Over the Christmas break, the Chambersburg YMCA drained our Walker Lap Pool to install a new Prozone Ozone Water Purification System. 

With this new system, harmful bacteria and algae are killed up to 3,000 times faster, while the amount of chlorine used in the pool is reduced by almost 90%.  In a regular pool run on chlorine, chemical reactions unrelated to disinfection create combined chlorines.  Combined chlorines are the major cause of eye irritation, odor, and other side effects of using chlorine.  By reducing the amount of chlorine used in the pool water, the new ozonator keeps the pool clear, odor free, and helps to  reduce skin and eye irritation caused by normal pool chemicals.

The addition of this system to our pool area will assist in keeping our maintenance costs down by using less chlorine, which can be corrosive to the pool.

Here are some useful facts to be mentioned when speaking of using ozone to clean pool water*:

• Ozone destroys viruses and bacteria such as e-coli and legionaries, and others.
• Ozone is over one thousand times faster acting than chlorine at oxidizing and destroying bather load in a swimming pool. This drastically reduces chlorine requirements.
• Decreased chemical usage – significant savings considering the cost of chlorine
• Better water clarity
• Reduction or total elimination of chloramines
• Reduction or total elimination of odors-particularly valuable in indoor pool environments
• Smoother water feel
• No red itching eyes normally caused by chloramines
• Very effective at destroying viruses and organisms
• pH neutral

We hope that you will come and take advantage of our newly filled and purified lap pool this winter.

For more information on the Prozone Ozone Water Purification System, please visit: http://www.prozoneint.com/

*Facts provided by http://blog.lifefacilities.com/swimming-pool-ozone-generators/

The Chambersburg YMCA is happy to announce the arrival of a new Fresh Healthy Vending machine!  The new machine, located in our Teen Room, is part of our plan to continue to bring nutritional choices to encourage healthy living with our members. 

Some of the new products include:

-          Kettle Foods kettle chips

-          Stacy’s pita chips

-          Back to Nature cookies and crackers

-          The Switch sparkling juice

-          Hansen’s Beverages

-          Steaz Iced Teaz

Fresh Healthy Vending’s mission is to provide consumers with fresh healthy snacks and drinks as an alternative to typical foods and drinks found in traditional vending machines.

The Y hopes you will take advantage of these new, healthy offerings.  For more information, please contact Barb Houpt, Wellness and Fitness Director.

Fat Facts*:

-          Two-thirds of Americans are overweight, although 85% of American’s characterize their lifestyle as somewhat/very healthy

-          Johnson and Johnson’s CEO, Bill Weldon, confirmed his company saved $20 million in 7 years by implementing an employee wellness program

-          Nearly one-third of children in America are overweight, and it is believed that up to one-third of those children will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lifetime

-          Medical experts warn that the younger generation may have a shorter life span than their parents as  direct result of the obesity epidemic

*Facts are provided by the Fresh Healthy Vending website http://www.freshvending.com/fresh-franchise/franchise-faq/

Armed Services YMCA and Department of Defense partnership gives military families access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs

 As part of the new Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) and Department of Defense (DoD) Outreach Initiative, the Chambersburg Memorial YMCA is providing military families with access to youth development, family strengthening, and health and well-being programs.  Membership fees for these families are underwritten by the DoD and administered through Military OneSource, an information and referral service for military families.

“The Chambersburg Memorial YMCA is happy to help meet the critical needs facing families of deployed military service members,” said Jen Gossert, Director of Family Services, Chambersburg Memorial YMCA.  “Families are the most affected when a loved one gets deployed, so we are deeply committed to providing them with the support they need.”

The ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative responds to a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act of 2008, which requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to support military family readiness and to ensure that military family readiness programs and activities are available to all deployed National Guard and Reserve families, and some active duty families in certain special categories. 

Military families participating in the initiative are eligible for YMCA memberships based on participation requirements. Those eligible to participate in the new initiative include:

All interested families of joint deployed National Guard and Reserves of all military branches;
Active Duty Independent Duty station personnel and their families; and
Relocated spouses and family members of deployed Active Duty personnel.
 

“The YMCA has a long history of supporting military service members and their families – since the Civil War – so it was natural for us to join this initiative,” said Gossert. “During this time of conflict, it is more important than ever that we continue providing services and support to these families in the absence of a deployed spouse.” These services are beneficial to military families, as evidenced by the responses of members of the program.

