Tuesday, March 26, is Diabetes Alert Day and as part of the Y's commitment to healthy living, the Capital District YMCA is encouraging people to learn the risks of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and what they can do to prevent the disease. Take the test below to see if you should contact the Y to learn more about our Diabetes Prevention Program.

An estimated one of every three U.S. adults has prediabetes, yet just 7% of those with prediabetes know they have it. Prediabetes increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Take the quiz below to learn if you are at risk for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.

What Is Prediabetes?

Prediabetes is a condition in which individuals have blood glucose levels that are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. People with prediabetes are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

 

Last night our very own David Brown was honored with the 2013 New York State African American Public Service Award! Congratulations David!

It’s a Play Date: The Capital District YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day™ Gets Families Moving Through Play

Capital District Region ― Saturday, April 28, the Capital District YMCA will encourage kids and parents to visit the Y for a play date, and commit to being active every day. It’s all part of the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day™ ― the nation’s largest health day for families.

This free event offers a variety of activities from obstacle course fun at to playing Wii Sports.

As a leading non-profit strengthening community through healthy living, the Y offers Healthy Kids Day to teach healthy habits to kids and help inspire a life-time love of physical activity. At a time when one in three children in the United States is overweight or obese (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), developing healthier habits that include increased physical activity is more important now than ever.

“We know parents struggle to find time to incorporate more active play and healthier habits into their kids’ daily routine,” notes Capital District YMCA President and CEO David Brown. “Doing so doesn’t have to require extra money or resources. It’s as simple as making a play date with your kids, with two key requirements – be active and have fun!” 

As part of Healthy Kids Day, the Y encourages families to make play dates as a simple way to become healthier, more active and connected. The Capital District YMCA recommends five simple activities families can do to together:

1.   Schedule a Game Night: Play games with your kids that incorporate physical activity,

such as Charades.

2.   Dance, Dance: Turn on your favorite party music and dance! Make this activity more fun

with a dance contest.

3.   Go Riding: Find a new bike path or park for a fun afternoon outdoors; grab your helmets

and go rollerblading or bike riding. 

4.   Channel Your Inner Youth: Remember playing hopscotch, jump rope, Simon Says or

freeze tag as a kid? Teach your favorite childhood game to your kid(s) and play them together.

5.   Play Outside: Visit your neighborhood park or camp out in your backyard for some outdoor fun.

Get everyone moving with fun sports like soccer, basketball or baseball.

 

Visit your local Y for Healthy Kids Day Fun on Saturday April 28, 2012. Visit http://www.cdymca.org/about/eventscalendar.aspx for more information.

 

Now's your chance to join the Y and save $100.  Join any Capital District YMCA location by January 7, 2012 and we'll waive the Joiner's Fee (up to a $100 value).  Join today at http://www.cdymca.org/join.aspx

A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to the 35 volunteers, and the Greenville Girl Scouts, who gave up their time to help pack backpacks filled with school supplies.  There were a total of 400 backpacks and 10 teacher bags brought up to the mountain for the Windham Ashland Jewett Central School District.  We also have 100 bags that were filled for children throughout Greene County who were placed in other districts due to the hurricane.  This project would not have been successful without your support and dedication and for that I want to THANK YOU!!  I am truly blessed to be a part of a great organization like the Capital District YMCA and working in a community that is dedicated to helping their neighbors!! 

 

- Heather Bagshaw
Executive Director
Green County YMCA

 

The Windham-Ashland-Jewett School District is looking for school supplies.  The Capital District YMCA's Greene County branch  is holding a School Supply Drive to Benefit Windham-Ashland-Jewett Central School District at the YMCA, 370 Mansion Street Coxsackie, NY. 

You can drop off any items, from the two lists below, on Thursday September 8th, Friday September 9th, Monday September 12th from 8 AM to 5 PM; as well as Saturday September 10th from 8 AM to 12 PM. 

On Tuesday September 13th, and Wednesday September 14th we will be packaging the items into backpacks. 

Our goal is to fill 500 bags to be delivered to Windham on Thursday, September 15th so children can receive their supplies in time for their tentative start date of September 19th.  Volunteers are needed to help pack backpacks on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Please call (518) 731-7529 if interested in volunteering.

School Supplies Grades K-6:

• Backpacks
• Lunch boxes Crayons (box of 24 for K)
• Pencil boxes (bags for grades 3&4)
• Glue Sticks Erasers
• Rulers Pocket folders
• Binders 1 inch (grades 5&6)
• Colored pencils
• Highlighters Scissors
• 6 Subject dividers
• Pencil
• Sharpener
• Markers Erasable Pens
• Calculators
• Pens & Pencils
• Dictionary/Thesaurus (grades 5&6)
• Loose leaf paper
• Marble Bound Composition books
• Single subject spiral notebooks
• 3 Subject spiral notebooks

School Supplies Grades 7-12:

• Backpacks Binders (1&1/2"-2"-3")
• Loose leaf paper (regular & college ruled)
• Subject dividers
• Pencils & Pens
• Whiteout Highlighters
• Index cards
• Pocket folders
• Assignment book
• Composition or journal notebook
• Spiral notebooks
• Graph paper & graph notebooks
• Flashcards (large & small)
• Calculators(regular & small)
• Colored pencils
• Pencil Sharpener
• Spanish/English dictionary
• French/English dictionary

This High School Football season, the Capital District YMCA and Time Warner Cable Sports are teaming up to bring you the "Kid of the Week".  Today we are introducing you to two kids who have made a tremendous impact in their community and their family.

 

Colin Hodge
Age 13
Scotia, NY

Colin is a kind and caring young man who is a member of a National Tae Kwon Do team.

Colin volunteers to teach Tae Kwon Do three times a week and is the first to volunteer to help younger campers at YMCA Summer Camp.

This socially responsible honor student also makes a difference in his school by serving on the student council at Scotia Middle School.

Tom Budka Jr.
Age 12
Scotia, NY

This 12 year old recently showcased two of the YMCA’s core values of Caring and Responsibility when his mother had surgery.  Tom became her “nurse”, making sure she had her medication, plenty of ice to keep the swelling down and ran errands to the local market for groceries and supplies. 

For going above and beyond the duties of a 12-year-old, Tom is this weeks Kid of the Week.

 

You can nominate a Kid of the Week at http://www.cdymca.org/youthdevelopment/kidoftheweek.aspx

 

In Clifton Park NY on February 13, 2011, the Southern Saratoga branch of the Capital District YMCA hosted their "Love To Tri" Indoor Triathlon. The indoor triathlon included a 15 minute swim, bike and run.

For results and to see the next race event at the Capital District YMCA, visit www.cdymca.org/runners.aspx.