On Saturday, April 29, McGaw YMCA welcomed members of the community with an afternoon of fun-filled family activities.  The McGaw YMCA hosted its Healthy Kids & Families Community Day in April to encourage a healthy start to the summer season. Families from Evanston and nearby areas explored the YMCA for free and enjoyed a variety of family-friendly activities, including Group Fitness demo classes, learn-to-play pickleball clinics, Family Fun Gym Time, and more. The focus for the April 29 Community Day was to encourage healthy kids, healthy families, and a healthy start to the summer season. The Sebring-Lewis Center was filled with energetic kids enjoying Family Fun Gym Time. The Group Exercise and Skydeck Studios offered demonstrations and workshops for a variety of classes, including Hip-Hop Dance fitness and Yoga for Anxiety and Stress. The 4-lane pool was open for family swim time and trial swim classes for kids ages 3-13. […]

The Y provides opportunities for members and community participants of all ages to learn the sport of pickleball. Plus, throughout the month of April, enjoy free community open play hours at the Y Monday-Friday, 6:00-8:00 AM. The McGaw YMCA has become an indoor hub for the Evanston pickleball community since it first began offering the sport in 2020. During designated times, the courts in the Y’s Sebring-Lewis Center gym are full of longtime players and first-time pickleballers enjoying the country’s fastest growing sport.  Pickleball—which combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis—has seen an explosion of popularity throughout Evanston and across the country. The YMCA has responded to the demand by dedicating more court time to pickleball and offering increased instructional opportunities for members and community participants. In November 2022, McGaw Y hosted its first Pickleball Tournament. Nearly 40 pickleballers from across the Chicago area and as far away as