Change

ANNUALREPORT

2007

Our VolunteersClaire AdamsKyle AinsworthDylan AlbonPat AndersenAmy AndersonMike AndersonDonna ArcherErin Armstrong-HivaleRick ArnoldLorol AveryAmanda BaldiniPat BarkerBill BatesRoger BeaubienNicole BeckettKathy BedardMike BedfordKevin BernardLori BernsteinAlex BerryBob BirdNadia BockPatrica BoehmeSusan BowmanJune BraceJim BrawnsonRebecca BreauMerete BrooksJaime-Lea BrownLorraine BulgerDan BulgerDarlene BunnBrian BurkeSharon BurkeJamie ByersMarcela Calderon-DoneferMichelle CarrCori ChapmanMichelle ChartrandStephanie ChartrandRoger ChernuckPatrick ClarkChristine ClarkLiz CollardMichele Coxhead

Stephanie CudmoreTracy DafoeMitchell DaileyTony DamettoTyler DaveyHunter DavisBlair DeckerLara DesjardinsShelly DelRosarioMarcus De NieEvan DesrochesCheryl DiMarcoIsabelle DuchaineLuka DuchaineRachel EdisonCamille EdwardsCindie EvansKatherine FarrellJennifer FernandesWanda FosterSteve FoxJaime FraserJessica Fraser-ThomasMason GauthierMyles GauthierMorgan GearLori GeensMark GeensMitchell GibsonTrisha GibsonPaul GibsonMax GowerDany GrahamLiesbeth GrahamCarol GriceDavid GricePat GriffinValerie GristJen GuerinEva HacheyChris HahnSteve HailsEsther HailsTom HalliganDiane Harding

Peter HarrisonKristina HarrisonAndrew HarveyTanya HarwoodOcean HashemSydney HashemFrank HassardJerry HausStephen HoftyzerHeather HolmesBrenda HompusMegan HosieKaren HoskinBridget HoweArlene HowellsBill HubersJohn HubickiKonrad HunterMichelle Jansen-ForbesTrisha JaynesYvonne KayRuth KearyDanielle KeirElizabeth KellogJeanette KellogLori KendrickKathy KlippensteinKim KnightJak KnightPeter KnightMaryann KrahnJoAnn Kropf-HedleyMarie LakeBrittney LammersLisa LanningGord LeyPatti LeyAmanda LlewellynNancy LongChantelle LosierTiffany LytleJoan MacBainMonica MacheucaJohnathan MacIntoshNick MacKenzie

Bruce MacNeillCarolyn McCollBlair McFaddenTia McGregorSharlene McHolmRoss McKieMandy McKinleyDarlene McLoughlinSylvie MansellWyatt MayMarty MartinRicardo MelendroChris MillarJim MillarCallum MireaultRémi MireaultMarc MireaultRebecca MorrisTanya NestorukRick NonnekesTanya OgdenShirley O'NeilGary OrpanaKristine OrrBrittany PageKelsey PageShanly PalkChristie PeacockDana PetrilloShirley PoeMelba PoundRitchie PoundCarolyn PrenticeJim ProskosKeith PublicoverCherissa QuinlanSarahann RaymondStacy RaymondTeresa ReynoldsAlice RichardsonAndrew RobertsonShawn RobertsonHeather Robinson-

DooreleyersAl Ronneberger

Tom RousseauEmily RowleyBill RyanBrent RylottMelissa SabineJeff SandersDana ScheddinDiana ScottMarg ScottSarah SculthorpeBruce ShawEileen SheppardScott SiegnerDaphne SimmsJulie SmithJill SmithZach SnelgroveJennifer StadtkeKen StevensonKate SurerusEmanual SutherlandMorris TaitAngela TaylorJennifer TaylorAnne Marie Taylor PowneyLaurie ThompsonDeborah ThompsonLesley ThomsonSue TiddAidan TierneyHeather TobeyAdam ToddJudith VanGelderDavid VanGelderAlexa Van LarenMark VaroJackie VergeGabe WaltersCharlene WellsKelly WeltonGerry WildeyKate WilsonJake WoodburyKenji YoungKoshin Young

MENTORKyle BarberFrances and Edward BellCoveright Surfaces CanadaSteve & Esther HailsPeter HarrisonLori Bernstein & Ross McKieCoca Cola BottlingOntario Power Generation

