Share Your Y Story

If you come to the Y, volunteer with us, work at a branch or give to a campaign, we want to know what it means to you.

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My Y Story: Laura McGowan

LAURA McGOWAN: I’M ALL ABOUT COMMUNITY. AND THE Y IS COMMUNITY Laura McGowan joined the Y in 1995, when it was located on Prospect Street in Nashua. “My children were age 5 and 3. I joined to stay ahead of the effects of aging. It was a physical and mental release for me. I was… Read more »

My Y Story: Matthew Brady

MATTHEW BRADY: FACING SERIOUS HEALTH CONCERNS FROM BEING OVERWEIGHT HE BEGAN A Y JOURNEY THAT CHANGED HIS ENTIRE FAMILIES HEALTH AND WELL-BEING When Matthew Brady relocated to Southern New Hampshire for his career, little did he know this would be part of a wellness journey that impacted his entire family. In January of 2013, the… Read more »

My Y Story: Marty Vowels

MARTY VOWELS: HAPPY AND SMILING ABOUT GETTING HIS STEPS IN BACK AT THE YMCA YMCA Welcome Center staff are ready for a hearty ‘hello’ and a big smile when Marty Vowels enters the Y. “I spend two-and-a-half hours at the Y daily. Before the pandemic, I would normally walk 7,500 steps on the track and… Read more »

My Y Story: Tim Sagear

TIM SAGEAR: HE TRAVELS NEARLY AN HOUR ROUND-TRIP TO VISIT THE Y; HIS GENEROSITY ALLOWS OTHERS ACCESS AS WELL “I smile going to the Y and I smile coming back from the Y,” said Tim Sagear. Tim joined the Y in 2014 when another racquetball facility in the area closed. He has a 25 minute… Read more »

My Y Story: Lucy Krieger

LUCY KRIEGER: THE Y IS HELPING THIS LIVESTRONG PARTICIPANT WALK INTO HER RETIREMENT WITH A LITTLE MORE EASE When Lucy Krieger received news that she would be battling breast cancer last year, her world was turned upside. She was due to retire from her job as a paraprofessional in the Dracut School system in June…. Read more »

My Y Story: Talita Silva

TALITA SILVA: YMCA CHILDCARE GIVES ME ‘PEACE OF MIND’ WHILE I WORK When Talita Silva’s daughter Alicia was having difficulty with remote learning, her first thought was the YMCA. Talita’s two daughters have flourished in Y childcare and afterschool care. Daughter Alicia is 7 and daughter Valentina is 3. Talita works full-time as a Licensed… Read more »

My Y Story: Tony Ferriero

TONY FERRIERO: JOY FROM DAY ONE AT THE YMCA 15-year-old Tony Ferriero has been a Y kid since learning to swim at the Y when he was very young. “He practically learned to swim, before he learned to walk!,” his Dad Bill Ferriero noted. Tony has done nearly every Y program: Lego Club, basketball, soccer,… Read more »

My Y Story: Mike Whitehead

MIKE WHITEHEAD: TEAM CANADA PARALYMPIAN AND NASHUA Y MEMBER, INTRODUCES WHEELCHAIR RUGBY TO INJURED SOLDIERS TO HELP WITH RECOVERY, OVERCOMING CHALLENGES AND OPENING DOORS TO NEW LIFE OPPORTUNITIES If you’ve been at the Nashua Y on Tuesday or Thursday mornings, you’ve probably seen some fierce competition in the gymnasium: the wheelchair rugby players are fierce,… Read more »