There’s a fully furnished kitchen, living room, study area, recording studio, performance stage, pool table and sound booth. Not to mention two pinball machines.
The new YMCA’s Alexandra Gagnon Teen Center may sound like a hip downtown apartment building, but it promises to become a hub of teen life on the Vineyard.
After the opening of the center last Saturday afternoon, Island teens now have a place to call their own. Community members young and old gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate a safe and fun space.
For its first birthday, the Island’s newest community center got a new name: The Swartz Family YMCA is what the sign reads above the door to the 35,000-square foot building housing a pool, fitness center, cafe and gathering place for thousands of Islanders.
Donors Jim and Susan Swartz, who have given $3 million to the cause, were honored at a one-year anniversary ceremony at the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard on Thursday, when the sign was unveiled.
Chiddy Bang, the rap duo currently in possession of a Guinness Book World Record for the longest freestyle rap coming in at nine hours, 15 minutes and 15 seconds, played, alas, a somewhat shorter set at the Stars and Stripes festival held at Nectar’s on Saturday night.
The event was a benefit for the YMCA and produced by Neon Gold Records, a record company run by Chilmark summer residents Derek Davies and Lizzy Plapinger. The evening also featured The Knocks, French Horn Rebellion and Savoir Adore.
The YMCA has a fantastic pool. All year long Islanders have enjoyed this new and incredible gift to the community. No need, really, to head south during February vacation now that we can escape the late winter blues with a simple trip to the Y. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but not much.
A youth technology and mentoring program called Digital Connectors is starting next month on the Vineyard through the Alexandra Gagnon Teen Center at the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard.
Teen center director Tony Lombardi calls the program “a very special opportunity for landlocked Island kids to get a leg up on 21st century digital literacy.”
It will, he added, help to round out any educational experience they have and make them more valuable in the greater workforce.
The collaboration between the Yard and the YMCA begins on Oct. 24 when Dance with the Yard starts its fall program of classes.
Kids will learn the fundamentals of modern, ballet, and creative dance skills with Yard choreographer-dance educator, Jesse Keller. Professional visiting artists from the Yard will also help out with the classes, in particular drumming and rhythm training, student choreography opportunities, and end-of-session performances.
Soon after the YMCA opened its doors in the spring of 2010, the Martha’s Vineyard Teen Center moved from its location at Cottagers’ Corner in Oak Bluffs to a temporary spot in the Y’s basement. Tony Lombardi, the Teen Center director, thought they were going to relocate there for a few years before moving on to a new location. Then the Alexandra Gagnon Foundation, who also funded Cottagers’ Corner, came up with a plan.
The American Red Cross, Cape Cod and Islands chapter, will hold an Adult CPR/AED and First Aid class on Jan. 8 at the YMCA.
The Adult CPR/AED portion will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and costs $55. The first aid class portion of the class will then continue until 3:30 p.m. Cost for both the CPR/AED and first aid is $65.
From zumba to jujitsu, pony rides to sailing, and swimming to tennis it’s all happening at the YMCA at their Healthy Kids Day free-for-all that’s literally free for all.
The day in question is Saturday, April 9. The activities get going at 11 a.m. and continue to 2 p.m.
The event is part of a nationwide YMCA effort to highlight the importance of fitness in the lives of families. The aim is to teach healthy habits to kids and inspire a lifetime love of physical activity.
