FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Kristen Hogan YMCA of the Capital Area 225-923-0653 khogan@ymcabr.org

Sept. 26, 2012

High School Students attend P.E. class at the Y

BATON ROUGE, La.–Students from the Mentorship Academy attend the Charles W. Lamar, Jr.

YMCA everyday for their P.E. class. Since the Mentorship Academy does not have a gymnasium for their

students, the Y has offered their facility to the Academy’s upperclassmen to exercise at no cost.

“We come over here twice a day, and they’ve had the opportunity to use all these machines that

they would otherwise not have a chance to use,” stated A’lisa Hale, a Mentorship Academy P.E. coach.

“We started off the semester with spin class, boot camp and body pump. They’re really eager to learn

how to use the machines, especially the treadmills and stationary bikes for cardio.”

The Charles W. Lamar Jr. YMCA is located in Downtown Baton Rouge and offers a wide variety of

wellness programs. At the Y, we strive to help kids set and achieve their personal and educational goals.

The students from the Mentorship Academy have been able to learn about being active and how to live a

healthy lifestyle through various different workouts at the Y.

About the Y

The YMCA of the Capital Area celebrates 95 years of continuous service to our community through youth

development, healthy living and social responsibility. Throughout our parish the Y engages over 5,000

individuals annually—regardless of income or background—in hopes to nurture the potential of children,

improve the nation’s health and well being, and provide opportunities to give back and support our

neighbors. Anchored by the support of our volunteers, the Y has the long-standing relationship and

physical presence not just to promise, but deliver, lasting personal and social change. Find out more by

visiting ymcabr.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Kristen Hogan YMCA of the Capital Area 225-924-3606 Ext. 1104 khogan@ymcabr.org

Oct. 20, 2012

Baranco-Clark YMCA will host its first Legends Ball

BATON ROUGE, La.–The Baranco-Clark YMCA will host its first Legends Ball on Friday, Nov. 9 at 7

p.m. at the Holiday Inn South on Airline Highway. The Baranco-Clark YMCA Legends Ball is an event that

honors special individuals that have impacted the community of Baton Rouge.

The honorees include former LSU men’s head basketball coach, Dale Brown, and former Baton

Rouge chief of police, Jeff Leduff. There will be an opportunity for pictures with the honorees, food and

beverages provided and live music.

All proceeds will go toward YMCA programs and services including but not limited to health and

wellness, childcare, seniors, sports, aquatics and teens. With hundreds of YMCA services around the

greater Baton Rouge area, the proceeds from the ball will help individuals and families have an

opportunity to be a part of the Y.

About&the&Y&

The YMCA of the Capital Area celebrates 95 years of continuous service to our community through youth

development, healthy living and social responsibility. Throughout our parish the Y engages over 5,000

individuals annually – regardless of income or background - in hopes to nurture the potential of children,

improve the nation’s health and well being, and provide opportunities to give back and support our

neighbors. Anchored by the support of our volunteers, the Y has the long-standing relationship and

physical presence not just to promise, but deliver, lasting personal and social change. Find out more by

visiting ymcabr.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Kristen Hogan YMCA of the Capital Area 225-924-3606 Ext. 1104 khogan@ymcabr.org

Oct. 26, 2012

The YMCA of the Capital Area hosted the Cornerstone Endowment Dinner to thank donors

BATON ROUGE, La.–The YMCA of the Capital Area hosted the Cornerstone Endowment Dinner for

its donors on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at City Club Baton Rouge. The Y recognized various lifetime members and

donors, and they presented them with vases as a token of their appreciation.

The purpose of the endowment fund is to save money and use the interest generated to better the

Y’s organization. The YMCA Cornerstone Endowment Fund began in 1998, when the Y realized how much

these donors’ funds could help sustain the Y. In 2011, the Y had over $2.5 million in the Baton Rouge

Area Foundation. As of today, the balance has grown to over $3 million.

Josh Landry spoke on behalf of Gary Golden and told Golden’s story of his experience at the YMCA

Christian Values Conference. The conference offers the opportunity for teens to grow personally and

spiritually. Golden was asked to spend a week at Blue Ridge Mountain and speak to the teenagers there.

To his surprise, it was the hardest yet most rewarding week of his life.

For more information on the YMCA Cornerstone Endowment Program, call Bob Jacobs at the YMCA

at 923-0653.

About the Y

The YMCA of the Capital Area celebrates 95 years of continuous service to our community through youth

development, healthy living and social responsibility. Throughout our parish the Y engages over 5,000

individuals annually—regardless of income or background—in hopes to nurture the potential of children,

-more-

Page 2 YMCA hosts Cornerstone Dinner

improve the nation’s health and well being, and provide opportunities to give back and support our

neighbors. Anchored by the support of our volunteers, the Y has the long-standing relationship and

physical presence not just to promise, but deliver, lasting personal and social change. Find out more by

visiting ymcabr.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Kristen Hogan YMCA of the Capital Area Phone: 225-923-0653 Email: khogan@ymcabar.org

Oct. 26, 2012

The YMCA of the Capital Area will launch the No Phone Support Zone Campaign

BATON ROUGE, La.–The No Phone Support Zone Campaign is a YMCA initiative to encourage

parents to put their cell phones away for a while and actively participate in their child’s youth sports and

activities.

