By SUMMER ZIMMER
Director of Communications and Social Responsibility, Kosciusko Community YMCA

The Kosciusko Community YMCA will be offering spring classes starting Monday, April 13. Youth classes will include swim lessons and gymnastics classes for all ages. Group exercise classes will be offered at both the Parkview Warsaw YMCA and the North Webster branch, classes for older adults and water aerobics will be offered at the Parkview Warsaw YMCA branch. All group exercise and water aerobics classes are now included with a Y membership.

Registration for our youth classes begin for everyone on Monday, March 30, and can take place at the North Webster branch, the Parkview branch, or online at www.kcymca.org. Group exercise and water aerobics do not require registration; if you are a member you can just show up, first come, first served.

New this spring will be a class for kids ages 7-12 called Activate. Kids will learn the fundamentals of exercising in order to develop healthy habits from a young age and have the opportunity to be active after a long day at school. Activate will be taught in group exercise class format, incorporating several different methods of exercising, including cardio, body weight training, games and fundamentals of muscular strength. Activate will start six-week sessions from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Tuesday April 14, Tuesday, June 2, and Tuesday, July 14.

The Y also offers Energize, a six-week course for kids ages 13-17, to have fun, be active, and learn about healthy living. Working in a group setting with a personal trainer, teens learn form and fitness progression as they go through a workout routine. By the end, each participant will have their own progression book and a workout routine designed by a certified personal trainer for them.

Each week, after the workout, there will be break out sessions on different nutrition topics such as: fad diets, total metabolisms, and common supplements.

Energize starts on Wednesday, April 15, Wednesday, June 3 and Wednesday, July 15, with a six week session each time. It’s held on from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays.

The YMCA of Fort Wayne is offering the diabetes prevention program in Kosciusko County through the local Y starting again Thursday, April 16. By participating in the program, participants can reduce their risk for Type 2 diabetes while gaining tools for healthy living. The program helps those at high risk of developing Type 2 diabetes adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles by eating healthier, increasing physical activity and losing a modest amount of weight in order to reduce their chances of developing the disease.

The Y will also be offering a bread baking class, presented by Light Rail, from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 21.

Several days this spring will be free to the community. From 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Saturday, April 25, the Y will be offering Healthy Kids Day, and will be open to the community with a fun run for kids at noon.

For older adults, we’re inviting seniors aged 60 and older to come in for free on Fridays in May. On Sunday, May 10, all mothers are invited to bring their children for free to celebrate Mother’s Day. In honor of National Women’s Health Week, all women can come in for free Sunday, May 10, through Saturday, May 16. For these free days, visitors should be ready with an ID and some basic personal information.

Register for any of these classes or events, or for any questions, check us out online at www.kcymca.org or call (574) 269-9622.