Duneland Family YMCA

Duneland Family YMCA is delighted to celebrate a record-breaking success at the Dancing Like the Stars-Band Together For The Y annual fundraising event, raising over $170,000 to support the local community through scholarships and financial assistance for childcare, memberships, active older adult programs, and other services. This sold-out show was held on Saturday, November 2nd, at Blue Chip Casino Stardust Event Center. The exuberant 620 guests cheered while nine local celebrity dancers and their dance partners performed individual choreographed dances by Powerhouse Dance Company, to help fundraise and support the mission of the YMCA. This rock and roll themed event broke fundraising records for the Duneland Family YMCA, making it the most successful fundraising event in Duneland history. “We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible success of Dancing Like the Stars, both in terms of financial impact and in advancing the mission of the YMCA. This unforgettable evening not only raised vital funds to support the Y's programs and initiatives but also brought together over 600 guests, fostering a deeper understanding and connection to the YMCA's core values of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.” said Dave Kasarda, Duneland Family YMCA’s CEO, “The event was a shining example of community spirit, and we are grateful to all who participated, supported, and made it such a resounding success. Together, we are building a stronger, healthier, and more connected community for all.” The star-studded lineup included Allison Susdorf (Duneland School Corporation’s Early Learning HUB), Barbra Stooksbury (Smith Legal Group, LLC), Beth Richardson (Serenity Salon & Spa), Donna Skeesick (Duneland Family YMCA), Erin Collins (Chesterton Town Council), Jason Ewing (Stevenson & Company), Sarah Pedroza (Breakthrough Technologies), Savana Ralston (Centier Bank), and Tom Wisch (Allstate Insurance and Duneland YMCA Board Member). The event was hosted by YMCA Board Member Tiffany Bozovich (Bozovich Wellness Center) and Zack Wellsand (Wellsand Landscaping and Hardscapes), with a backstage run of the show and tech by Kevin Murray (Val’s Famous Pizza & Grinders). The opening act included a performance from the Powerhouse Senior Elite Dance Team from Powerhouse Dance Company of Chesterton. This year’s volunteer judges included Jacob Lukach (Duneland School Corporation), Maura Mundell (Duneland Chamber of Commerce), and two students of the Powerhouse Dance Company. Read full article here: https://lnkd.in/g5K96wVD

Revolutionizing Health & Wellness: Duneland Family YMCA Breaks Ground on Innovative Healthy Living Campus With Million Dollar Support From READI 2.0 On Tuesday, September 10th, the bleachers surrounding the old football field located at 651 W Morgan Avenue in Chesterton found themselves filled for one last event. Community members of all ages and walks of life, elected officials, and Duneland Family YMCA staff gathered to witness the historic groundbreaking event for the new Duneland Family YMCA Healthy Living Campus. This ambitious and innovative project, which will see both adaptive reuse of the former high school and middle school property as well as new construction, is set to reimagine the concept of community wellness. “Today’s groundbreaking ceremony symbolizes more than just the start of a new building; it marks the beginning of a brighter future for our community,” said Duneland Family YMCA CEO Dave Kasarda. “This YMCA will be a beacon of hope and a hub of opportunity, fostering growth, unity, and wellness for every individual we serve. Each shovel of earth turned is a step toward enriching lives and strengthening our community fabric.” Joining YMCA speakers at the event were representatives from the Duneland School Corporation, the Duneland Chamber of Commerce, Cleveland Cliffs, Berglund Construction, Moake Park, and elected town and state officials who have expressed their excitement and support of the project. Also throwing their support towards the in-depth, phased project is the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, who have recognized the Duneland Family YMCA Healthy Living Campus as the first project in Northwest Indiana to benefit from being awarded READI2.0 funds, which were allocated by the governor’s office to accelerate shovel-ready projects that will transform communities while improving their quality of life. The Duneland Family YMCA is ecstatic to receive a one-million-dollar grant award while being the first in the region to receive such crucial support to bolster the project. “Support from the IEDC and READI 2.0 funding is crucial to the Duneland Family YMCA Healthy Living Campus as it empowers us to expand our programs and services, ensuring that we can continue to meet the evolving health and wellness needs of our community,” said Kasarda. “This investment supports innovative approaches to healthy living, strengthens our capacity for outreach, and allows us to create a more inclusive environment where every individual has the opportunity to thrive.” Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gNQ-HiMZ

