Y Stories

When Tony and Jacqueline moved to Havertown in 2022, they joined the Haverford Area YMCA right away. Not long after, they discovered the Delco Senior Games, and started using the Y's upstairs track and weight room, particularly to train for the games. 

Daryl's history with the YMCA goes back to before he can even remember. He joined as a baby, taking lessons that earned him a "water safe" designation at just 13 months old.

Shirley Ann first walked through the doors of the Y as a child, tagging along with a family friend who had guest passes. Growing up in Plumstead, she'd never even heard of the Y, but she remembers those visits as some of the happiest of her childhood.

About ten years ago, Alice survived a traumatic brain injury that took a significant toll on her memory, and on her ability to connect with others. She found herself avoiding people entirely, sometimes going weeks without leaving her home. "I began to hate people.

As a certified personal trainer, Jessica knows what good instruction looks like the moment she sees it, and she's picky about where she brings her family. When she found the Y, that search was over.

Twenty years ago, Michelle left Philadelphia, the only home she'd ever known, and moved to Bucks County with three small children. The close family and friends she used to see daily were suddenly more than an hour away, and loneliness set in fast. That changed in 2005, when she joined the Y.

Aidan Milligan has loved the water since he was a baby. His mom, Helen (an aquatic therapist) recognized it early. "Learning to swim has been the door for him. The door for everything."

Joe Brown walked past the Fitness Center every day for two years. As an army veteran, he'd come to the Y religiously but stuck to what brought him through the door — the ping pong table.

Haniya Mohammad grew up visiting the Y. But, more importantly, it's where she found her voice.