In this edition of Us!...
- More Fun to Be Had
- Get Certified
- Do You Want a Bonus?
- Career Growth
- Kudos to Y Associates
- Payroll Information
- Recruitment Resources
- A Note from John Hoey
- Sad News
Y ASSOCIATE OPPORTUNITIES
Y Not Make Life Fun?
If you didn't recognize the heading for this article, chances are you may not know that the Y has an official TicTok page.
We need your help! First, be sure to follow us on TikTok (of course!). Second, if you would like to post to our new page on behalf of the Y, please contact lindsaycrone@ymaryland.org.
Water Fitness Certification Opportunity
The Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA) is a nonprofit organization committed to the advancement of aquatic exercise, health and wellness worldwide. AEA aqua fitness professional certifications are being held at the Y Swim Center in Randallstown on June 4 and 5. June 4th is the general water fitness certification which will be held from 7:30am - 5:00pm. Two specialty certifications will be held on June 5. For more information or to register, click the link below or email heidiwalter@ymaryland.org.
The Y Associate Referral Program
Do you know someone who would be a qualified candidate for our Y Head Start, Health & Wellness, or our Youth Development teams? If so, refer them to the Y and potentially earn a referral bonus of up to $500 if they are hired!
Click below for participation details and to make an associate referral.
Learn More and Make a Referral
Career Opportunities at the Y
Browse the open positions in Dayforce to see available career growth opportunities.
1. Log into Dayforce (open web browser > Managed Bookmarks > Dayforce)
2. Click the menu icon in the upper left corner and select Careers
3. Scroll through the list or search by job title, keyword, location, or req ID#
Current openings include:
Various camp positions (search for "Camp")
Rock wall Instructors (search for "Rock wall")
Enrichment Specialist, School Partnerships (Req ID #2130)
GOOD VIBES
CELEBRATING YOUR SUCCESS
Please join us as we congratulate our colleague on her promotion!
Heather Dye, promoted to Executive Director of Development
Y Associate Shout Outs
We have three great Associate Shout Outs today, recognizing folks who go above and beyond to be great colleagues. I hope you enjoy them!
Click the blue "Shout Out" icon to read about Cassandra Dozier, Vanessa Sims and Lorna Hilliard.
Your outstanding teammates deserve recognition! Please take a moment to nominate one of your colleagues so we can give them a Shout Out in the next Us! associate enewsletter.
COMMUNITY COMMENTS
The good work you do doesn't go unnoticed. Enjoy reading these real comments from our Y community and soak in the praise!
Michael, The Greater Annapolis Y in Arnold
"Our son enjoyed the soccer session. The coaches were fun, positive and energetic. Our son learned new skills and had the opportunity to practice them."
Matthew, Y Head Start Baltimore City, Belair Site
“The teachers are very kind and understanding. They take excellent care of my son. Thank you for all of your support."
Aaliyah, Y Preschool in Towson
"First of all the teachers are very nice. My daughter likes going to school and they really take good care of her. I saw first-hand the fantastic job they are doing. Thank you Y Preschool in Towson!"
Jaydon, Y Before & After School Enrichment, Bel Air Elementary
“My son is always having fun after school with the Y. I am always pleased with the care they provide him."
WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU!
The Us! associate enewsletter is published every other Thursday or Friday and we need to hear from you! Share your stories, what’s new in your Y world, and what you are proud of. We want to know and we want to share your news! The submission deadline is Fridays at 5pm.
RESOURCES, POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Get Paid!
Pay Period: 4/24/22 to 5/7/22
Pay Date: 5/17/22
Payroll Adjustments Due: May 6, 2022 5pm
Timesheets Locked: May 9, 2022 5pm
Direct Deposits/Tax Changes Due: May 10, 2022 5pm
Click the button for more information and to make sure you get paid.
Social Media Resources for Recruitment
Many Y associates have expressed interest in wanting to spread the word about Y career opportunities through their social media circles. To aid in your efforts, please feel free to use Y-branded social media assets in your posts. We have a variety of graphics available to support numerous openings.
Thank you for spreading the word!
OUR WORK TOGETHER
Dear Colleagues,
I’m often asked, “What’s new?,” and given all of the amazing work Y associates are doing on behalf of the communities we serve, it’s hard to know where to start.