 “Having the benefits of the YMCA at the military families’ disposal is a God-send.” said Sasha Coleman Arnett, whose husband Jeremy is currently serving in Iraq. Arnett is caring for their young daughter, London, while her husband is deployed.  “Since we do not have any family even remotely close to Chambersburg, I was a bit concerned as to how I would be able to get some “me time” and also have London get used to different atmospheres and people.  Using the Y’s child care during my workouts has been wonderful. The staff is always so nice, and I never worry about leaving her there.  She enjoys her time with the staff and children, and I enjoy my time to better me as a person, and in turn, as a mom.”

For more information about the ASYMCA-DoD Outreach Initiative, please visit www.asymca.org. or www.ymca.net.

In these tough economic times, when everyone has to work to make ends meet, how do you balance time at work and quality time with your family? Here are some tips to help you balance work time and family time:

♦Make Your Boss Your Ally: Talk with your boss honestly about your family. Let him/her know your family comes first, but demonstrate your serious commitment to work by showing progress.
♦Stay Busy and Focused: Get your job done during work hours so you do not have to work overtime and sacrifice your family time.
♦Show Your Family Commitment: Schedule family commitments like you do work ones, that way you will be less likely to sacrifice that time. Display family photos and your children’s artwork in your office so everyone can see how proud you are of your family.
♦Use Work Benefits that Help You Balance Work and Family: Inquire as to any benefits your employer might offer such as flextime, shift swapping, etc.
♦Make Career Decisions as a Family: If you are looking for a job, try to find one that limits stress in your life. Compare the benefits of the job to how it will affect your family time.
♦Limit Work on Weekends, Vacations, and Holidays: Do not get into the habit of working on your days off. Have a co-worker cover your shift while you are on vacation, that way you do not worry about work during your family time.
♦Be With Your Family Every Day: It is wonderful if you can occasionally plan special events just for your family. It is even better if you can turn off your phone, laptop, or pager during this time. If this is a busy time and such events are not possible, fine little ways to spend time with your family every day. Have dinner together, read a story before bedtime, or take a walk together. These moments bring you together as a family and although they are “little” things, they add up!

This article was adapted from “12 Ways to Balance Work and Family,” a resource published by the National Fatherhood Initiative.

Only two more months of 2008 are left, which for most folks means two more months of holiday gluttony until they announce another “Get in Shape” New Year’s Resolution.  Why wait until January, when you can start right now and help beat the holiday bulge.
From Nov. 1st until Nov 30th the Y will offer 6 Total Access Fitness Classes a week.  These classes are 30-45 min weight training group exercise classes held in the Y’s new Total Access Fitness Room.   The goal is simple – attend 12 classes during the month of November averaging 3 times per week and you will receive a free T-shirt.  For those who struggle with time commitments if you attend 9 classes in November you will receive a free water bottle. 
The rules are simple:  1 – you must be a current Y member with Fitness Center privileges; 2 – you must participate in 30 minutes of the scheduled class time; 3 – you should know how to use each piece of Cybex Total Access equipment before taking the class.
Each class accommodates 11 students, they are free to Y members and they are on a first come first serve attendance basis.   For more information please contact Michele Sheppard a msheppard@chbgy.org

Cybex International’s high quality fitness lines are the result of over forty years of experience in the sports medicine, human performance and rehabilitation fields. Cybex’s commitment to excellence has resulted in Cybex being the leader in innovation, who consistently sets the fitness industry’s standards for customer satisfaction and ease of operation.

Cybex’s unique design elements ensure you will feel a sense of simplicity and ease on every piece of Cybex.  Superior ergonomics, easy to read instructions, intuitive adjustments and a comfortable fit for individuals of all sizes provide the user with a non-intimidating enjoyable workout experience.

Professional athletes all over the world ask for Cybex equipment by name.  The YMCA’s different Cybex lines will provide an exceptional fitness training experience for all our members from the teens through active older adults.

Sometimes the usual or the regular routine can be disrupted in life.  Here at the Y over the last few weeks this has been true as the Y Fitness Center renovations have been occurring.  But, despite how uncomfortable it may be to change, a little variety in your workout habits will often help lead to fitness success.  Trying  a new exercise routine or a new fitness class or even exercising at a different time of day can often invigorate a stale exercise regimen. Over the next few weeks many opportunities to further experience a change in your workouts with the arrival of new equipment and the re-organization of the facilities will occur.  Try to approach your workouts in the new facilities with excitement and an open mind.  You might just lose a few pounds or gain some strength from the change.