Stephanie
Stephanie’s Story
“I am Y” tells the stories of Y members and staff and the transformative power of community. This is the Stephanie’s story:
“Back in 2012 as part of the Vermont Blueprint for Health, I got two free personal training sessions at the Y and a month of free membership. That was my gateway.
“I was never a gym rat. When I was young, I was a ballerina; I did theater. The idea that I could be comfortable in a gym with crunching jocks was a foreign concept. But, in my twenties I became overweight. I had to make a change. I got to the Y and the personal trainer demystified everything for me. He walked me through all of the equipment and I started exercising – and I liked it. I did this little act where I would let myself watch a guilty pleasure TV show while I worked out.
“That first year at the Y, I lost fifty pounds – and I have kept it off ever since.
“Today, I go to classes at the Y, too. One of the spin instructors and I get ready together in the morning before her class, and we’ve become friends. I have also had friends who are members, who come to classes with me. So, every Friday morning a friend joins me, and that’s our time to catch up.
“I like that I can take my Y membership wherever I go. I went to the Ys all over Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and I even looked them up in the Rockies when I was there three years ago.
“I consider my Y membership not only an investment in my own health, but in the health of the community. I know that the Y provides services that people in our community need. It feels good to contribute to the work that the Y does.”
-Stephanie Clarke
The Y is here for Stephanie, and we are here for you. Join us at the new Y, opening January 1, 2020.
