Montclair, NJ – The YMCA of Montclair is pleased to announce the appointment of Montclair resident Sean Long to its Board of Directors for a three-year term. The board is composed of 22 members who are leaders in their professional fields. Board members provide oversight, guide the nonprofit’s strategic direction, set policy, and raise support for programs and scholarships. Excellent volunteer board leadership is critical to a vibrant, successful Y.

“We are excited to have Sean join our board,” said Buddy Evans, YMCA of Montclair President and CEO. “Sean brings a wealth of professional experience in business operations and e-commerce to our board. His expertise and enthusiasm for our mission will benefit the YMCA and our community.”

Mr. Long is currently the Head of Site Experience for Entertainment, Toys, and Seasonal at Walmart. Previously, Mr. Long was the Senior Director, Site Merchandising – leading multiple strategic business categories at Macy’s, Inc. Mr. Long’s expertise includes e-commerce, digital marketing strategy, and building strategic partnerships.

Mr. Long is originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia and has resided in Montclair for over seven years with his wife and three children. He is a proud graduate of Morehouse College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in marketing. This is a full circle moment for Mr. Long, as his first job in high school was teaching swimming lessons and serving as a lifeguard with the YMCA.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to join the YMCA Board of Directors,” said Mr. Long. “I look forward to using my professional experience to bring value to the board and the local communities.”

###

ABOUT THE YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
Established in 1891, the YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. Our nonprofit works to empower young people, improve health and well-being, and inspire action in and across our community—serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.

Travel-size toiletry items may be donated through January 13; Volunteers will assemble kits on MLK Day of Service January 16 at the Y

MONTCLAIR, NJ — In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, the YMCA of Montclair is collecting personal hygiene and health kits for Family Promise Essex, an organization that provides support services for families experiencing homelessness.

“The Y seeks to connect people to their potential, purpose, and each other,” said Buddy Evans, President and CEO of the YMCA of Montclair. “MLK Day is ‘a day on, not a day off’, a reminder that when we pull together as helping neighbors, we can make a difference in our community.”

The Toiletry Drive runs through January 13. The Y is requesting new and unexpired travel-size items:

Toothpaste/Toothbrushes
Handwipes
Soap/Shower Gel
Shampoo/Conditioner
Deodorant
Tampons/Pads
Lotion
Combs/Brushes
Tissues

Drop off the items at either Park Street YMCA, 25 Park Street, Montclair or Geyer Family YMCA, 159 Glenridge Avenue, Montclair.

Volunteers will assemble travel toiletry kits on MLK Day of Service Monday, January 16, 2023, from 11am – 1pm at the Park Street YMCA, 25 Park Street, Montclair. Families and children are welcome; children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.

This event is free and open to the public. Space is limited. To RSVP, please go to https://www.montclairymca.org/mlk-day-rsvp/.

For more information, contact Jen Grisafi, Volunteer and Community Programming Manager, at jgrisafi@montclairymca.org.

###

ABOUT THE YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
Established in 1891, the YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that works to empower young people, improve health and well-being, and inspire action in and across our community. The Y offers need-based financial assistance for its programs to ensure access for all. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit www.montclairymca.org.

ABOUT FAMILY PROMISE ESSEX
Family Promise Essex (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network) is a not-for-profit organization that provides shelter, professional support services and housing assistance so families experiencing homelessness can find and sustain a home. We do this with help from an extensive network of volunteers, generous individuals and other partners throughout our community. For more information, please visit www.fpessexnj.org.

Written by Simon Webb

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Four swimmers from the Montclair Dolphins girls’ team smashed their personal best times at the three-day Great Turkey meet in Tom’s River earlier this month to qualify for a top regional competition in North Carolina in March.

Some 74 Dolphins swimmers traveled to the meet hosted by the Tiger Sharks team at the Ocean County YMCA over the first weekend of November, competing in 316 events. It was the first major meet of the winter season for the Dolphins under new head coach Roman Sloudnov.

Dolphin Charlotte Roeland (Verona) had a standout meet, winning the 50-yard fly and the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events for 11-12 year-old girls.