Employees Charity TrustJim Proskos

PARTNERThe Caffin FamilyThe Corporation of

Hamilton TownshipYvonne KayBlair McFaddenThe Mireault FamilyRobin & Anita Moore

(in memory of MichaelMoore)

Shirley O’NeilChristie PeacockBruce ShawKate SurerusMorris Tait

BUILDERRandy AlbonPatricia and Kerry BoehmeGerard BondyScott ChalmersMae DingwallJessica Fraser-ThomasMark & Marilyn GalonskiAnne GearKristina HarrisonRobb, Arlene & Aidhana

HowellsHydro One Employee &

Pensioners TrustCarson KwokPaul & Lorraine LeblancWendy MacNeil

Pauline McCullagh(in memory of Paul F.McCullagh)

Sharlene McHolmDr. Bill MoebusRichard MooreNorthumberland KidsJake ParnellJustin PatfieldJean Sharp, Lighthouse

Wealth ManagementWendy Sharko, The Avid

ReaderMarina Turner-Johansson

FRIENDPaul AitkenYMCA Ambassadors ClubWarren AmbroseMike BanksShandelle BreedonMichael BunnMike CoghlanBill CrossMarkus De NieMargie DingwallCharles DobbieDaisy GouldDirk & Marta HabermahlFrank HassardStephen HoftyzerLinda HunterEunice KirkpatrickJohn LloydSue MorrowJudy NewmanCarl PrestonPatricia PozzaJenn RogersMark TedfordDiana TipoffBrian ToddMichelle WeaverGordon WestLes White

EVENTS

YMCAStrong Kids GolfTournament

Lunch SponsorJim Proskos, Cobourg

HondaMajor SponsorsBromley FabricatorsCIBC Wood Gundy, The

Ley Investment GroupJones Deslauriers IMIMark Geens, LafargeNorthumberland Tire &

Sales Ltd.OT GroupDan Bulger, Pentel Realty

Ltd.Stadtke Plumbing &

Heating Ltd.Prize SponsorVIA Rail CanadaMedia Sponsor107.9The Breeze & Star 93.3Golf SponsorTimber Ridge Golf CoursePrint SponsorHaynes PrintingHole SponsorsBDO DunwoodyBehan ConstructionBrighton Family Health

TeamBrighton No FrillsThe BullpenCanadian Industrial

ServicesHustler & KayInvestor’s GroupDr. Narine, Family

DentistryNorthumberland Hills

HospitalOphthalmologyDepartment

Rotary Club ofNorthumberland Sunrise

Rotary Club of BrightonSMM LawTackaberry Heating &

Refrigeration SuppliesTotten Sims Hubicki

AssociatesVandermeer ToyotaWeetabix of CanadaWilson Collision

Speaker Series withLieutenant GeneralRoméoDallaireMajor SponsorLynn Hardy, RBC

Dominion SecuritiesMedia SponsorNorthumberland PublishersYouth ParticipationSponsorsRotary Club of CobourgRoyal Canadian Legion,

Brighton Branch 100Rotary Club of Port Hope

YMCA Strong KidsSpecial EventsCamp Chairs for Camp KidsChildren’s YMCA Bake

Sales & AuctionsChildren’s YMCA Family

Fun Fair and MegaMachines

Cobourg YMCA IshinryuKarate Tournaments

Reindeer Run withNorthumberland HillsHospital

Shake Hands with the DevilFilm Night

Women Para MujeresLa Cena

Youth Dance for Peace

Youth Exchange MotocrossEvent

Youth Exchange La Fiesta

MANAGEMENTTEAMKyle Barber, CEOMike Banks,

Property ManagerDebbie Brown,

Program Director,Child Care

Mike Bunn, ControllerLynne Caffin,

Manager, Sales & Service,Cobourg YMCA

Linda Hunter,General Manager,Children’s YMCA

Eunice Kirkpatrick,General Manager,Membership Centres

Happy Mireault,Director, Development &International Program

Leslie Murray,Program Manager

Marina Turner-Johansson,Program Director, YMCAOntario Early Years

Thank you to theNorthumberland UnitedWay for their ongoingsupport and partnership

PhotographyPeggy McCarthy

DesignMarc & Happy Mireault

Y StoriesHappy Mireault

Our DonorsThank you to our dedicated volunteers. From youth to seniors and from all walks of life, our volunteers changed ourcommunity, our members and our association through teaching, inspiring, sharing, leading and giving.

