WELCOMING WEEK
September 13-22, 2024
Belonging Begins With Us. Welcoming everyone into the Y no matter where you are from. It is a chance for neighbors both immigrants and US-born residents to get to know one another and celebrate what unites us as a community.
During Welcoming Week, local governments, businesses, non-profits,
social services, agencies, and community organizations host events to:
• Celebrate the diversity of our communities
• Bring together newcomers and long-standing residents to build mutual understanding
• Stand in solidarity with marginalized communities
• Help communities move beyond divisiveness and fragmentation
The Gaston County Family YMCA would like to invite you to come visit our facilities and enjoy the benefits of a YMCA membership, meet your community, and take part in special activities and events. Plus, check out our Group Exercise Schedule to find special Welcome Week classes!
WARLICK FAMILY YMCA
Membership & GroupEx Activities
- Stop by the front desk each day for a Peppermint Candy, a sweet treat that originated in Denmark
- Welcome Week Activity Cards for Families
- Viva Chicken will sponsor Peruvian cuisine samples on Monday, Sept. 16th from 5:30 - 7:00 pm and juice samples on Wednesday, Sept. 18th from 11:00 am- 1:00 pm, with a chance to win a Family Game Night Basket in their raffle
- Pose with an "I am a Welcomer" sign
- Share your culture and history on our "Where Are You From?" World Map
- Art activities, storytime, and learning new songs from other countries will be available in Childwatch.
- "Passports to the Y" theme in After School
- Enjoy Dough Boy & Co. Donut Truck on Monday, Sept. 16th from 7:00 am-12:00 pm in the Front Circle, offering fresh donuts and drinks for sale.
- "Spell a Country" Workouts Daily
STOWE FAMILY YMCA
Membership & GroupEx Activities
- Bring a guest FREE all week
- Participate in the World Map Activity and add a "Tell Us Your Story" sheet
- Pick up a Welcome Week Activity Card for the chance to win a raffle prize basket
- Sign the gym glass wall with a "Hello" or "Welcome" in another language
-Paint the Flag with Taylor & Danielle in Afterschool
- Join us for Arts & Crafts from Around the World in Childwatch
- Coffee & Conversations: Games Around the World
- Enjoy Ms. Didi's Caribbean Kitchen food truck on Monday, September 16th from 12:00-5:00 pm, offering tasty and authentic Haitian cuisine.
- Try North African spiced soup with Stacy with Stowe Nutritionist Stacy Kolbash on Tuesday, September 17th from 10:30 am-12:00 pm
- Candy station at the front desk on September 14, 15, 21, & 22
- Coffee station at the front desk Friday, September 13
- "Spell a Country" Workouts Daily
- Zumba class Thursday, September 19 at 5:30 pm
- Zumba Gold class Friday, September 20 at 10:00 am
PHARR FAMILY YMCA
Membership & GroupEx Activities
- Interactive games from other countries
- International candy tastings featuring sweets from around the world
- Info sheets at the branch detailing the origin of the games and candy
CHERRYVILLE FAMILY YMCA
Membership & GroupEx Activities
- Interactive games from other countries
- International candy tastings featuring sweets from around the world
- Info sheets at the branch detailing the origin of the games and candy
Welcoming Week 2024: Belonging Begins With Us
We’ve all experienced moments where we felt like we didn’t belong. Together, we can change that. Belonging Begins with Us, the theme for 2024 Welcoming Week, aligns with the national Belonging Begins With Us campaign, which is supported by a broad coalition of public and private partners working to help create a more welcoming nation where everyone can feel like they belong. As we emerge from a tumultuous time in our nation’s history, the theme reminds us that more unites us than divides us. Welcoming Week 2024 is an opportunity for your Y to foster connections and build bridges among neighbors so that our communities can move forward in a spirit of unity and healing. We can all play a role in making sure everyone feels welcome. National Partner: Welcoming America
Welcoming America is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that helps communities across the country achieve prosperity by becoming more welcoming toward immigrants and all residents. Its mission is to inspire people to build inclusive communities that embrace new immigrants and foster opportunity for all. Y-USA has a national partnership with Welcoming America to support local Y capacity building and community scaling of efforts to strengthen cohesion between new immigrants and their receiving communities. Visit www.welcomingamerica.org for the latest welcoming news, resources, and more.
The Need for Welcoming Week
With more than 44 million foreign-born individuals currently living in the U.S.—more than at any other point in history—it is imperative for the well-being of our communities that all neighbors have opportunities to engage, build mutual understanding and work together to create a better society for all.
LIMITED TIME JOINING OFFER
New members can join during Welcome Week and enjoy $0 joining fee! That's a $50 savings!
Join the YMCA Online Now
Use Promo Code WELCOME24
No Contracts
Access to YMCAs across the nation
Must meet eligibility criteria to get the promotion:
• Can not have been YMCA member(s) since July 1st, 2024 or within 60 days prior to September 13, 2024.
• Applies only to monthly memberships (not quarterly, semi-annual, or annual)
Valid for New Members Only. Cannot be combined with any other promotion, discount, or financial assistance.