The YMCA is a place of growth, community, and belonging. As our mission statements says, "The Better You Belongs Here." What starts as a Y membership can turn into so much more, and such is the case for Kendra.
Kendra started coming to the Emilson Y as a member several years ago, along with a group from Cardinal Cushing Center, an organization that supports individuals with intellectual disabilities through education, employment training, residential care, and recreational activities. It was always a joy for our staff to see Kendra working out with friends at the Y. She quickly became of staple of our Y community, and, over time, we learned that Kendra had a passion for helping kids.
This love of helping kids led her to become a volunteer in our Playroom, the Y’s drop-in babysitting space where our caring staff provides a safe environment for children to have fun while parents are exercising at the Y. I could see firsthand how much this opportunity meant to Kendra -- her face would light up every time she walked through the door. Kendra bonded quickly with the staff -- and members, kids, and parents would all ask for her by name. You could always find her reading or coloring with the children. She was quick to calm a child during their first time in the Playroom, and would often chat enthusiastically to our regulars, always taking time to ask about their day. The sense of community and belonging she exuded could be felt by everyone. Kendra became an integral part of the Playroom and the impact she had with a kind word or a simple gesture of holding a child’s hand could be felt by all.
Following the pandemic, Kendra came back to our YMCA as an employee in the Playroom. When I asked Kendra how she felt about returning to the Y as an employee, she told me, “It feels good to see the parents. I know that I am helping them. I like making the kids feel better when they are sad and miss their parents. I love coloring with the kids. I work out after my shift. Sometimes I see the same people that I already know. Sometimes I meet new people. Sometimes I work out with a friend.”
I hope everyone gets a chance to meet this wonderful woman who shows us all that the Y is truly a place where everyone belongs.
