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Duneland Family YMCA Welcomes Jacob’s Ladder to New Campus with Services Well Underway

Posted on by Lindsey Williams

The Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus is pleased to announce that collocated partner Jacob’s Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation Center has joined on-site operations as of October 7, 2024. With services well underway, staff and clients have been seamlessly adjusting to their new environment and expanded programing, which includes larger therapy spaces, the introduction of aquatic services, and integrated opportunities with fellow partners. This move onto campus will undoubtedly benefit both the Jacob’s Ladder community and greater Northwest Indiana as well. “Moving Jacob’s Ladder to a community setting allows our children, staff, and families to benefit from a wide variety of partnerships and services unavailable in our current stand alone building,” explained Mariann Frigo, Executive Director at Jacob’s Ladder. “Additionally, our YMCA Healthy Living Campus partners and larger community can now benefit from our services, professional trainings, and events when located together.”

To date the most transformative services offered to Jacob’s Ladder children since the move have been the introduction of aquatic therapy services and the opportunities for their Academy students to interact daily with preschool students from the YMCA during gym time and swim lessons, with additional joint programming set to start in the near future. In just over a month, Frigo and staff have been delighted in the milestones reached by their clients. “We had our first aqua therapy child in the pool who quickly advanced from mom only able to give sponge baths to him due to water intolerance to full immersion playing and splashing by the end of just several aqua therapy sessions,” exclaimed Frigo.

While Jacob’s Ladder primarily focuses on services for their youth clients, they are ecstatic that the organization’s inclusion on campus will now offer caregivers more easily accessible moments of respite as well. “Our parents, like most, are running on fumes month after month. Not only parenting, but providing daily medical care, advocating daily, scheduling ongoing appointments, and driving their child to therapies, medical checkups and equipment fittings,” explained Frigo. “Having the YMCA Healthy Living Campus partners in the same building is going to be lifechanging for our parents who can schedule a massage, join a swim or art class, or sit in the sauna. The campus affords them a chance to

have a two- or three-hour break by allowing their child to move from therapy sessions into Y care while parents have the pure luxury of taking care of themselves for a few hours.”

At its core, the YMCA Healthy Living Campus aims to be an all-inclusive community hub focused on the overall well-being of all, making this partnership truly meaningful. “Including Jacob’s Ladder on the Healthy Living Campus represents a significant step forward in our mission to create a more holistic and inclusive environment for the families of Northwest Indiana. Their presence will not only enhance the range of services we provide but also ensure that individuals of all abilities have access to the resources they need to thrive,” said Dave Kasarda, Duneland Family YMCA CEO. “This collaboration strengthens our commitment to supporting healthy living and provides an invaluable resource to the community, making our campus a hub for lifelong well-being and empowerment.”

To learn more about Jacob Ladder Pediatric Rehabilitation Center’s services and their upcoming events, including a holiday inspired ‘Family Fun Day,’ visit www.jacobskids.org. Additional information about the Duneland Family YMCA Healthy Living Campus collocated partnerships and progress of construction, can be found at www.dunelandymca.org .

Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus: A Community Project Worth Investing In

Posted on Updated on by Kasia Zega

DUNELAND YMCA HEALTHY LIVING CAMPUS:
A COMMUNITY PROJECT WORTH INVESTING IN

With select summer and aquatic programming already in full-swing at the new Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus, the YMCA is proud to introduce local business owners Zack and DeAnna Wellsand of Wellsand Landscaping & Hardscapes as the chairs of the Community Campaign supporting the project as it continues to move forward into fruition. “Zack and DeAnna are exceptional community leaders and I’m sure this will continue in their role as the chairs for our upcoming Community Campaign,” said Dave Kasarda, Duneland Family YMCA CEO. “Their unwavering commitment for Duneland, strategic vision, and ability to inspire others will be instrumental in driving this initiative forward. Under their guidance, the campaign will not only raise funds but will also strengthen community ties, ensuring a brighter and healthier future for all.” 

