Y Stories

"The Oak Square Y staff is a group of great people, whose welcome and warmth have been a great encouragement... I can say without qualification that going to the Y has made my life significantly better."

"Staff has made us feel like part of a huge family, and as a single mother, that means the world to me."

"I am thankful for the amount of help that YMCA offered me, and it will always be a huge part of me."

"Thanks to the generosity of the Oak Square YMCA, we‘ve been enabled to truly make fitness a fun & integral part of our family‘s daily life."

"In October 2009, I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. After changing my eating habits and adding exercise to my daily routine, I started swimming laps at the Oak Square YMCA, joined the Water Aerobics Class, and began working out with a personal trainer. I no longer have diabetes!"

Not all 3 year old's are ready to start swimming, in fact most don't even like taking baths. "David" (not the real name) was no exception, to the swimming part - he was always very clean. He wasn't ready to put his face in the water, was extremely uncomfortable if he couldn't stand, and water above the knees gave him the heebie-jeebies.

Childcare programs make a huge impact in the lives of many families, through our programs kids are exposed to new experiences; parents can work and feel secure about their children. Our programs touch the lives of many families; one family in particular sticks out to me this past year. “Molly” is a very sweet child, kind, polite and her mother is very attentive and involved. Molly comes from a single parent household; her mom had recently moved to the Brighton area and had no one in the area as a support system.

The YMCA has had an overall influence on my family and I mostly because of multiple, convenient locations. We are members of the Needham Y where my children enjoy swim lessons and soccer, while my wife enjoys Yoga. Mostly I love the flexibility of being able to go to the Oak Square facility which is close to my job. Because of this convenience, it allows me to work out on my lunch break which makes me feel better throughout the day, splits my day in half, and also makes me more productive during my work day.

Two and a half years ago I was laid off, stressed out looking for a job and 30 pounds heavier and at risk for hypertension. I got tired of sitting at home complaining of my knees and back always hurting. It was the holiday season and I was sitting down in a tank top playing video games when my son smacked my belly and said: "Daddy you can play Santa this year!”

I have been coming to the Oak Square YMCA regularly since I joined about three years ago because I feel comfortable here. I feel supported yet independent, encouraged but not pressured, accepted and among friends. I have been together with a number of members in an aquatics arthritis class, for example, for a couple of years; we are always glad to see each other and our instructor, worry when someone is absent, and sometimes arrange to meet during an open swim period.