Caring in Action: The Chamberlain Family’s Vision for a More Generous Future As the Duneland Family YMCA prepares to break ground at the new YMCA Healthy Living Campus on Tuesday, September 10th, the organization is thrilled to announce the generous donation from Mr. and Mrs. Mark & Staci Chamberlain and family towards the project. Capital Campaign Chair Mark said that contributing financially to this project in the heart of downtown Chesterton was an easy decision. “When I started my business here in this community in 2001, the people here lifted me up and supported me, which supported my family then and still does today,” recalled Mark. “Their support allowed for my business and family to flourish so giving back is repaying that debt. That and I truly believe giving back where you can is a duty we can all take part in.” The family feels so strongly about giving back that it has become a way of life both at home and in the office at CAPTRUST Chesterton, where Mark serves as a principal and is joined daily by his daughter, Elizabeth Adcock and her husband Aaron. While CAPTRUST has ingrained a strong culture of caring in the workplace with incentives such as paid days off when volunteering, the concept of being creative with generosity isn’t new for the Chamberlains. Elizabeth, along with her sisters Leslie Havner and Taylor Chamberlain, was raised to understand that giving back to her community was a learned habit, but an expected habit, nonetheless. Mark ensured that as he was raising and developing the next generation of family philanthropists that they were taught that treasure wasn’t the only way to spread their community efforts, but that they could spread their time and talent as well. It was Elizabeth’s dedication of her time and talents to the YMCA Board of Directors that ignited the family’s dedication to the organization’s mission and programming. To read the full article, visit our website https://yhlcduneland.org/

??? ??? Congratulations to Joe and Greg on winning the championship in the Duneland YMCA/Sand Creek golf league!?Both golfers had an outstanding summer and held off several challenges to win their first championship.?The YMCA would like to thank all of the golfers who competed every Monday night for the last twelve weeks.?Here's to many more successful rounds and great times ahead! #GolfLeague #DunelandYMCA #Champions #BetterTogether

Strengthening Community Ties: Duneland Family YMCA, Berglund Construction Meet With Healthy Living Campus Neighbors to Provide Site Updates On Tuesday, August 27th, the Duneland Family YMCA was joined by the team from Berglund Construction at the site of the new YMCA Healthy Living Campus to meet with neighbors and other local community members to give site updates and answer current questions and concerns. Approximately 60 community members filled the room to listen to a presentation from Duneland Family YMCA CEO Dave Kasarda regarding a general overview of the campus plan and goals, followed by construction phase updates from President, Building Division and Chief Growth Officer, Berglund Construction Jeff Berglund, and his team. Noting the turnout, Berglund said, “The crowd size here reflects the community’s excitement for the project and what it is going to mean for Duneland.” Kasarda began by explaining that as the groundbreaking and demolition phases are imminent, starting on Tuesday, September 10th, ongoing programming at 651 W. Morgan Avenue will continue throughout the construction process. “You’ve likely seen activities already taking place at the campus, soccer, t-ball, flag football, and that will continue this fall,” ensured Kasarda. “Pool activities, both our programming and the Duneland Youth Swim Club, will be able to continue as normal as well.” In addition to Y programming taking place at the new campus during construction phases, Kasarda also was happy to announce that many of the partnerships the Duneland School Corporation had with other local youth organizations, such as Pop Warner Cheerleading and lacrosse, will be maintained and active on campus this fall also. Kasarda wrapped his introductory portion of the evening stating that the YMCA will remain at 215 Roosevelt Street as well until all the organization’s services can be moved and housed under one roof. “At that time our Board of Directors will decide what happens to the current Y site,” reported Kasarda. “They will decide what is the best for the organization. To read the full article, please visit https://yhlcduneland.org.

