A few weeks ago, I went to the Loganville Morning Mingle. This is a friendly meeting where local business owners and community members come together. The event was hosted by the YMCA. At the mingle, I met many nice people and learned about new ideas for our town. One person who really stood out was Meredith Green. She helped make the event happen and is a very important leader for the new Monroe-Walton YMCA.
Meeting Meredith Green
Meredith Green is the Executive Branch Director for the upcoming Monroe-Walton YMCA. In simple words, she is one of the top people in charge. At the mingle, she talked with a calm and kind voice. I could see that she cares a lot about our community. Her work is not just about planning programs; it is also about making sure everyone feels safe and welcome. She works hard every day to help many people learn new skills and stay healthy.
You can listen to our full conversation below.
A Love for Swimming
Meredith told me about her love for swimming. She has loved water ever since she was little. She went to the University of Florida to study and later worked at the Winder YMCA for many years. There, she taught swimming lessons and even coached the swim team. Her years of work made her an expert in water safety. She believes that swimming is very important because it is a life-saving skill. Learning how to swim can help stop accidents and even save lives.
What Does a Day Look Like?
Meredith’s day is very busy. Every day, she makes sure that the swim programs are planned for everyone. This means she helps organize classes for babies, kids, teenagers, and even grown-ups. Her job is not just about teaching swimming. She also takes care of the pools. She makes sure that the pools are clean and safe. She checks that all the pool equipment works well and that the chemicals in the water are just right.
In addition to running swim lessons, Meredith also helps coach a swim team. This team practices all year long. Soon, they will train at the new facility in Walton County. Whether someone wants to learn to swim for fun, for exercise, or for sports, Meredith works to make sure they have a good place to do it.
Keeping Everyone Safe in the Water
One of the most important things Meredith talks about is water safety. She tells us that drowning is a very serious problem. In the United States, drowning is the number one way that young children die by accident. One shocking fact she shared was that 88% of child drownings happen even when an adult is watching. This is because sometimes the adult is not paying full attention.
Meredith has a smart idea to make water safety better. She suggests that a special person, called a “water watcher,” should be chosen when people are around a pool. This water watcher can wear a lanyard or a badge to show that they are in charge of watching the water. This simple idea can help stop accidents because one person will always be focused on safety.
In Walton County, there have not been many formal swim lessons. This means many children and even adults have not learned how to swim well. With the new YMCA, there will be more classes and a better plan to teach everyone. This can help lower the number of accidents and save lives.
The Birth of the New YMCA
The idea for the Monroe-Walton YMCA started many years ago. In 2010, people in our community came together and donated land. They donated 38 acres of land so that a new center could be built. This was a big step. Soon, the YMCA began offering swim lessons in small neighborhoods. Even though there were hard times, like the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan did not stop. The project grew slowly, and now the community is excited.
Building a new YMCA is a big job. The project will cost 21 million dollars. Because the YMCA is a nonprofit organization, it needs help from the community. People must help raise money so that the building can be made. This money also helps make memberships and classes affordable. Even with these challenges, many people ask every day, “When will it open?” This shows how much our town supports the new YMCA.
A Mission for Everyone
The Monroe-Walton YMCA has a very important mission. Their goal is to “put Christian principles into practice through programs to build a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all.” What does this mean for us? It means the YMCA is here for everyone. No matter who you are or how much money you have, the YMCA wants to help you be healthy in every way.
Meredith made it clear that the YMCA is not just for people with a lot of money. It is a place for every person in Walton County. She shared stories of how many families have grown close at the YMCA. Some friends meet at the YMCA, and later they even get married or have children together. The YMCA is a place where many happy memories are made. It is a place where friendships last a long time.
Amazing New Facilities
The new Monroe-Walton YMCA will be full of exciting and modern features. I learned many details from my talk with Meredith. Here are some of the things to look forward to:
- A Modern Fitness Center
- The YMCA will have new machines like treadmills, ellipticals, and step machines.
