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Staff Spotlight: Liette

News, Staff Spotlight /
Liette is wearing a blue short sleeved Y staff shirt while holding a pickleball paddle in her hand.

Staff Spotlight: Meet Liette, a Pickleball Ambassador at McGaw YMCA! Liette sets up the courts, welcomes players, and teaches beginners. As a natural connector, she ensures everyone feels included and has fun on the court. A longtime member, Liette’s family has deep roots at the Y. After losing her husband during the pandemic, she found healing through a Y pickleball clinic. “Simply said, pickleball at our McGaw Y saved my life.” Fun fact: Liette volunteers as a River Ranger on Chicago’s Wild Mile—picking up trash while kayaking along the river! Whether you catch her in the Sebring-Lewis Center or at a group fitness class, be sure to say hi!

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Miles that Matter: A Cross-Country Bike Ride to Support YMCA Men’s Residence

Miles that Matter, News /

Mark Metz and Noreen Edwards are riding 4,100 Miles to build support for the McGaw YMCA’s Men’s Residence housing program and upcoming renovation project. Evanston, IL — This summer, four wheels will carry a mission across the country. From August 24 through mid-November 2025, McGaw YMCA Board Chair Mark Metz and his wife, Noreen Edwards, will embark on a 4,100-mile self-supported ride along the TransAmerica Trail from the Pacific to the Atlantic on their recumbent bicycles. Their purpose? To raise awareness and vital funds for the McGaw YMCA Men’s Residence, one of the last remaining YMCA Single Room Occupancy (SRO) housing programs in the United States. For more than a century, the Men’s Residence has been a beacon of hope, offering safe, affordable housing to men in Evanston, Illinois. At a time when affordable housing is becoming increasingly scarce, Metz and Edwards are taking bold action to help preserve and

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McGaw YMCA Celebrates Culmination of Summer Learning Programs

News, Programs /

McGaw YMCA’s free, six-week Summer Learning Programs, offered in partnership with Evanston/Skokie District 65, provided K–8 students with full day experiences centered on academic support, enrichment, and personal growth, along with plenty of hands-on activities, fun, and field trips. K–5 students in SLP (Summer Learning Program) strengthened their literacy and math skills through hands-on activities, while middle schoolers in the MetaMedia Summer Experience (MSX) explored STEAM concepts through a culturally grounded, intergenerational curriculum. Both programs recently concluded with inspiring culmination events that brought together youth, families, and program staff to celebrate a summer of learning and growth. SLP wrapped up with a festive family celebration featuring food, games, and fun. It was a great way to highlight the creativity and progress students made throughout the summer. MSX concluded with the Storytelling Festival, a showcase of exploration, identity, and creativity. This powerful event highlighted the collaborative work of middle schoolers, emerging

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