The C.W. Avery Family YMCA is celebrating its 15th Anniversary on Wallin Drive in 2021! To commemorate this milestone, we are sharing the Y story of one of our fantastic members each month. Today we shine the spotlight on Rico Palmisano. Rico has been a Y member for over a decade and we are so excited to have him share some of his favorite memories.

Q: What inspired you to join the Y?

First and foremost, the Y was new to me. I enjoyed working out, but what drew me to the Y was that it seemed more like a community. I thought that would be good for my family, in addition to myself. There’s more to the Y than just working out. 

Q: What activities have you enjoyed the most at the Y?

I enjoy the yoga classes that we have at the Y and I do a lot of working out in the fitness center itself. I’m not really a swimmer, but I did take swim lessons at the Y years ago. I’m really thankful for the people who supported me.

Q: How has the Y impacted your life?

There have been long-lasting friendships created. Once you get a group of friends together, whether it’s working out together or volunteering together, it turns into a friendship outside the Y as well. We call ourselves the ‘Coffee Clutch’. Some of them have moved away and we’ve still stayed in contact. That’s been really important to me.

Q: What are some of your favorite Y memories?

I remember the time we volunteered and they asked, “can you give us a day to spread mulch around the Y?” There we were with 90 yards of mulch, our shovels, and our wheel barrels, and we ended up having a lot of fun! It was hard work but it was a good time. We’ve also worked with the Christmas toy drive and the Thanksgiving food distribution. It’s a great feeling to support your community. 

Q: What would you say to someone who is interested in joining the Y?

It really boils down to the people. Everyone at the Y is so friendly. The moment you walk in the door, the staff is there to greet you and they respect you. They’re great people and it’s a friendly atmosphere that I like to tell others about.

We would like to thank Rico for his incredible support of the Y! We look forward to making a positive impact in the lives of our members and our community throughout 2021 and beyond!