- These machines help people exercise and stay healthy.
- There will also be free weights and a special room for group fitness classes like Zumba, yoga, and spin classes.
- This is a place where both kids and adults can get a good workout.
- A Skylight Lounge
- The building will have a special lounge area under a big skylight.
- This area will be a quiet and calm place for people to sit, talk, and make new friends.
- It will be a warm space where community members can relax.
- Two Indoor Pools
- There will be two different pools inside the new YMCA.
- One pool is an eight-lane competition pool.
- This pool will be used for swim teams, lap swimming, and even high school teams. Schools like Monroe High, Walnut Grove, and Loganville will be able to use this pool for their teams.
- The other pool is a warm water therapy pool. This pool will be perfect for people who need gentle exercise or therapy, especially seniors.
- Extra Programs and Services
- The YMCA will also offer special programs like adaptive swim lessons for people with different needs, afterschool camps for kids, and nursery services so parents can exercise while their children are cared for.
- There will even be a program to teach water safety across the country in partnership with the National Y.
There are plans to add even more in the future. For example, the YMCA may offer sports like basketball, pickleball, and soccer. There is still extra field space, and this space can be used for many fun activities.
Building a Strong Community
Meredith believes that the new YMCA is more than just a building. It is a place that will bring people together. The YMCA wants to help everyone grow stronger in body and mind. The mission is to help people live better lives.
This is done by offering a safe place to learn, exercise, and make friends.
The new center is a big hope for our town. It will be a place where young children can learn to swim and be safe. It will be a place where teenagers and adults can exercise and join teams.
And it will be a place where older people can come together, do gentle exercise, and enjoy good company.
Meredith also talked about the many challenges that came with building the new YMCA. The most difficult part is raising enough money. Because the YMCA is a nonprofit, it depends on donations from people like you and me.
Even though it has been hard, the community has shown great support. Every day, people ask, “When will it open?” This shows that everyone is excited and ready for a new beginning.
A Look Toward the Grand Opening
The new Monroe-Walton YMCA will open in early April. This is a date that many in our community are waiting for. Meredith says that people should join now to get a lower joining fee. By joining early, you can avoid the long lines on the day of the opening.
More than the money saved, what excites Meredith the most is the happy look on people’s faces when they see the new YMCA. She dreams of families laughing by the pool, friends talking in the skylight lounge, and children learning to swim with confidence.
It is a day when our town will come together to celebrate health and friendship.
A Bright Future for Walton County
At the Loganville Morning Mingle, I felt a calm and curious spirit in the air. I saw a town that cares for each other and is ready for change. Meredith Green is one of those people who works hard to make our community better. With her leadership, the new Monroe-Walton YMCA will not just be a place to exercise. It will be a home for friendship, learning, and safety.
This new center will help change lives. It will offer fun programs, safe pools, and a space where every person in Walton County can feel included. Whether you are young or old, a beginner or a seasoned swimmer, the YMCA will be a place for you. It is a promise of better health and stronger community bonds.
Our town is growing, and the Monroe-Walton YMCA is a big part of that growth. It shows that when people come together, great things can happen. I am very excited to see the new center open and to watch our community grow even stronger.
Last Take
From the friendly Loganville Morning Mingle to the inspiring words of Meredith Green, it is clear that our community has a bright future. The new Monroe-Walton YMCA is more than a building. It is a place that will teach us how to swim, help us exercise, and bring us together. It is a place where every splash, every smile, and every kind word builds a stronger community.
I look forward to the grand opening in early April. I know that soon, families will enjoy the new pools, people will work out in the modern gym, and friends will meet in the cozy skylight lounge. Thanks to the hard work of leaders like Meredith Green and the support of our caring community, Walton County is on the path to a healthier, happier future.
Let us all come together to welcome this new beginning. The Monroe-Walton YMCA is not just a new center; it is a promise of hope and a better life for everyone in our town.
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