Last August, the Riverbrook Regional YMCA’s Wilton Family Y Branch was hit by the devastating historic floods that wreaked havoc across southwest Connecticut. While the Y quickly reopened, there was a lot of long-term damage the floodwaters left in their wake. The price tag associated with the Y’s effort to recover and rebuild is upwards of $4.2 million.
That’s why this year, GOOD Morning Wilton has committed to a special, ongoing effort to help the Wilton YMCA fundraise. The Wilton Y plays an invaluable role in the health of the Wilton community and beyond, and it impacts the life of everyone — families; seniors; children and youth; people experiencing financial hardship; individuals with physical, intellectual and developmental disabilities — its focus is to support people of all ages and from every walk of life to strengthen the community.
The YMCA has been part of Wilton for more than 50 years, and over the years the Y has seen tremendous growth in membership and services it provides including swim programs and lessons, health and fitness programs, senior activities, youth and adult sports, early childhood education, afterschool childcare, summer camp, volunteer opportunities, and social and civic action. It is often called the heart of the Wilton where everyone is welcome.
We’ll be featuring stories on a regular basis in a new series called “Why the Y?” to share just why the YMCA is so important to Wilton. If you have a story to share about why you love the Y, please let us know through our contact link.
And please consider donating to the YMCA’s “Restore * Rebuild * Recover” Flood Relief fundraising campaign.
Thanks to other generous individuals, the YMCA team was already able to make extensive, expensive repairs to the 50 meter pool, and it reopened earlier this year.
Upcoming YMCA Events
Saturday, Mar. 15: The Wilton Open: The Wilton Y will host the 40th annual Wilton Open — aka St. Paddy’s Day. Hundreds of paddle players from the tri-state area will compete for the prestigious title of Wilton Open Champion! Stop by at 2 p.m. for the women’s and men’s semis and finals. It’s always a fun afternoon. Attendees are encouraged to wear their best green and white or favorite St. Paddy’s day attire. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Wilton Y Children’s Charities.
April 26, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m.: YMCA Healthy Kids Day is a nationwide initiative aimed at promoting the health and well-being of children and families. Held annually on the last Saturday of April, this event offers free community activities designed to inspire kids to stay active and healthy throughout the summer and beyond! With fun and engaging events hosted by over 1,400 YMCAs across the country, Healthy Kids Day encourages families to bond, explore new interests, and connect with their communities. Activities include: gymnastics, dance expo, book fair, swimming, archery, and many more activities! End the day with the third annual Duck Race to win amazing prizes. All proceeds from the Duck Race go towards our Annual Appeal, raising funds for member Financial Aid. Register online. The first 100 registrants receive a Healthy Kids Day Bag. The event is free and open to all.
I love the Wilton Y. I’m not hearing what kind of long-term thinking there is about the potential for future flooding. It’s called the Riverbrook YMCA for a reason — it’s at the intersection of Goetzen Brook and the Norwalk River, which then wraps around them. The bridge across the river is actually higher than the parking beyond it! GMW ran an interesting story on how the site was originally selected. It’s nice that they rebuilt, but is their current location defensible?