Charlotte notched up a qualifying time for the Sunkissed National Championship event to be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, in March for the 100-yard fly, beating her previous best by a huge 23.66 seconds to finish in second place with a time of 1 minute 7.53 seconds. She also swam her first Sunkissed times for the 100-yard and 200-yard individual medleys, finishing second in both events.

Qualifying for Sunkissed meet during the winter season is the ambition of many competitive swimmers from more than a dozen East Coast and Midwest states that attend.

Dolphin Magnolia Shimizu-Tragni (Montclair) also swam Sunkissed times in the 100-yard fly and the 200-yard individual medley for 11-12 year-olds.

Edith Wong (Verona) took nearly nine seconds off her best in the 100-yard breaststroke to swim her first Sunkissed time in that event for girls aged 11-12 years.

Vivian McCormick (Montclair) chopped a massive 26.35 seconds off her best in the 200-yard breaststroke for girls 13 years and older, finishing in 2 minutes 56:92 seconds.

The squad had a strong meet, collectively notching up 149 new bests over the weekend.

“We have had a successful meet. I am equally happy for those who made time cuts for championship meets and those who did their first flip-turn at this invitational. It was a great opportunity for our coaches to watch their athletes in action. The number of personal best times tells me that we are moving in the right direction,” said Sloudnov, who was named head coach in July. Sloudnov is a former world-record holder and a four-time Olympian who won a bronze medal for the 100m breaststroke at the Sydney games in 2000.

Congratulations to the swimmers diving into their maiden invitational meet for the Dolphins. They included Eliana Anderson (Montclair), Ella Anderson (Glen Ridge), Claire Anderson-Howard (Montclair), Paloma Gregory-Menez (Verona), Morgan McCartney (Verona), Sofia Porawski (Glen Ridge), Ryan Reis (Caldwell), Jack Wilson (Montclair), Jacob Miller (Montclair), and Jake Lo (Bloomfield).

The Dolphins were back in the pool for a busy day on November 12, when they hosted their first home event of the season, a dual meet against Hunterdon County YMCA. The team also traveled to Ridgewood YMCA for another dual meet there.

Next up is a home meet against Ridgewood and another invitational in Morristown in the first weekend of December.

Pictured Left to Right in Photo: Victoria Sluk and Charlotte Roeland.  Photo credit Jacky Roeland

###

ABOUT THE YMCA OF MONTCLAIR DOLPHINS
The YMCA of Montclair Dolphins swim team offers a year-round opportunity for competitive swimming in both YMCA and USA Swimming competitions as well as seasonal instructional clinics for aspiring competitive athletes. The team is comprised of girls and boys from ages 6 through high school. Around 200 athletes train with the team each year. They compete at all levels based on their skill set.

ABOUT THE YMCA OF MONTCLAIR
Established in 1891, the YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that strengthens individuals, families, and community by developing spirit, mind, and body. We focus on healthy living, social responsibility, and youth development. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.

THE 7TH GRADE INITIATIVE RETURNS TO THE YMCA OF MONTCLAIR

Two Hundred 7th graders have a free Y membership and more

(Montclair, NJ) – The YMCA of Montclair is excited to bring back the 7th Grade Initiative, a free school year program that includes memberships for 7th graders in the service area of Bloomfield, Cedar Grove, Clifton, Glen Ridge, Montclair, and Verona.

The popular program was suspended due to COVID but has returned to the Park Street YMCA with a new team led by Naomi Wallace, Teen Director. “Kids in 7th grade are at a critical time in their lives. Now more than ever, they need a space to grow and thrive,” said Wallace. The program provides not only access to the Park Street YMCA but also opportunities for students of all backgrounds to be inspired to learn new things, get involved in community projects, form wellness habits, and socialize with peers in a safe, supervised environment outside of school. The program also hosts events and activities exclusive to the program participants.

Registration is now closed, but if you want to learn more contact Naomi Wallace, Teen Director at nwallace@montclairymca.org.

###Established in 1891, the YMCA of Montclair welcomes all. We are a nonprofit that works to empower young people, improve health and well-being, and inspire action in and across our community. The Y offers need-based financial assistance for its programs to ensure access for all. Serving Bloomfield, Bloomingdale, Clifton, Cedar Grove, Glen Ridge, Haskell, Montclair, Verona, and West Milford. For more information, please visit montclairymca.org.