As a lifelong resident of Duneland and YMCA member, it was an easy decision for Zack to take on this role and champion the cause. “I definitely think the Healthy Living Campus will be the center of the town. Just the daily traffic of the campus alone will generate more exposure for local businesses,” explained Zack. “I’m most excited for the community to have access to all the amenities the campus will provide. This campus isn’t just for YMCA members, there are going to be several spaces inside and outside that are free for the community to come together.” 

The abundance of space and opportunities that Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus will provide piqued the interest of DeAnna as well when the family decided to invest their efforts in the project. “When I hear ‘Healthy Living Campus,’ it’s exciting to imagine how this project will function as a campus and not just a YMCA,” commented DeAnna. “The idea that Chesterton can be a forerunner to model to other communities what a healthy living campus actually is, has me excited for the possibilities that our YMCA will be the best in our region!”  

The Wellsands are hopeful that their involvement in this project will inspire those both at home and in the community to also invest as much as they’re able into the campaign. “We remind our kids that attitude and effort always matter.  How you take pride in yourself and your community matters,” explained DeAnna. “Agreeing to involve our family in this public campaign, we explained to our kids that drawing attention to the YMCA’s Healthy Living Campus and agreeing to help raise money was a benefit for our own family and our future. It’s exciting to show them the renderings and possibilities for our community’s future. It’s important for our kids to see us invest time and effort into a meaningful campaign that intends to improve the quality of life for all the people of Duneland.” 

Echoing his wife’s sentiments, Zack implores community members to consider the legacy everyone can leave to the next generations.“I think investing in this project is important for all of the kids growing up in this town,” said Zack. “There will be so many avenues for child development, physically, mentally and socially. It’s really important for kids to learn how to win and lose gracefully while giving maximum effort with a good attitude. Investing and creating the right spaces for leaders to teach and coach our kids how to be good humans is ultimately the best legacy a whole community could leave behind for generations to come.”

With varying levels of investment opportunities available, there are opportunities for everyone in the community to take ownership in the Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus development and leave their legacy or honor that of a loved one. Naming options range from grand scale items such as the gymnasium and wellness center to individual benches or trees found amongst the park grounds. To learn more about the development or give to this mission, visit www.yhlcduneland.org.  

The Community Campaign fundraising commences alongside the start of renovations by Berglund Construction on the campus. Throughout the months of July and August, interior enabling work will take place in preparation for demolition, which will begin this fall. “We are thrilled that this project is officially beginning,” said Jeff Berglund, President- Building Division, and Chief Growth Officer at Berglund Construction. “We are cognizant of the importance of this work not only for the Healthy Living Campus but also for Chesterton overall. We plan to work with the Duneland YMCA & Duneland School Corporation to be present and communicative throughout the entire process.” The interior enabling work is an internal process that will occur in areas of the building that are already vacated and will have minimal impact on neighbors and community members participating in activities at the site.

About the Y

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits, strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. Across the U.S., 2,700 Ys engage 21 million men, women, and children – regardless of age, income, or background – to nurture the potential of children and teens, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. Anchored in more than 10,000 communities, the Y has long-standing relationships and a physical presence not just to promise but to deliver lasting personal and social change. More information can be located at www.dunelandymca.org.

About the Duneland YMCA Healthy Living Campus Project

At the Y, we believe that when we devote our full strength to our mission and cause, work in partnership with others, and build on our commitment to the children, families, and underserved people of Duneland, we can address the most pressing issues of our community unlike any other organization. The Healthy Living Campus is combining adaptive reuse and new construction to create a new community hub and park in the heart of Chesterton. With the inclusion of several non-profit and healthcare partners, we are building more than just a YMCA. The campus will be an innovative space fostering collaboration within a one-stop-shop capable of addressing a variety of community health and wellness needs. Learn more about this project at www.yhlcduneland.org. 

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