Thanks to you, our generous donors and supporters, we were able to change the lives of thousands of children andfamilies through health, recreation, summer day camp, swimming lessons, and international and global education programs.

YMCANorthumberland

Changed for the BetterOver the past year, our YMCA has seen and enabledtremendous change in our community.

In 2007 through program innovations, YMCANorthumberland helped people meet their health goals.Positive changes with a new investment in facility renovations,exercise equipment and program offerings allowed users of theBrighton and Cobourg YMCAs to get more out of theirmemberships and improve their YMCA experience.

Recognizing that upgrading equipment and re-paintingwalls can only take you so far, we ventured into a cultureof improved service, one that is focused on helping youand your family set, meet and exceed your health andwellness goals.

At YMCA Northumberland we believe that buildinghealthy kids throughout the county is an essential communityinvestment. Our six YMCA child care centres served morefamilies than ever and in January of 2007 we officially openeda new centre at St. Joseph’s School in Cobourg. Our YMCAOntario Early Years Centres continued to provide earlylearning programs in the communities of Port Hope,Cobourg, Campbellford, Hastings and Brighton. Throughthe use of Playing to Learn, a national YMCA curriculum,coupled with creative, nurturing, qualified and dedicated staff,all our centres provided an excellent atmosphere for thecultivation of young developing minds.

As a charitable organization, we continued to strongly relyupon and appreciate the contribution of over 200 volunteers.YMCA volunteers played an integral role in everything we didlast year.They gave us their time, their talents and their treasureswhile developing new skills in leadership, servicementoring andgovernance. Volunteers augmented staff work in areas such asfacility and equipment maintenance and conditioning centresupervision. Partnered with our YMCA staff, our volunteers

made a significant impact on our program delivery as theyhelped people change and realize their potential.

We also relied on strong partnerships allowing our YMCAto reach out and change more people than ever:• Our partnership with the YMCA of Nicaragua allowed

us to share expertise and resources to work on socialprojects, leadership development, global education anda youth exchange that improved and changed the livesof over 1,600 youth in our community and our partner’scommunities.

• Our 2nd Annual Speaker Series, in partnership withNorthumberland United Way, which focuses on givinglocal youth an opportunity to learn firsthand frominspirational leaders on national/international issues,featured Lieutenant General Roméo Dallaire.

• Our partnerships with local municipalities and othercommunity groups and agencies allowed us to touch many,many people throughout the County. We continued tooperate all aquatics programming in Cramahe,Trent Hills,and at the Cobourg beachfront and Centennial Poolduring the summer months.YMCA Summer Day CampWunjo in Brighton and in Cobourg received significantfinancial support from Northumberland County and otheragencies, service clubs and donors.

• Our YMCA Strong Kids Campaign donors, throughindividual contributions and events, made it possible forus to help even more children and families see change intheir lives through assistance for YMCA participation.

• Combined, our YMCA Summer Day Camp Wunjo,YMCA Northumberland & Northumberland BreakersBeach Volleyball program and provision of lifeguard andswim instruction provided training, skills and summeremployment for 80 community youth.We believe that our YMCA is crucial to the fabric of

Northumberland andwewill continue to change to better serveand develop our community, our members and our people.

Kyle Barber Morris TaitChief Executive Officer Volunteer, Chief Policy Officer

Change came to Andy Hilwerda in an instant 20years ago when he was severely injured in a dirtbike accident. The oldest of five children and then

only 15, Andy sustained overwhelming trauma to hisbody, vision and vocal chords. He was hospitalized for ayear and had to learn to walk again. With the support ofhis family Andy was determined to live as normal a life ashe could and was immediately committed to keepingphysically active and strong as he continued to grow.When our Brighton YMCA opened five years ago, Andywas one of the first people through the door. He was soexcited that he had found a place where he could workout, become stronger, be with people and get out in thecommunity.

