YMCA focus [October 1993]

              YMCA?*^
October 1993
What Is Prime Time?
Summer is over, school has begun, and YMCA Prime
Time after school program is in full swing! The YMCA is
working closely with the newly merged Guilford County
Schools to offer an excellent program that meets the needs
of working parents.
Each school day, children come to the Prime Time location in their school or at the YMCA. Children do their
homework, have a snack, play outdoors, and do fun activities
designed by YMCA professionals. Programs held at Central
and Hayes-Taylor YMCA also offer swimming. Each month
has a theme, and all activities are related to the theme.
October is "My Family" month. Children will make a personal coat of arms, discuss the "jobs of my family," share
family hobbies, play fun games, and have a fun week of
Halloween activities.
On holidays, teacher workdays, and Christmas and Spring
vacation, the YMCA branches offer fun all-day programs.
Many of these programs include swimming and field trips.
Prime Time is designed to be affordable for every family.
Approximately 20% of the children receive financial assistance through the YMCA's sliding scale scholarship program. United Way support helps subsidize the program to
make it affordable for everyone. Scholarships are made
available by funds raised through the YMCA Sustaining
Campaign.
Approximately 800 children come to YMCA Prime Time
each day. Prime Time is held in 13 Guilford County schools,
two Rcidsville schools, four churches, Central YMCA,
Hayes-Taylor YMCA, and at the YMCA Outdoor Center.
Transportation is provided from 35 schools to Central or
Hayes-Taylor YMCA.
Without Prime Time, many of these children would go
home to an empty house, and many would slay home alone
on holidays.
Pals Forever, Friends Always
Y-Guides is a fun program that gives a children ages five
through nine and their parents quality time together. As the
YMCA's first parent-child program, Y-Guides was established in 1926 by St. Louis YMCA director Harold Keltner
and his friend, Joe Friday. Joe Friday was a sage Ojibway
Indian who had acted as a hunting and fishing guide on
Keltner's trips to Canada. Joe's observation that "the white
man spends his time building cities, but the Indian spends
his lime building men," sparked the idea in Keltner's mind
which began the parent-child program centered around
American Indian lore and culture.
Today, the YMCA offers programs for fathers and sons
(Y-Guides), fathers and daughters (Y-Princesses), girls and
their mothers (Y-Maidens), and boys and their mothers
(Y-Braves). Parents can participate with one or more
children. The YMCA organizes "tribes" that meet twice a
month for an hour at the homes of the members. All ac
tivities are values-based and are designed to promote fur
fellowship, and self-worlh. They include campouts, craft:
games, pow-wows, Pinewood Derby, tribal swims, and more
There is a small yearly membership fee for joining the program.
Over 200 families participate in this wonderful program,
and parents feel thai the bonds they build with their children
during this program last a lifetime. Many parents feel that
the closeness they develop during these important formative
years help them remain close
through the teenage years. This
lasting relationship is symbolized by the program mottos of
"Pals Forever" and "Friends Always."
For more information about
a tribe near you, call Jacqueline
Esule at the Guilford College Y,
316-2870, or Margaret Keskinen
at the Outdoor Center, 697-
0525.
Inside
President's Message      2
Summer Memories 2
Moonlight Basketball 3
Fall Programs 3
Welcome Aboard 3
Special Events 3
Central YMCA Clean Up 4
Support the United Way Campaign  .... 4
Mark Your Calendar 4
l