News

The YMCA of Columbia wants families in the Midlands to understand how adopting healthy habits together can help reduce childhood obesity

September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, and while the dangers of childhood obesity are well chronicled, many families need support changing their families’ habits with the goal of overweight and obese children obtaining and maintaining a healthy weight. That’s why the YMCA of Columbia— a leading community-based organization dedicated to improving health—wants families to understand the dangers of childhood obesity and ways to reverse course through improved eating habits and increased physical activity.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and […]

The YMCA of Columbia celebrated 21 families for their successful completion of the Y’s Strengthening Families Program with a graduation ceremony followed by a pizza party and swimming in the lake at the Lexington Family YMCA. During the graduation ceremony, a participant summed up her experience in the program with a poem.

Parenting can be pretty ruff,
Just like puberty, hits like a bus!
Am I right, or am I wrong?
‘Cause my child is taking too long….
This program has really opened my eyes.
When to actually reward with a prize.
Don’t scream! Don’t yell! And definitely don’t hit!
Just ignore the hissy fit!
I’ve learned all these […]

The YMCA of Columbia held their annual Breakfast of Champions event on August 21, 2018. The event recognized members of the Y’s Chairman’s Roundtable and included a fun performance from Y campers and powerful testimonials from those impacted by the Y.

Donations of $1,000 or more to the Annual Campaign qualify individuals, organizations, and foundations for membership in the Y’s Chairman’s Roundtable. Their support makes it possible for every kid, senior and family, regardless of their ability to pay, to have access to the life-changing programs and services at the Y. 2018 Chairman’s Roundtable Members are:

A1 Rodriguez Tire & Auto

AgFirst Farm […]

A new school year is filled with potential—a chance to start new routines and habits, build new friendships and discover new possibilities and interests. It’s an exciting time for many kids, however—at the end of the school day, 1 in 5 kids do not have someone to care for them after school, according to Afterschool Alliance, a nonprofit public awareness organization. As families are transitioning from summer to fall, the YMCA of Columbia is offering programs to school-aged children throughout the Midlands to keep youth active, busy and engaged during out-of-school time. Through a well-rounded approach to youth development, […]

Event encourages kids to stay active and keep learning all summer long

On Tuesday, June 19, the YMCA of Columbia, in partnership with Kohl’s, held an event to inspire youth campers to keep their minds and bodies active at the annual YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day^®, the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families. Healthy Kids Day is an opportunity to ignite children’s imaginations so that they can imagine what they’ll accomplish this summer.  The day-long event featured games and physical activities to motivate and teach how to develop and maintain healthy routines throughout the summer months.

Healthy […]

The YMCA of Columbia is exploring advancing their mission (To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.) into Kershaw County. Their process has included an Expansion Feasibility Research Study (March 2017), and a Capital Campaign Feasibility Study (June 2018). Focus groups, telephone, face-to-face and online interviews were conducted during the studies to gather ideas and comments from individuals interested in the community and the Y.

The studies are guiding Y leadership as to whether undertaking programs and services or even a major building project and capital campaign in Kershaw County would be […]