July 06, 2012

Meet the Washington Family!

For the past eight years, the Washington family has found the Indian Boundary YMCA to be a second home. From the time they were members at the Ridgeport YMCA, Brenda and Jeff have found the Y a positive place for their three children to grow up in: Brenna (14), Jeff II (12) and Robert (26).

Today, you will find four members of the Washington family active throughout the Indian Boundary YMCA. Initially, they joined for Brenna and Jeff to engage in summer camp activities. Brenda and Jeff found summer camp to be both economically feasible and enjoyable for the kids. Currently, Jeff II is enrolled in Teen Escape Camp, and enjoys swimming, making friends, scatter ball and playing games. Brenna enjoys working out and meeting her friends at the YMCA to hangout.

Brenda feels the YMCA is a “safe haven” and a place where she “feels comfortable” when dropping the kids off. Knowing that they are in a fun and safe environment is important to her and her husband; in addition, Brenda has made several friends and finds “constant encouragement” in the classes at the YMCA. She enjoys taking Zumba with Susan L. and likes the accountability that the group environment provides.

The YMCA is a place where the Washington family “comes together as a family and we workout as a family”. You will find the entire family working out and encouraging one another in the Wellness Center. They continue to implement positive life style changes together as a family as a result of their belief in leading healthier lives. Brenda was pleasantly surprised when Jeff II encouraged her to make better food choices when at the grocery store a few years ago; this was a direct result of Jeff II participating in the Healthy Kids Camp at the YMCA, where the kids were taught how to make healthy food choices. Fast forward to today, and grocery shopping with the Washington family is about making the best food choices that meet their healthy lifestyle.

We are proud that the Washington family is a visible model for our YMCA community!