On Monday November 3rd please join the staff of the YMCA for a branch birthday party. We will be celebrating 6 years in Farragut with cake and party decorations. Members will also be able to view preliminary plans for the NEW YMCA in JEFFERSON PARK. Be sure to drop by and wish us a Happy Birthday!
Are you already worried about what to get someone that has everything for the holidays? We have a solution for you. Friends and family donating money in someone's name can be much MORE REWARDING than giving material gifts. Consider making a donation to the YMCA "Change A Life" campaign in the name of a froend or relative. A holiday card will be mailed to that special person informing them of your donation. This is a great way to support the mission of the YMCA and take the worries out of holiday gift giving.
If you want to know what is happening at the Farragut YMCA then you need to spend a few minutes at our new information wall. Located underneath the televisions on the fitness floor the information wall will keep you up to date and informed - if you have additional questions, please stop by the courtesy counter and we will be happy to help you. We hope that this will help you stay better informed about the Farragut YMCA.
Are you looking for a safe way to help your teenager celebrate a birthday? Do you love Zumba and want to share it with your Bunco friends? Think about adding a little Zumba fun to your next party. Zumba is a fun and easy to follow latin based dance exercise program that can be the highlight of your next event. Talk with Fitness Coordinator, Karen Tindal to find out how to bring the fun and excitement of Zumba to your gathering at the YMCA or off-site.
Congratulations to the 70 children that just finished the Fall season of our popular Little Hitters T-ball program. A huge thank you to Staci McIntosh for coordinating all of the teams, coaches, parents, pictures and party and Andrew Tindal for overseeing the action on Saturday mornings at the St. John Neumann ball field.
If your child still needs to pick up their award, please stop by the front desk. We look forward to the return of warm weather and another successful season this Spring.
The November meeting for the Farragut YMCA Book Club is on Wednesday November 19th at 11 am. This month's selection is "Smoke Screen" by Sandra Brown.
Gina Ford, a member of our YMCA Courtesy Counter and Fitness Staff coordinates the discussions. The Book Club is free to members and meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month - you are welcome to join the group at any time.
Teresa Prislovsky and her Senior Planning Committee have arranged for an informal lunch gathering on Thursday November 13th at the Turkey Creek Calhoun's. Everyone is welcome to join in on the fun at this popular West Knoxville restaurant - so grab a friend and come enjoy a wonderful lunch together. Sign up for events on the Senior Activities bulletin board in the Program Center.
“I’m A Showing Off for the Next 10yrs Years”
How many times are we afforded the opportunity to sit with GREATNESS? Not the social standard of greatness but a genuine moment to sit at the feet of our elders. I knew that this would be one of those times. On September 24th of this year Mr. Robert Sphar turned 90 years old. To celebrate his birthday he spends it at the YMCA swimming a mile. This has been the tradition for the past three years.
Now you understand how I was anticipating having a chance to glimpse in the eyes and see greatness up close and personal. Fourteen years ago Mr. Bob and his wife joined the North Side Family YMCA as a 76 year birthday gift to himself. This decision was made as a referral from Bob Temple, who Mr. Sphar has been friends with for many years. He comes from a time where you take a man at his word. I say this because Mr. Sphar joined the North Side Y without looking at the pool, which was the only thing he had planned on using.
Robert retired from South Central Bell as a Transmission Supervisor. He did this after his tour in the Armed Forces where he served in Africa and Italy during WWII. Mr. Bob is married with four children, four grand children and two great-grand children.
Mr. Bob loves the come to the Y six times a week to swim half a mile. He admits that some mornings he doesn’t feel like it, but comes any ways. He openly confessed that it wouldn’t be right for him not to come and “Look for something new to make them (members and staff) laugh”. Mr. Sphar feels that it is a “whole lot better to laugh than to cry”. So he lives. I could see this as he had to keep moving during our interview. There was not a second that he didn’t pat his feet, twirl his thumbs or wave to other members. I could feel the beat of this great man’s drum for he marches openly for others to see.
Bob told me a story of one of his most memorable moments at the Y. It was the friendship that he fostered with the late Charles Sharrid, another Y-member. He explained to me the day that the two men meet. Mr. Sphar had walked in to the locker room and Charles was just sitting on the bench trying to get his socks on. Bob had seen Charles before and knew that he was battling some debilitating health issues. Showing the true heart of a friend; Bob sat down at the feet of Charles and put on his socks and shoes. That was the beginning of a friendship that lasted until the Good Lord took Charles home.
If this isn’t GREATNESS what is? We are blessed to have members like Bob Sphar. They are the ones that help us to carry out our MISSION. He is Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility. Which makes him the core of who are!
Written by: Tiara N. Wilson, Mission Impact Director
All stories request can be made to twilson@ymcaknoxville.org or 865-766-8533
The next time you get ready to search for information on the internet think goodsearch.com. Go to www.goodsearch.com and enter the YMCA of East Tennessee as your charitable organization. We will receive 1 penney for every use. This is a simple way to help out your local YMCA's!