GREATER JOLIET AREA YMCA

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 Liz Bass. Liz joined the Y during our first week of operation in 2006 and we are so excited to have her share some of her favorite memories from the last 15 years. 

Q: What made you interested in joining the Y? 

Liz: I previously lived in Naperville and I’ve always been into fitness. When we moved out to Plainfield I was looking for a gym and we heard that the Y was going to be opening up. I grew up going to a Y and with two kids I definitely wanted to be a part of that again. I was also super excited when the Y opened because my son was six months old and that’s right when childcare started, which was a big thing.

Q: What are the biggest ways you feel the Y has evolved since you joined?

Liz: It’s been awesome to see everything expand. I started to go to early morning classes based on my work schedule. I remember being the only one here at 5:15 doing bootcamp and now it’s evolved into the great group it is today. When I first started there were no spin classes, now we have an entire spin room.

Q: How has your family used the Y over the years?

Liz: My kids took swim lessons here and we would spend a ton of time in the family pool during the winter. It was so good to have a place for them to go. We’ve had birthday parties here, we did all the camps, my daughter found her love of dance here. I feel like they grew up here. 

Q: How has the Y impacted you recently?

Liz: Over time you go through a bunch of stuff in your life and the people who are here, from employees to members, have been through all of it together. When things shut down because of COVID I was really missing the people and the friendships at the Y. Being able to come back was really good for my mental health. This was the place I was missing the most. It’s a positive environment. Everybody on staff is so open to listening to members. This community supports you, and the Y has been a major component in getting me through this time. 

Q: What would you say to someone thinking about joining the Y? 

Liz: I’m such a proud Y member. I really feel like we have the best Y in the world. People who haven’t come to the Y before should know that they can find what they need. It has the best facilities, great instructors, and a lot of programming. It makes you feel good because you know you’re getting a quality experience.

We would like to thank Liz for her incredible support over the last 15 years and look forward to making a positive impact on members of our community through 2021 and beyond!