Megan Sala currently serves as the Executive Director at the Tom Taylor Family YMCA. Megan shares her thoughts and reflections on the past year.
There are certain events in your life that you can recall vividly. The day you passed your driver's exam and received your license, your graduation from high school/college, the day you got married, etc… The return to work call along with living in a pandemic lands on this list for me.
Work provides a sense of purpose, social interaction, and a fun environment. I enjoy work. I was a part of a driven, creative, and fun team. The people I worked with pushed me to be a better person and leader. Then, all of the sudden, my life came to a halt. Furlough was challenging for me on varying levels. The unknown for returning to work was stressful for me. Not working felt odd. After all, I spent the majority of my day at the Y.
How was I going to fill my days? The first few days were filled with long walks and watching the news, hopeful for good news. When it became clear that the furlough was going to be a while I started to find new ways to keep my brain engaged and rediscovered my passion for cooking. I love food and having the opportunity to create fun and new dinners and treats were fulfilling for me. I’m still honing my craft through books, shows, and with the help of social media.
It’s now been 15 months since I learned the Y would reopen and that I would return to work. Sometimes it feels longer, other days it feels like yesterday. Like many of you, my return to the Y led me to serve at a different center and in a new role. Both of which were surprising, exciting, and scary - all at the same time.
I learned I would be serving alongside a team composed of six staff from Lakewood and four staff from different centers. This team worked incredibly hard and always had the mentality of team above self. Although each person brought a different strength to our team, the common denominator for this team was serving with heart and humor.
The new role, location, and team stretched me in new ways. Difficult budgetary and staffing decisions had to be made. I was new and didn’t know any of the members. Our team was new, and then there were the ever-changing mandates. When I reflect on those first few months, I am proud of the work that was completed, the relationships that were formed, and the innovation of the team to ensure we were maximizing staff talents and square footage.
Over the course of the past year, several teams have changed; however, what is consistent are the memories of the time spent together. Like all of you, we worked hard to make the center feel safe and inviting for members. We were intentional in being present and making connections with members. We spent a lot of time out on the floor listening to people, asking questions, and learning about their experiences over the past several months. We learned what they loved about the Y and what they are hopeful for in the future which turned out to be seeing family and friends, traveling, and the return of the hot tub, sauna, and steam room.
Returning to Tom Taylor was a return home for me in many ways. I live in Gig Harbor and prior to the pandemic, I was at Tom Taylor for five years. The Tom Taylor Y holds so many memories for me. This is where my dad and I learned to play pickleball, I met my husband at this Y, and I’ve made so many friends through the Y.
Leaving the Lakewood Family Y was a bitter-sweet experience. I would return to a familiar team who I loved working with, while at the same time I would be leaving a team I loved working with. Although I was returning to a center I knew inside and out, so many things had changed yet so many things were the same.
The membership landscape has changed. A lot of members returned once we opened our doors and a lot have yet to return. I’m grateful there are so many new faces at our Y and I’m looking forward to the day when former or on-hold members walk through our doors. Although our centers are in different communities, what happens at each location is the same. People are working on their health, building community, kids are laughing and learning and people are rediscovering their strength – physically, mentally, and emotionally.
It is not lost on me that this week we are celebrating Thanksgiving. I, like many of you, am grateful for so many things - too many to list, to be honest. I hope you enjoy the holiday celebrating with family and friends. Thank you for all that you do for the Y, each other, and our communities.
Take care,
Megan