Area Y after working in the Aquatics department at the Western YMCA and Central YMCA in Wilmington, Delaware and the Kennebec Valley YMCA in Randolph, Maine.
Melissa is a tremendous asset to the West Chester Area YMCA, with over 18 years of YMCA managerial experience in the fields of Teens/Family, Active Older Adults and Aquatics. As the Aquatics Director, Melissa is in charge of the Marlins Swim Team, Water Fitness classes, swim lessons and lifeguarding and has been very instrumental in helping the YMCA of the Brandywine Valley implement its new Ellis Lifeguarding Program. Her goals for the West Chester Area YMCA include enhancing the Marlins Swim Team, holding a safety week for all swim classes, setting up an Aquatics newsletter and adding synchronized swimming and water polo to the regular water program.
Melissa states, “Through several years of involvement, commitment and belief in the YMCA’s values, my children and I have “grown up” with the YMCA as our second home. I am extremely excited to join the West Chester Area YMCA family, share my passion for Aquatics with this wonderful community, and focus on building our amazing new facility!”
Melissa, a Randolph, Maine native, lives in Newark, Delaware with her three sons, Nick-17, Kyle-13 and Cody-10.
G
ive the gift that keeps on giving this year by purchasing a YMCA gift certificate!
Whether your gift certificate brings your loved ones to the Y for the first time, or introduces existing members to a new class, your family and friends will love seeing this gift under the tree! Gift Certificates are available in any denomination and can be applied to program and membership fees at any YMCA of the Brandywine branch (Brandywine YMCA, Kennett Area YMCA, Octorara YMCA, Southern Chester County YMCA, Twin Valley YMCA and West Chester Area YMCA). Visit your YMCA branch to purchase a Gift Certificate.
Some ideas for great holiday gifts are Swim Lessons, Parent-Child Swim Classes, Preschool Gymnastics, Preschool Sports, Youth Dance, Martial Arts, Youth Soccer, Basketball or T-Ball League, Yoga, Personal Training Sessions, Massages, and Family Xpress. Gift certificates are also good towards memberships.
West Chester Area YMCAs Good Kids Benefit Dinner Committee
Members of the Good Kids Benefit Dinner Committee from left to right are: Zeffi Angelikas –Associate Executive Director WCAY, Robin Shipman – Vice President YMCA Brandywine Valley Association, Courtney Lofgren – CTDI, Lawrence Richards, Stacey Fuller, Attorney Gawthrop, Greenwood & Halsted, Lee Bunting – Executive Director WCAY, Maryanne Parsons and Leo Parsons – President, CTDI (Communications Test Design Inc.)
YMCA of the Brandywine Valley
Converts to Ellis Lifeguard System
Pictured here accepting a commendation from James M Herr for converting the YMCA to the Ellis Lifeguard system (fourth from left) are: Jody Giardina, YMCA of the Brandywine Valley Senior Vice President/COO; JD Daniels, Brandywine YMCA Aquatic Director, Deric Clinton, Southern Chester County YMCA Aquatic Director; Lolly Hallman, Kennett Area YMCA Aquatic Director; Katie Ptakowski, Kennett Area YMCA Aquatic Coordinator and Stephen Hall, West Chester Area YMCA Aquatic Coordinator.
Lifeguards and aquatic directors from the YMCA of the Brandywine Valley organization: Brandywine YMCA, Kennett Area YMCA, Southern Chester County YMCA, Twin Valley YMCA, and West Chester Area YMCA, have been commended for successfully converting the Y’s 16 indoor and outdoor pools to the “Ellis” system of lifeguarding. The commendation was issued by the Chairman of the YMCA of the Brandywine Valley Board of Directors, James M. Herr, who congratulated the aquatic staff for making the Y’s pools even safer for the organization’s 50,000 youth and adult members.
The YMCA of the Brandywine Valley converted its 16 pools to the Ellis Lifeguard Program this summer. This change ensures that YMCA aquatic staff are guarding pools using Ellis techniques, widely regarded as the most rigorous, best lifeguarding practices in the country. The Ellis Lifeguarding Program provides a single, comprehensive all-inclusive lifeguard training program combining first aid, CPR, lifeguarding, oxygen support & AED use. All YMCA lifeguards are now licensed by Ellis, and are required to attend monthly in-service trainings to maintain their licenses. Guards are also required to renew their license each year. |
150 adults and children came out for Brandywine YMCA's Encore Health Fair on November 14. Participants got active by jumping rope, hula hoping, participating in a basketball and football toss, tasting a healthy tortilla chili and coloring pictures. Brandywine YMCA would like to thank the following partners for helping to make the event such a huge success: COAD, ChesPenn Family Health Center, Chester County Community Dental, Chester County Highway Safety, Old Country Buffet and Noah’s World. There were lots of free giveaways including information about activate, healthy choices for parents and children, toothbrushes and toothpaste and coupons for free meals for kids from Old Country Buffet. The Brandywine YMCA Encore afterschool program will also be having a winter clothing drive through the end of the month.
Pictured above are some of the children from the Brandywine YMCA
YMCA Friendliest Staff Contest Winner
Jeannie Dean
Congratulations to Jeannie Dean, (pictured here), from Kennett Area YMCA on being the grand prize winner in the YMCA's Friendliest Staff Contest! Jeannie won the contest with over 500 votes from Kennett Area YMCA members that Jeannie made feel welcome. For her outstanding member service, Jeannie wins an all expense paid trip to Walt Disney World!
All YMCA branches had great outcomes from the Friendliest Staff Contest and raised over
$ 2,600 for the YMCA's Good Kids Annual Support Campaign. Special congratulations also go out to each branch’s contest runner up: Barb Bates, from Brandywine YMCA; Everett Gordon, from Kennett Area YMCA; Debbie Shank, from Octorara YMCA; Debby Genevich from Southern Chester County YMCA; Joli Mattia, from Twin Valley YMCA, and Sara Moran from West Chester Area YMCA . The YMCA of the Brandywine Valley would also like to thanks it’s members for their support and encouragement throughout the contest.
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