ES Family YMCA celebrates Welcome Week with community invite

September 12th through 20th, the YMCA of South Hampton Roads is free and open to the public at all 22 of its area locations in honor of Welcoming Week, including the Eastern Shore Family YMCA. 

A partnership with Welcoming America, YMCAs around the nation and organizations nationwide will celebrate Welcoming Week — honoring immigrant contributions to communities and bringing together all residents in a spirit of unity. Each year, Welcoming Week promotes cross-cultural understanding and raises awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone. This year, the Eastern Shore Family YMCA will be open to the public with open doors welcoming everyone, all week long. 

“At the Y, we seek to build bridges and heal communities. We invite all of our neighbors to use Welcoming Week as an opportunity to connect, find common ground and celebrate our shared values and contributions”, says Anthony Walters, President and CEO of the YMCA of South Hampton Roads. With home being a concept that means so many different things for so many, Walters shares that he wants everyone to think of the Y as the place where the community comes home, together, in a place where all can feel welcome, safe, united, and be given the tools to be their best selves. 

During Welcoming Week, YMCA locations across South Hampton Roads, including the Eastern Shore Family YMCA, will celebrate the diverse contributions and meanings of home around the world with varying events, including art projects in drop-in childcare, music and more. Anyone who chooses to join the Y through September 30 will also pay no joining fee, a savings of up to $75. For more information on Welcoming Week, including voter registration locations and how to become a Y member, visit https://www.ymcashr.org/blog/celebrate-welcoming-week-y. 

To participate in Welcoming Week, simply visit any Y from September 12-20, complete a guest waiver and have fun! The community is reminded that in light of ongoing Covid-19 concerns, the Y is following all required health and safety measures, including reduced capacities, social distancing, mask wearing, health screenings, pre-registration for certain amenities, and more. For full details, including a capacity monitor for review before your trip to the Y, please visit the Y’s Reopening Guide at https://www.ymcashr.org/reopening-guide/phase-2. 

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