Andy comes to the Brighton YMCA almost every day ofthe week. He gets a ride into town with his family and walksto the Y from his family’s business as his warm-up. Once hegets to the Y he chats with the staff and then starts hisstrength training and fitness routine. Andy says that becauseof the YMCA his physical and emotional states have changedand strengthened. He really can feel the increased strengthand great improvement in the control of his body. Andy hasmade lots of new friends at the YMCA, he loves to have alaugh and tease the staff, and last summer he joined a dragonboat team with some of his YMCA friends for the races in theBrighton harbour.

Andy is an incredible inspiration and role model to othersin his determination to be healthy and his positive outlook andready smile at all times. Andy cares for people and wants themto succeed as he has done, and he notices when people arestruggling with their workouts. He will go over and offer tohelp them out and encourages people to stick with theircommitment to being healthy and active.

In Andy’s words “It is so good that the YMCA is here.”

We are led to those...

...who help usmost to grow

Because I knew you...

...I have been changed for good For the Cardiac Rehabilitation Group and their leader,Cobourg YMCA staff member Mette Aarlev, change issomething they strive for every day. While the profile

of each member varies, over the past six years, this group hashelped improve the health of its members who are recoveringfrom cardiac surgery or trying to avoid surgery.

The group meets twice a week and on day one of each weekthe members focus on cardio exercises including having Mettemonitor and chart their heart rates and blood pressure. Thischarting is crucial to their success as they use it as a record toshow their doctors and cardiac specialists at their regularcheck-ups. On day two, Mette challenges them to changetheir perceptions of what they are capable of through corestrengthening exercises where they work to increase theirstability, confidence and flexibility.

Members of the group have all experienced significantsuccess and changes in their health including a reduced needfor medication, noticeable strength and stability changes andthe self-confidence to walk further and return to activitiessome had not done in a long time.

Though some in the group knew each other beforehand,many did not and were nervous to join in at first. Now theirown friendships, camaraderie and care for each other keepsthem coming and committed not only to their own health, butthe health of the entire group.They give great credit to Mettefor the changes they see in themselves by making them feelsafe and cared for when they are trying activities for the firsttime and for challenging them to try new things they neverthought they could do. She always lets them know that theycan do new things, like joining in aquafitness classes orchanging from sitting on chairs to sitting on stability balls!

Mette also feels that they have changed her perceptions.She has a great respect and admiration for what they can do,and their positive and cheerful approach is an inspiration toher. For Mette, this group remind her that it does not matterwhat circumstances you are faced with in life, you can take onnew challenges and change yourself and others for the better.

Cardiac RehabilitationGroupMembers: (l-r) John Randall,Brenda Randall, Burke Van Valkenburg,Micheline Prendergast,TomMacMillan, JohnMorra, JamesOakman

Cathy Butler could always see potential in JakeWoodbury. As Supervisor of the Terry Fox SchoolYMCA Child Care Centre, Cathy has known Jake

since he was very small and first started coming to the childcare, and though he could be rambunctious and challenging,underneath, she could see a good leader.

This past summer, 11 year old Jake was challenged to use allhis potential and everything he had to give when his brotherNash was seriously injured in a tubing accident. As theparamedics worked to save his life, it was Jake who innatelyknew that he had to take control of the situation and if he wascalm then Nash would not realize how badly he was injured.Amazingly,Nash survived the accident, the trauma to his headand brain, the many surgeries, and is now back home and atschool. But the road to recovery has been hard for both Jakeand Nash. Nash’s brain had to rebuild itself and this causedserious mood swings and he would lash out at Jake. Jake tooka lot of the brunt of the bad times. Jake started to withdraw,even though he kept telling himself this was not really Nash,just his brain getting better.

At the same time, Jake turned 12 and was now too old for childcare.Cathy asked Jake if hewould like to volunteer at the child carecentre after school. Cathy felt it would be good for Jake to havesomething all of his own.Shehopedhe coulddevelop the leadershippotential she could see and help him refocus on something otherthan what he and his family were going through.

Jake took on the challenge and he has not looked back since.Jake has become a mature and reliable helper in the child carecentre generously helping both staff and children. He picks upthe smaller children after school, runs errands to the schooloffice, helps with snack time, clean-up, crafts and reads to thechildren. Jake feels that his age is an advantage when helpingthe young kids with their homework and talking aboutproblems, because he’s closer to them in age than the staff. In arace on track and field day, all the child care pre-schoolers werelined up at the playground fence and they were cheering for himand calling his name - that made him feel just great!

