My Y Story
HEALTHY ALL AROUND
Laura Eidson
Laura saw herself in pictures and thought, "That can't possibly be me." Her clothes were not comfortable and she and her husband had talked about starting a family. She wanted to be as healthy as possible when that happened. So, Laura decided to start working with YMCA personal trainer, Ruth. "After working for only a month, I felt so many positive changes! I looked better, I felt better, and my migraines had decreased in frequency and intensity. I have a new found confidence in my appearance and that has carried over into other aspects of my life." Laura has lost a significant amount of weight and learned to look at food differently. "The changes that I have made have become a way of life to me. I am so excited to see the possibilities that are in store for me in all aspects of my life!"
RISING TO THE CHALLENGE
Donovan Arndt
Mel Korum Y member, Donovan Arndt, recently competed in the Max Muscle Ironman Competition where he took second place as a Physique Competitor. He shares, "I did the competition because I wanted to challenge myself in a way that I had never done so.” At first he was hesitant and nervous to do a show, but with all the support and encouragement from the people around him at home and at the Y, he made the commitment and went for it. He says, "I had doubts and wanted to quit at times, but the feeling of being on the stage after all the hard work and dieting was definitely one of the greatest feelings ever." Congratulations Donovan!
FIRST TIME CONFIDENCE
Megan Arndt
One year ago, while at her heaviest weight, this 22 year old admits, "I was shy and in many ways I just wanted to blend in..." Megan had a passion for riding horses, but when her trainer told her she could no longer ride due to her weight, she knew it was time to make a change. In less than a year, she has lost a total of 117 pounds. She says, "Thanks to my trainer, Charla, I am now an athlete. Now I am able to see the person I didn't know existed." Megan now competes in a variety of athletic events and attributes her success to the Y staff and members, along with her family and friends, who have all encouraged her to succeed.
A VALUED VOLUNTEER
BJ Reynolds
If you’ve been at the Mel Korum Family YMCA for any length of time, you’re sure to have seen BJ Reynolds volunteering. Over the past 10 years, he's served in the Welcome Center, the Recreational Room, doing towels, and held many other miscellaneous jobs. He came looking for a place to meet people and get out of the house and found a home away from home. Over the past decade, he has given an estimated 10,000 hours of service to help strengthen our community. BJ says the Y has helped him physically by providing a place to exercise and stay in shape. He also says a majority of his friends are Y staff and members, and he doesn’t know what he’d do without the Y.
