Adults welcome: Y expands programs for adults, families

Quick – what’s the first thing you think of when you think of the Silver Falls Family YMCA?

If your answer is programs for kids, youth sports teams and swim lessons, think again.

Believing in the importance of serving the entire community and offering healthy options for people of all ages, the staff is encouraging people to think of the Y as the place for classes.

In an effort to get the word out about its new offerings, a banner outside the Y’s Silverton Community Center office reads, “It’s time to reintroduce ourselves.”

Visit its webpage or stop by the office, 421 Water St., and you’ll see there are classes for every age and many interests, with more on the way.

Classes begin at 5:30 a.m. with a Boot Camp workout three days a week. Too early? There’s a 6 p.m. Aquasize class, too.

There are programs for seniors – such as Senior Groove – to kids – a swim class or micro-soccer. Adults are invited to open volleyball or basketball nights.

As a service, parents are invited to drop off their kids at the Silver Falls Family YMCA from 6 to 9 p.m. on March 7 so the adults can enjoy Silverton First Friday. while the kids can have fun at the Y. Children 5 years and older are free for YMCA members; it is $10 for nonmembers.

Silver Falls YMCA executive director Jill Rivoli said the YMCA is focused on offering healthy programs to build a healthy community.

To make things easier for patrons, the Y has changed its membership prices so that a membership pays for both classes and the pool. For example, a family can pay a monthly fee of $40 and have unlimited visits to the pool and classes.

Rivoli said she recently hired aquatics director Chad Brookman from the San Diego YMCA.

“He is bringing with him new ideas,” Rivoli said.

She said they are looking into teaching waterfront safety for children and offering stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking at the Silverton Reservoir.

With each new class, the idea is to get more people involved with the Silver Falls Family YMCA. That supports the overall goal of having a healthy community, Rivoli said.

Working with present and former board members, Rivoli said the Silver Falls YMCA has a campaign to raise $25,000 to be used for financial assistance scholarships for local residents. As of late February, 20 donors had contributed $10,747.

Elizabeth Sjolander, who works in the office and teaches classes, has noticed the addition of classes and the new prices has encouraged new memberships.

“People are finding out about our classes and then bringing their friends,” she said.

Audrey Cage was a lifeguard and aquatics coordinator at the pool for four years. She recently left to join the U.S. Coast Guard.

“We are getting more classes at the pool and seeing more people participate,” she said.

For 80-somethings to young children, Cage said the pool has a class or activity for all ages.

On a rainy Thursday morning, Cindy Morrison taught about 20 people in a aquasize class.

“With the changes, I am seeing more people coming to classes,” she said. “I think we are doing things to make the Y more patron friendly and to encourage more people to participate.”

Making changes, Rivoli said, goes with the mission of supporting youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.