Written by Sarah Breckon, External Communications Specialist
After a long career and years of caring for her aging parents and in-laws, Stacey found retirement quieter than she expected. She wasn’t sure what would come next, but she knew she needed to get out of the house to feel useful and find community.
From Member to Mentor
Stacey has always loved the Mel Korum Family YMCA, but after she began leading Silver Sneaker classes and volunteering to organize the monthly potluck, the Y became something more. She began to see it as a place to recharge and reconnect. Soon she wasn’t just showing up, she was helping others feel more at home.
“It’s not just about the food,” Stacey says, "It's the laughter, the connection, the joy. People come for the fellowship.”
Building community and purpose
Whether it’s leading an exercise class, planning the monthly potluck, or volunteering to embrace new YMCA members, Stacey is following her personal calling to serve her community.
"I’m a helper, that’s just who I am,” she says. “We’re all here to serve in some way, and for me, it’s simple: I serve because I’m serving God."
Stacey now often finds herself busy and lights up about the little details – tea hats at a potluck, homemade cookies at a coffee chat – and of course being the first to find the Golden Y each week, a fun and regularly occurring challenge where members at the Mel Korum Family YMCA search for a hidden golden Y trophy.
Stacey surrounds herself with people like herself. People who care – not just about fitness, but about each other. She makes sure new members find their people, whether through book clubs, coffee chats, or the right workouts.
“We all take care of each other here. You don’t stay a stranger for long.”
She’s recently watched a friend, recently widowed, slowly come back into her own at the Y by joining in on community events. With each potluck, coffee chat, and workout, she’s becoming more open with the joy coming into her life.
A Place Where Everyone Belongs
Stacey’s story is powerful, filled with purpose and community. But what she’s found and built for herself at the Y is something everyone can experience. Whether you’re looking to make friends, trying to improve your health, or looking for ways to serve in your community, there’s something powerful about having a place to go where people expect you – and are glad you’re there.
At the Y, Stacey is right where she wants to be: surrounded by friends and fellowship, contributing to collective joy, and helping others find their own rhythm again. Whether she’s leading a class, planning a community meal, or inviting someone new to join in on the fun, she’s a driving force behind the warmth that fills the Mel Korum Family Y.
“This is home,” she says. “There’s just so much love and joy here.”