Along with feeling he has changed and become more of apeople person, he has a new found sense of responsibility andpride, and respect for the children and the child care staff. Hefeels the children have changed too by caring more for himand for each other. ...to help others in return

We need...

Jaime-Lea Brown is no stranger to change. At the youngage of 15 she has moved a lot, changed homes andneighbourhoods and experienced challenging family

situations. Luckily for Jaime, when she moved into a Cobourgneighbourhood, she met Aidan Tierney. Aidan too had herchallenges and the two quickly connected.

Aidan suggested that Jaime come to the CobourgYMCA and join the Youth Leader Corps with her. Jaimewas immediately excited by what she saw. Everyone wasso open, happy and friendly. The opportunity to learn newthings about the world and our community opened hereyes and made her think differently. She did not feeljudged and felt that she was free to express her opinions.She really came out of her shell. Jaime startedvolunteering with the drawing classes, youth and pre-school programs and birthday parties, and then was askedto become a part-time staff. Jaime started going throughan even rougher time at school and in her personal life,but she more and more turned to the YMCA where shefelt safe, valued and supported.

Jaime feels so fortunate to have a friend like Aidan wholed her to a place that helped her change her perspective,her opportunities and direction. She feels the Y has givenher and Aidan a great opportunity to learn, grow andchange. It has also taught them both the meaning of truefriendship. Jaime feels the responsibility and trust she wasgiven at the YMCA allowed her to mature, get focused andrealize her potential. Through the Youth Leader Corps andInternational Program workshops she has learned aboutperspective and creative problem solving which she uses inher life, in her work with children at the YMCA and atschool. These experiences have encouraged her to pursueher passion of photography and given her the confidenceto have her first show in a local photography festival. Jaimefeels she has already made a difference and has donesomething worthwhile. She realizes that she can dosomething to make change in her life, her community andin the world.

You’ll be with me...

...like ahandprint

on my heart

Erin Moulton is a single mother with three children; Lily,nine, Sadie, seven and two year old Preston. Just afterPreston was born, Erin’s marriage ended and she moved

from Oshawa, where she had lived all her life, to rural Roseneath.Erin’s parents had retired to this area and she hoped that theirsupport would help her family cope with their huge life change.

It was a very difficult transition for Erin. She was used to amore urban way of living,which included easy access to servicesand public transportation.Erin and her children were confusedand lost in their environment. Without a car to get them toactivities, they became inactive and withdrawn, her daughters’marks suffered and they were not making new friends at school.

A turning-point came when Erin met Ruth at the children’sbus stop. Ruth, the volunteer leader of the RoseneathPlaygroup, reached out to Erin and her children as she couldsee their pain and confusion. She invited Erin to join in theplaygroup and offered to pick her up to ensure her family couldparticipate. She really wanted Erin to meet Andrea Dunkley ofthe YMCA Ontario Early Years Mobile Outreach program.Every two weeks, Andrea visits the playgroup and offersprogramming, resources, toy lending, advice on access toservices and a warm, caring invitation to just talk and share.

Erin could not believe the support she received. Talking toAndrea helped her learn to cope with her situation and betterexplain to her children why their life had changed and how toadapt to their new environment.Through Andrea and the othermothers she learned about programs and resources to help themadjust.Her son Preston had not been speaking very much.Withthe chance to play and interact with other toddlers in theplaygroup he began to speak and develop in leaps and bounds.

Erin signed her family up for the YMCA Ontario EarlyYears Winners Program being offered at Roseneath PublicSchool. The play-based literacy and development programencourages family learning time together. The girls love theprogram, Erin is meeting more families and learning moreabout her children’s abilities, and her girls have become moreactive and involved. Lily has lost a lot of weight she had gainedafter they moved, they have started to make new friends andtheir marks are vastly improved.

Erin realizes that in this rural setting people seem to takemoretime for each other and really care about her and her children.Shelooks forward to the playgroup every week. It gives her a break. Itbuilds friendships and she gets the support she needs which isgiving her a much brighter outlook on the changes in her life.

So muchof me...

...is made of what Ilearned from you

339 Elgin Street, Cobourg, ON K9A 4X5905.372.0161 • www.ymcanorthumberland.com

Quotes taken from For Good by Stephen Schwartz,from the musical Wicked.