Being a stay at home Mom has been a blessing in many many ways. I get to walk through each day with my children, guiding them, playing and creating with them, teaching them and loving them.
I wouldn't change any one day (as hard as it may be at times) for anything. There is nothing i love and want more then to see my children grow daily into the "little people" they are becoming. With all of the joy that life brings, I have also been feeling that something was missing in my life. Ive been struggling with "what can i do to make the world better? How can i give back to people? Where can i find the time and place to give back?
I have found the place and am very excited to help make a difference to my local YMCA. I have been a member at the Monroe YMCA for a few years now. When joining it was nothing more than a place for me to get my workout in. I went in, did my workout, and left. In and out.
As the years have gone on and my children have grown we are now entering into the sports programs through the YMCA. What a blessing to have such a great program local. My kids enjoy the playing basketball, soccer and T-ball. They love the swimming pool at which they take swimming lessons and they enjoy going to the "play place" known as the adventure zone while i get my workout in. This YMCA has made it easy for me to teach my children about being a part of something good and living a healthy lifestyle.
I see my YMCA differently now then when i first joined years ago. It is no longer just a "workout" it is my home away from home. It is my and my families community. It is a place that gives and gives to those who are not as fortunate as my family has been. " Teaching families healthy habits with its youth obesity program, supporting early childhood learning and development educationally, teens building positive relationships with caring mentors while receiving homework assistance and exploring a variety of interests, giving our youth a safe and caring place to go after school, teaching our community water safety through swim lessons and programs, youth sports and on." Unfortunately these things all come at a cost.
I've learned that our YMCA is more than just the gym i joined years ago...its some of our youths only safe place to feel loved and cared for. It a place for our youth to learn healthy habits. It is a place for our youth to make friends who may struggle with doing so in school. It is a place that our youth feel loved and cared for individually. I have met and become friends with staff and volunteers of the YMCA and they are doing some remarkably amazing things for our community and youth.
It finally hit...THIS IS WHERE I WANT AND CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. If i can help one teen continue to have a safe place to go after school, if i can help one child have the opportunity to get involved in a sports program who wouldn't otherwise if it weren't for the donations i am asking for, if i can help one person learn to swim, if i can help raise money for these reasons... at the end of the day i will feel good knowing i made a change.
Without financial help from you and our community.... the underprivileged do not get a chance to experience the good the YMCA offers.I ask for your financial support for this program only because i believe in its good. Any amount is non too big nor too small.
Please help me raise money for the Monroe Family YMCA Annual Support Campaign.
Thank you,
Katie Karl