Sandy Hook Tragedy

Like many of you, the YMCA of the Upper Main Line sends our deepest thoughts to the families and friends of those impacted by the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut.  Words cannot express the sympathy that we share over such a senseless act of brutality.

Children come to the YMCA to learn and grow in a safe environment.  The thought of a similar tragedy happening in our hometown is unimaginable.  Many of our teachers are also parents. We understand the weight of the responsibility that you entrust us with every day. 

At the YMCA, your child’s safety is our top priority.  We have lock down emergency procedures as well as interior and exterior relocations zones for our child care facilities.  We regularly review our safety procedures, and will continue to do so moving forward.

I encourage you to be aware of what your children are hearing about this tragedy, and to reassure them that they are safe.  Children will do as well as the adults around them.  Often younger children perceive danger more based on how adults around them react, rather than on the actual level of threat.  Listen more, be close.

While this tragedy happened elsewhere, our children will be impacted by the events at Sandy Hook Elementary.  Even though the town of Sandy Hook is miles away, members at our YMCA may have family or friends that have been directly affected by this situation.  Let us keep the Newtown community in our prayers as they grieve the loss of children, teachers and administrators.


Joe Tankle
President
YMCA of the Upper Main Line

Food and Mood

By Jennifer O. Barr

What you eat can play a role in how you feel and especially your mood!  A balanced diet is a good start to feeling good and most research points to the Mediterranean diet, a diet rich fish and healthy fats, as helping with depression, mood disorders, energy levels, and your waistline.   

Below is a list of specific mood boosting foods and ways to work them into your diet:

Nutrient	Foods	What it does and why we need it	Tips in your diet
Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) omega 3 fatty acids Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega 3 fatty acids Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) omega 3 fatty acids	Flaxseed, chia seeds, canola oil, pumpkin seeds and walnuts Cold –water fish such as salmon, mackerel, halibut, tuna and sardines, fortified eggs and nut butters Cold-water fish	Your body does not make omega 3 fatty acids so you need to get it from your diet. Most people get enough ALA omega fats, however DHA and EPA omega fats are often low. Food is recommended over supplements.	Aim for at least 3-4 ounces of fatty fish per week.   Make a plain Greek yogurt based tuna salad loaded with vegetables. Throw a handful of walnuts in your morning oatmeal . Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to your yogurt.
Protein	Fish, poultry, meat, eggs, endamame, beans, cheese, milk, peanut butter and tofu	Tyrosine, a protein building block, is released from protein rich foods, which in turns increases your “happy” neurotransmitters in your brain.  This increases your alertness and energy levels.	Instead of having a fruit or crackers as a snack, combine it with a nut butter or low fat cheese stick. Try eating endamame as a mid-afternoon or post workout snack. Add tofu sausage to your eggs in the morning.
Folic acid	Strawberries, kiwi, spinach, orange juice, fortified breads and cereals, cooked broccoli and brussel sprouts	A diet low in folic acid may cause a decrease in serotonin levels which can be linked to depression.	Add berries to your morning oatmeal or cereal. Add spinach to your sandwiches at lunch.

In general, a balanced diet will help increase your energy levels and your overall mood.  A great resource on healthy eating is the USDA’s MyPlate website, available at www.choosemyplate.gov, which will provide you with a recommended meal plan.   Here’s my challenge for you!  Record everything you eat and drink using the MyPlate Tracker. Compare your 3 day food record with the recommended meal plan. What food groups were you low in? What food groups did you eat too much of?  For the next five weeks, set a weekly goal to work on each of the food groups. By the end of 5 weeks, you will have worked towards eating a balanced diet and most likely feeling better! If you need more help or have more invidualized nutrition needs, I suggest seeking a nutrition expert, such as a Registered Dietitian. Most health insurances cover a Registered Dietitian without a co-pay.  To find a one in your area, visit www.eatright.org and select “Find a Registered Dietitian”.

Jennifer O. Barr, MPH, RD, is the YMCA of the Upper Main Line Staff Nutritionist.

 

Cultural Arts at the Y!

Dancers practice their routines in the Dance Studio.

A watercolor workshop student in the Art Studio.

Our music teacher leads a class in the new Music Studio.

Actors from this past summer's production of Alice in Wonderland.

Cultural Arts are at the heart of communities – they make communities more attractive places to live, they contribute to the ongoing knowledge within our communities, they help bring a community to life, they define a community’s unique characteristics and contribute to the economic well-being of their community. Upper Main Line YMCA has expanded its selection of classes and programs to include a vast inclusion of all of the arts.

This program expansion also includes a new home. The 3rd floor of the Mansion is now the Cultural Arts Floor. The classrooms now include:

• Art Studio (Cultural Arts Room #1)- Here we have classes that range from crafts for kids to ceramics, as well as adult painting and sewing classes. The natural light from the third floor lends the space to a great atmosphere for creativity. Our teachers also utilize our kiln in the mansion basement to fire our ceramics from classes as we teach all aspects of clay making to children and adults alike.
• Mini Dance Studio (Cultural Arts Room #2) - This room hosts our youth dance classes, Mini-Theater class, and early morning Pilates.  Our Dance Studio, on the lower level of the Main Building serves as the main classroom for our School of Dance and adult dance classes.
• Music Room (Cultural Arts Room #3) -  Here we house our brand new music classes. With our Kindermusik licensed teacher, Ms. Lori, children explore their musical side. Lessons in guitar, keyboard and vocals fill the air at night from our youth. 

This Winter I session, beginning January 2^nd,  includes classes for all ages and experience levels. The Dance program we will be introducing Ballroom dancing for adults on Friday evenings from 7-8pm. In the visual arts departments there are new and returning favorites coming back to our full slate of available classes. Performing Arts is also welcoming a brand new addition in the way of a Winter Stage class for our youth. This class will mimic our Summer camp program and have the students performing a workshop performance of GUYS AND DOLLS JR. Kids can join us on Saturday mornings for this fun, educational experience. Lastly, we will be introducing a line-up of music classes to the program for ages newborn to 10 years. We have a wonderful licensed Kindermusik instructor ready to start the kids on their magical musical journey. If you have any questions or concerns please contact Hugh at 610.647.9622 Ext 2510 or at umlyarts@umly.org.

Look in our guide and online to find out which offering(s) can best suit you and your family.

Hugh Abbott
UMLY Cultural Arts Coordinator

Hugh graduated from Temple University in 2008 with a degree in Interdepartmental Communications with a minor in Theatre. He has spent the last 10 years in and out of the performing arts world, as a student, teacher and performer. Some of his past experiences include being on the Board of Directors at a local community theater right in Berwyn. Hugh came to the YMCA from the financial services world in hopes of bringing his enthusiasm for the arts to the community and its members.

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