“Honesty, Responsibility, Respect, Caring”

Fostering Belonging

Communities are known for fostering a sense of belonging, cooperation, and collaboration—all of which help to create a healthy atmosphere filled with acceptance, appreciation and companionship. Strong communities offer courage, hope and harmony and often play a vital role in forming a support system for an individual.

Supporting one another

Through a series of activities and discussions, participants explored the importance of community and how to be a better community member.   They also considered ways to support one another to build communities that promote mental, emotional and physical well-being.

Creation of Stompers

The YMCA of Centre County created four youth-size stompers named after the YMCA character development values: “Respect,” “Caring,” “Honesty,” and “Responsibility.” These four stompers were created by over 222 children throughout Centre County.

This project was supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

What community means to me:

We asked participants what “community” means to them. Here are a few of their responses:

• A safe place for me to belong
• People and animals together
• A neighborhood
• Friends and family to love me
• That I’ll have food on my table
  
• The YMCA is a community!  I love it!
• That I have people to call when I’m in need​

Ways to get involved

Participants discussed ways they could get involved in the community.  We were impressed with the ideas they came up with! Below are just a few.

• Volunteer (check out janamariefoundation.org/get-involved)
• Pick up trash
• Plant a tree
• Help someone in need
• Donate old toys / clothes
• ​Shop locally
• Share with someone less fortunate
• ​Meet new people
• Do more things with the YMCA and Jana Marie Foundation
• ​Become a teen leader

The YMCA of Centre County Stompers were made possible through the generous support of YMCA of Centre County members and Doug Zimmer. This project was also supported in part by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Our Artists: Marisa Vicere, Chris Bittner, Mel Forkner Lesher, and Nancy Vicere

Our Partners: Scott Mitchell, Marty Bradley, Adrienne Krasowitz, Thersa Mast, Jamie SanFilippo, Josh Cone, Kayla Scheibe, Heather Heckman, Jaron Cunrod, Keirsten Gibson, and the countless staff who participated, Chris Wahlmark – videographer