Community Corner
Nazareth YMCA: A Downtown Y That Is Growing With Its Community
River Crossing YMCA Offering No Join Fee for New Members Through Oct. 31; New Programs Kick Off 11/1
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NAZARETH - Some places hold a town together, and the Nazareth YMCA at 33 South Main Street does that from the heart of downtown. The building is being transformed into a modern, inclusive downtown destination, and the branch remains open with swimming, fitness, child care and family programs. From October 15 through October 31, new members pay a $0 join fee, and members register for programs at a lower rate, with classes available for a November 1 start.
Members can use a lap pool, sauna, a fitness center, spin studio and group exercise classes, along with personal training for people who want a plan. The federal guidelines for adults are 150 minutes of moderate activity each week and muscle-strengthening on two days, so a mix of swimming, a spin class, and one strength session fits comfortably inside that. The benefits go beyond the physical. Research on healthy adults shows that regular activity is associated with meaningful improvements in depression and anxiety. No one needs to start big. One class and one swim in the first week is a solid beginning.
"We know rising costs are putting a lot of pressure on people right now, especially families, so we want to do all we can to make sure everyone knows the Y is here for you," said Trish Feinthel, chief operations officer for River Crossing YMCA. "Self-care, affordable youth sports and senior connections are just as important, if not more important than they ever have been, so we want to bring as many people into that fold as possible."
Families will find support at every stage. Nazareth has a child care center, before and after school care, drop-in Stay & Play babysitting for up to two hours a day, and Parent's Night Out evenings upcoming on December 4, January 8 and February 5. Swim lessons run from parent and child classes for babies six to 18 months through stroke introduction, and the 2026-2027 fall and winter swim team has groups for swimmers 10 and under, 11 and over and high schoolers. Creative kids can try All That Drama, a theatre program for ages 8 to 17. Organized activities give young people a place to belong, and a review of youth sport research links participation with better self-esteem and social skills.
Belonging is worth paying attention to. A review of 148 studies found that people with strong social relationships had a 50 percent greater likelihood of survival than those with weaker ones), and a downtown Y is a natural place to meet neighbors. Membership includes access to every River Crossing YMCA branch, free InBody scans every 90 days, and an app for schedules and tracking. Join online or stop by the Nazareth branch before October 31.
River Crossing YMCA (formerly YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon Counties and Greater Valley YMCA) is a charitable, nonprofit organization committed to strengthening communities through membership and programs that foster youth development, healthy living and social responsibility for all. Annually, the Y serves over 100,000 members and participants at its 11 member branches, 12 early childhood centers, 20 summer camp locations and 44 school age child care programs. River Crossing YMCA provides over $12 million of community impact annually in the form of financial assistance to individuals and families in need and free programming for veterans, cancer survivors, older adults and more. To learn more visit ymcarivercrossing.org.
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