YMCA of CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS

Join in the second oldest, continuous, road race in America!
Dating back to the 1950’s when 17 runners competed in the first race.

• Bottled water available at stations along the course.
• Awards for in-person runners
• Refreshments and shower facilities will be available.
• Professional Scoring and Timing by EMPIRE Timing Co.
• FREE for military and senior runners

Proceeds benefit Veterans at the Tri-Community Family Branch YMCA. 

Tuesday, July 4th at the Tri-Community Family Branch in Southbridge, MA

Learn more HERE

Join Five Days of Action to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse, April 24-28 

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. As part of our commitment to protecting the children in our community, we’re participating in the Five Days of Action – a week-long campaign to increase awareness of child sexual abuse and empower and equip us all to prevent it. By taking part in this important campaign and through implementing abuse prevention practices year round, the YMCA of Central Massachusetts is committing to the safety of all children in our community.

The Know. See. Respond. campaign is back this year, tying in three impact areas – preventing child sexual abuse at both summer camp and in youth sports, and internet safety. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, U.S. Center for SafeSport and Praesidium have shared resources to support this campaign.

Know: Summer Camp KNOWing about child sexual abuse can help adults better understand what to look for and how to prevent it. As parents, caregivers, and trusted adults to the young people in our lives, we play an important role in protecting them from abuse. This requires our commitment to continually learn and then ask questions about the safety of our loved ones. The Y – and other youth serving organizations – implement a series of measures to keep the kids in their care safe. Next time you enroll your loved one in a new program, ask them about their child protection practices. For this summer, you can use this list.

See: Youth Sports When we SEE boundaries being crossed or suspect a child is being abused, we can and should act quickly. Sports should be safe places for children to grow, both as people and athletes. As a parent, caregiver, coach, or volunteer, it is up to you to make sure any environment in which children in your care interact is free from abuse. Learn more about the signs and how you can help prevent child sexual abuse in youth sports at https://uscenterforsafesport.org/parents/

Respond: Internet Safety Did you know that you don’t need evidence to report abuse—only reasonable suspicion? But even for adults, reporting abuse is hard. We don’t want to falsely accuse someone or get someone in trouble. On the other hand, reporting might be the one thing that saves a child – or children – from abuse. It is our responsibility to RESPOND to any and all disclosure, discovery or suspicion of child sexual abuse. This week we learned the importance of Know. See. Respond. and gained practical tools for preventing child sexual abuse— but our work is never done. The YMCA of Central Massachusetts is committed to year-round prevention, and we hope you are, too! Stay connected and informed by visiting https://www.ymca.org/fivedaysofaction. #FiveDaysofAction

As adults and children alike have turned to digital tools for school, work and socialization, online safety matters now more than ever. Many online dangers put children at risk, such as cyber bullying, online enticement and more. As an adult, keeping an open line of communication with any children in your care who may access online content can be key to helping prevent sexual abuse. Learn the facts, how you can keep kids safe, and how to respond to online victimization at https://www.missingkids.org/netsmartz 

We take our commitment to child protection seriously and we hope you do too. Check out our protection policy HERE. To learn more about how we keep kids safe in Central Massachusetts.

Congratulations to the Central Community Branch YMCA Youth & Government delegation and their Advisor, Amie Cox! They attended the MA Model Legislature over the past 3 days – with great success. Our students wrote and presented 2 Bills, won a couple of awards and also ran for office!

Join us for the 159th Annual Meeting & Volunteer Recognition Event!

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

(5:00 – 7:00 pm)

Greendale Family Branch, 75 Shore Drive, Worcester, MA 01605

More Info

Are you ready for this important mission? Mission in Motion is on Saturday, May 20th this year and we’re getting excited! All 6 of our YMCA branches are involved in this important fundraising event. So, what is Mission In Motion? Mission In Motion is an Association-Wide, Fundraising Cycle-A-Thon Event to benefit LIVESTRONG^® AT THE YMCA; a FREE 12 week health and well-being program for cancer survivors and their families. See your Wellness Director to register!

Learn more HERE