Tee Off for a Cause: Duneland Family YMCA Teams up with Chesterton Duneland Kiwanis to Fundraise for Community Youth The Duneland Family YMCA was joined Monday, August 12th, by the Chesterton Duneland Kiwanis to host their successful 10th annual golf outing at Sand Creek Country Club. Over the last decade, the two organizations have provided a philanthropic and fun day out of the office for local golf enthusiasts to tackle the course, network, and raise funds for a mutual worthy cause: the funding of local youth programming. “I am so pleased by the amazing support from both golfers and sponsors, for our 10th annual golf outing,” reported Dave Kasarda, Duneland Family YMCA CEO. “The proceeds from the YMCA and Kiwanis Golf Outing directly benefit our community by funding vital programs and services that foster youth development, promote healthy living, and support social responsibility. Through these efforts, we are able to make a lasting impact on the lives of individuals and families, ensuring a stronger, more connected community for all,” explained Kasarda. Incoming Kiwanis president, Abigail Fahrenkrog, was equally ecstatic with the event’s turnout of 120 golfers. “I truly believe that the most important pillar of a community is the children and it’s wonderful that we can partner with the Y to provide for such amazing opportunities,” said Fahrenkrog. The excitement of having some youth programming, such as camp this summer and ongoing aquatics activities, already underway at the new YMCA Healthy Living Campus (YHLC) was a topic of discussion amongst the event planners and participants alike. “There is absolutely joint excitement amongst the organizations for the YHLC and the programming possibilities for kids to come,” said Kiwanis member Tom Webb, who organizes the golf outing each year with Duneland Family YMCA CEO Dave Kasarda. “This is one of our favorite fundraisers to be a part of each year because it’s a great way help support youth causes while golfing at such a prestigious course,” explained Webb. “It’s really fun!” Annual outing participant Nate Cobbs, who serves as Board President at Jacob’s Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation, said that he was even more thrilled to attend the fundraiser this year as the YHLC planning continues forward. “On behalf of myself and Jacob’s Ladder I can say that we are over the moon,” exclaimed Cobbs. “I think the campus will be a game changer for all of us in Duneland. It will bring so many people and businesses together, just like this event does for so many of us each year!” Read the full article online at https://bit.ly/3YN4IX8

The Duneland Family YMCA is excited to share a generous gift we received from the CAPTRUST Community Foundation. Thanks to the dedication of our friend and supporter, Mark Chamberlain, we're able to continue our mission of providing essential programs and services for children in our community. This partnership will make a significant impact on the lives of young people. We're grateful for the support of CAPTRUST! Interested in making a difference within your community? Consider donating to the Duneland Family YMCA here: https://lnkd.in/gWJ9AEFi

Mark Your Calendars! ? Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus! Join us on Tuesday, September 10th at 10:00 AM as we celebrate the official groundbreaking of the new Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus! This exciting project will bring a state-of-the-art facility to our community, offering a wide range of programs and services to promote healthy living for all ages. Be a part of history! We can't wait to celebrate with you. For more information, visit our website at https://yhlcduneland.org/ #YMCA #Duneland #HealthyLivingCampus #Chesterton #Indiana #Groundbreaking

We are so excited to have the support of Zack and DeAnna Wellsand of Wellsand Landscaping & Hardscapes as chairs of our Community Campaign! Their leadership will drive our project forward, uniting our community and ensuring a brighter future for all. Join us in supporting this initiative to create a hub for health and wellness in Chesterton. Together, let's build a legacy for generations to come! ???? Learn more and get involved at www.yhlcduneland.org. Get inspired by the Wellsand family and hear why this project is so important to them and our community in their video through the link in our bio. #DunelandYMCA #HealthyLivingCampus #CapitalCampaign

We are delighted to announce the commencement of development on the new Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus project. To ensure the safety of our community, our team alongside the Berglund Construction team has proactively implemented safety measures to prevent any potential risks or airborne dust and debris during this phase of development. We want to assure you that we are closely monitoring the internal process to maintain a safe and secure environment for all. In those efforts, we have secured that: ? Impact areas are adequately sealed and closed off ? All internal walkways are accessible with no obstructions ? Barricades are positioned throughout to give warning of construction areas All Y sponsored programming, camps and activities will be conducted as usual. Those designated areas within the facility have no interaction with the construction areas. If you have any questions regarding the development of this project, please contact us at [email protected]. We appreciate your continued support and understanding as we work towards enhancing our facilities for the benefit of the entire community. Stay tuned for updates! We're excited to build a healthier future for our community. Visit our website for more information. https://yhlcduneland.org/ #YMCA #Duneland #HealthyLivingCampus #Chesterton #Indiana