Here are just a few things I might have mentioned this past week when that question is posed to me:
- We launched this year’s Send a Kid to Camp campaign, and we’ve already raised $65,000 in one week toward our overall goal of over $300,000. This campaign helps to assure that children from under-resourced families in our community get the safe, fun, engaging and stimulating summer camp experience all children deserve;
- Last week we hosted over 120 Y Youth and Government teens from across Maryland for a model legislative program in the state capitol, where high school students learned how to make government work (imagine that!);
- We announced a more robust Y associate career development program (much more to come on that), helping associates grow, leverage their talents, and reach their potential as Y professionals;
- Y Camp enrollments continued to pour in, putting us at 85% of our budgeted goal, and ahead of last year’s pace by 2,514 camper weeks;
- We facilitated no fewer than eight volunteerism events over about a four week period, engaging our community in service to others;
- Initiated a year-long diversity, equity and inclusion learning journey, led by VP of DEI Dr. Lisa Williams, an effort to improve our ability to fully understand, reflect and serve the full diversity of the central Maryland community;
- And, as they say, the list goes on (but I’ve run out of space)…
While this captures only a small sliver of the great work we are doing across a myriad of programs and neighborhoods, it’s reflective of the simple fact that the Y is an essential presence in this community. And, the most essential element in that is the Y associate workforce. As the ultimate human service organization, the central strength and core of our mission has always been and will continue to be all of you.
I’ve never forgotten that fact.
All the best,
John K. Hoey
President & CEO
The Y in Central Maryland
SAD NEWS
The past few months have put many of us in an emotional whirlwind due to the passing of beloved Y colleagues. Please join us as we keep our Y friends and their families in our prayers.
Our Friend, Windy Lemon
It is with great sadness that we share that Windy Lemon, a Y associate at the Kenwood Head Start center in Baltimore passed away Thursday, April 21st.
Windy began her career with the Y almost twelve years ago as a Y Early Head Start associate. She was dedicated and dependable; rarely missing a day of work. Windy’s vast knowledge of Early Head Start made her a "go-to" person for other associates seeking further knowledge. Windy enjoyed making a classroom "come alive" with her creativity. She LOVED working with children and families and always described her Early Head Start children as "HER children,” treating them as such.
Always a team player, Windy was most recently assigned to support our Early Head Start program at the Eastern Family Resource Center site as the teacher in the two-year-old room.
Windy was a proud mother and would often share stories about her own children, Serena and EJ whom she adored. She was equally as ecstatic about becoming a grandmother.
Windy made a huge impact on the children, families, and associates of Y Early Head Start and her presence will surely be missed.
SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS FOR WINDY
Our Friend, Don Yeager
Don Yeager, a dedicated finance associate, retired from the Y a little over a year ago and sadly passed away way too early on Wednesday, April 13th.
Don worked at the Y in Central Maryland for over 18 years in the finance department, most of that time as Grants Accounting Manager. One of the most unassuming people you'd ever meet, Don exuded integrity and commitment to the Y’s mission.
Don successfully oversaw multiple intensive federal reviews of Y Head Start, which is not for the faint of heart! Not surprisingly, they always went well due to the work of many good people, including the ever-attentive Don Yeager. In fact, Don’s work with our Head Start team helped us achieve a significant number of expansion grants, which in turn meant we could impact many more children and families throughout central Maryland. He was passionate about serving others and his sense of service showed through the integrity with which he approached his work.
A widower, Don loved music and the Ravens, but he most importantly loved watching his beloved daughter MacKenzie dance. He retired early from the Y so that he could be by MacKenzie’s side and be both dad and mom to her.
We remember Don fondly and we will miss him.
Our Friend, Sofia D’Agostaro
As many of you know, we suffered a great loss in late March with the passing of Swim Coordinator at the Y Swim Center in Randallstown, Sofia D'Agostaro.
Sofia was known to be a genuinely caring person who befriended anyone she met. Kind and gentle, Sofia always stepped up to help others and seemed to naturally embody the Y mission of community building. She would bring in snacks, sit and talk with members; calling to check on them when they would miss a day. She would readily offer to work if a co-worker needed coverage, and was eager to learn all aspects of the Y operation, beyond the swim department. Sofia wanted to learn and grow her career with the Y, sharing with colleagues that she felt the Y had saved her and “was her life.”
Sofia will be sorely missed.
Our Friend, Linda Green
Our friend and colleague Linda Green, the Site Manager of the Y’s Before & After School Enrichment program at Catonsville Elementary, passed away earlier this year on January 27. Linda was 58 years old and left behind her daughter Nia Jones and husband Darryl Green, along with a grieving community of friends and fans at the Y and well beyond.
Olivia Iovenitti, a former student of Linda's, described her this way:
"Caring. Intelligent. Loving. Have you ever had someone in your life like this? I have. Her name is Ms. Linda who is the director of the Y at Catonsville Elementary. She was always thinking of others and was nice to everyone she met. Ms. Linda helped me become the person I am today! I wouldn't be where I am right now without her support! Thank you, Ms. Linda. I have always looked up to you!"
Olivia’s wisdom reflects how profoundly Linda Green’s life impacted so many of us through her selflessness, compassion, caring, and commitment to leaving the world a better place.
Linda will be missed and fondly remembered by all who knew her.