Brown County YMCA
Chelsea Mack cheers on Logan Fittz in the Brown County YMCA fitness center.
three-to-one compared to other members. Working with weights during an aqua aerobics class, Brown County resident Pat Robinson said since retiring, she makes seven trips per week to the Y for fitness classes with friends. She said she’ s lost weight and lowered her cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
“ A lot of why I love to come is social, but I’ m definitely a healthier and happier person because of the Y,” Pat Robinson said.
Brown County native Logan Fittz, 23, said he’ s used the Y for nearly a decade, initially by lifting weights in the fitness center in high school. Since graduating from Purdue University and returning to Brown County, Fittz said he was excited to see“ they’ ve improved a lot in the fitness center. It seems like one of their top priorities is constantly making things better for members.”
Kim Robinson said one of her goals is for the Y to serve the community in as many ways as possible.
Some of the groups that use free meeting spaces at the Y include Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts troops, Ready to Read tutoring, Silver Strings dulcimer instruction for seniors, and Encounter Life
Ministries church. The Y also offers its spaces at no cost to the Brown County Sheriff’ s Department for water-related training, the Brown County Playhouse for practices, and the American Red Cross for blood drives.
Alice Waltermire has offered dog and puppy training classes at the Y for nearly two years and said she donates her class fees back to the nonprofit because,“ I think we’ re all just here trying to build a better community.”
“ And where else would things like this happen?” said Brown County resident Yolanda Toschlog, during a puppy-training class. She and her son, River, also have participated in the Y’ s summer camps, aerobics classes, swim lessons, and are looking forward to Jiu-Jitsu.
For many community members, the role the Y serves is critical. Brown County YMCA serves as the community’ s official Red Cross emergency shelter; houses the IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians Family and Internal Medicine clinic and the Access Brown County low-cost public transportation service; hosts clothing drives; and served as the community’ s emergency hub during the COVID pandemic.
“ I can’ t even begin to tell you how many situations I’ ve seen where people in our community need help, and the Y is the only one to step forward,” said Debbie Leach, who manages Access Brown County.
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