On Nov. 10, the Y will launch the No Phone Support Zone Campaign at the C.B. Pennington, Jr.

YMCA at 8:30 a.m., simultaneously with the start of their fall sports games. During the game the Y will

ask that all attending parents shows support for their children by keeping their phones away.

“While I was watching my son’s baseball game, I noticed I was the only parent cheering. I looked

around and found that every single parent was on their phone instead of watching their child play. That’s

when I realized something need to be done,” said YMCA of the Capital Area Marketing Director Kristen

Hogan.

In today’s society, people are more attached to their cell phones than ever before. In 2011,

American citizens sent over 1.5 trillion text messages and logged 5.3 billion minutes on Facebook in a

single month, which is equal to 101,000 years. With all of the technological advances we have had, some

people are becoming further detached from the things we value and deem important.

By participating in the No Phone Support Zone Campaign, the Y believes both parents and children

can have a more fun and wholesome experience during youth activities.

About&the&Y& The YMCA of the Capital Area celebrates 95 years of continuous service to our community through youth

-more-

Page 2 YMCA will kick off campaign

development, healthy living and social responsibility. Throughout our parish the Y engages over 5,000

individuals annually—regardless of income or background—in hopes to nurture the potential of children,

improve the nation’s health and well being, and provide opportunities to give back and support our

neighbors. Anchored by the support of our volunteers, the Y has the long-standing relationship and

physical presence not just to promise, but deliver, lasting personal and social change. Find out more by

visiting ymcabr.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Kristen Hogan YMCA of the Capital Area 225-924-3606 Ext. 1104 khogan@ymcabr.org

Nov. 13, 2012

Baranco-Clark YMCA hosted its first Legends Ball

BATON ROUGE, La.–The Baranco-Clark YMCA hosted its first annual Legends Ball and raised $8,000

on Friday, Nov. 21 at the Holiday Inn South on Airline Highway. The Baranco-Clark YMCA Legends Ball is

an event which honors special individuals that have impacted the community of Baton Rouge.

The honorees included former LSU men’s head basketball coach, Dale Brown, and former Baton

Rouge chief of police, Jeff Leduff. There was an opportunity for pictures with the honorees, food and

beverages provided and live music.

All proceeds wil go toward YMCA programs and services including but not limited to health and

wellness, childcare, seniors, sports, aquatics and teens. With hundreds of YMCA services around the

greater Baton Rouge area, the proceeds from the ball will help individuals and families have an

opportunity to be a part of the Y.

About the Y

The YMCA of the Capital Area celebrates 95 years of continuous service to our community through youth

development, healthy living and social responsibility. Throughout our parish the Y engages over 5,000

individuals annually—regardless of income or background—in hopes to nurture the potential of children,

improve the nation’s health and well being, and provide opportunities to give back and support our

neighbors. Anchored by the support of our volunteers, the Y has the long-standing relationship and

physical presence not just to promise, but deliver, lasting personal and social change. Find out more by

visiting ymcabr.org.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Kristen Hogan YMCA of the Capital Area Phone: 225-923-0653 Email: khogan@ymcabr.org

Nov. 13, 2012

The YMCA of the Capital Area kicked off the No Phone Support Zone Campaign

BATON ROUGE, La.–The No Phone Support Zone Campaign kicked off on Sat., Nov. 10 at the C.B.

Pennington, Jr. YMCA. The campaign is a YMCA initiative to encourage parents to put away their cell

phones for a while and actively participate in their child’s youth sports and activities.

The campaign launched simultaneously with the start of fall sports games. During the games, the Y

asked that all attending parents showed support for their children by keeping their phones away. The Y

passed out clappers to replace the cell phone in the parents’ hands and so they could have something to

cheer on the players with.

“Parents were very receptive and loved the idea. Many of them even tucked their cell phones away

immediately when they understood what we were doing,” said Kristen Hogan, marketing director of YMCA

of the Capital Area.

In today’s society, people are more attached to their cell phones than ever before. In 2011,

American citizens sent over 1.5 trillion text messages and logged 5.3 billion minutes on Facebook in a

single month, which is equal to 101,000 years. With all of the technological advances we have had, some

people are becoming further detached from the things we value

and deem important.

By participating in the No Phone Support Zone Campaign, the Y believes both parents and children

can have a more fun and wholesome experience during youth activities.

-more-

Page 2 YMCA kicks off No Phone Support Zone

About the Y

The YMCA of the Capital Area celebrates 95 years of continuous service to our community through youth

development, healthy living and social responsibility. Throughout our parish the Y engages over 5,000

individuals annually—regardless of income or background—in hopes to nurture the potential of children,

improve the nation’s health and well being, and provide opportunities to give back and support our

neighbors. Anchored by the support of our volunteers, the Y has the long-standing relationship and

physical presence not just to promise, but deliver, lasting personal and social change. Find out more by

visiting ymcabr.org.

###