I was finally beginning to feel settled in my new role as an Aquatics Director at the Mel Korum Family YMCA. I was gaining confidence and was starting to feel like I was earning my place at the table. Then, out of nowhere, COVID happened and we all know how that went. In the blink of an eye, the hallways were empty, the lights were dim, and the energy of the Y was gone. Like many of you, I was furloughed and my future with the YMCA was uncertain. Like many of you, I saw many close friends permanently lose their jobs. And like many of you, all of the things I was working on and the progress and personal growth I was experiencing at work suddenly didn’t matter. I was frustrated that this was happening in the first place, and I was scared.
The COVID pandemic brought a lot of stress and mental strain into my life. I felt like, for the first time in my life, I wasn’t in control of my own fate. I was doing everything I could do to stay connected to my Y family, but it didn’t feel the same. Stressed out and restless, my husband and I decided that we needed to get away for a while. We planned a three-month road trip all the way around the United States. We had decided our route, booked our hotels, and were ready to hit the road. For the first time in a few months, we were excited about something. The morning we were scheduled to leave on our trip, Jake got a call back to the YMCA. He was being moved from Lakewood to Bremerton. Just like that, our plans for our road trip were off. I was called back a week or so later, but to a new community center and with a new role. I was scared, nervous, grateful, and excited beyond belief all at the same time. It was an opportunity for me to continue to serve my community, to learn, and to grow both personally and professionally. Since then I have fallen in love with the Tacoma Center community, and I wouldn’t have it any other way even though it was caused by COVID.
It’s now been about ten months since many of us were called back to the YMCA, and in that time I have learned a lot of difficult lessons and have experienced some problems I never thought we would face as an association;
- First and foremost, it is difficult for me to not look back at how the YMCA was without comparing it to how it is now. We are smaller, leaner, and serving fewer families throughout our communities. This is a difficult reality to face, but it’s where we are as an association right now.
- Like each of you, I am bearing more responsibility than ever before. Our teams are smaller, positions that used to help community centers run smoothly have been eliminated, for the time being, I’ve worked longer days, and it’s difficult to find a good time to take some time away from work. It’s hard not to feel drained sometimes.
- Hiring has been a slow and arduous process. It’s not like before when I would post a job and have several applicants the next day. It’s been a slow, often frustrating build. I find myself checking my applications multiple times an hour. There have even been times where I have resisted the urge to check them on the weekend as well.
Although we face several new and demanding challenges, the lessons I have learned throughout this pandemic are lessons I will keep with me for the rest of my life. I’ve learned to let go of the things that I can’t control. I typically try to plan everything but COVID has said otherwise in this season. I’ve learned that I have the power to CHOOSE what I focus on and what I prioritize. I’ve been amazed to find how adaptable and capable of change we all are. Most importantly, I have learned that no matter which community center I go to, the heart of the YMCA is the same. The mission is the same. The effort of this incredible team is the same. I know that right now, nothing seems easy. Everything doesn’t always feel okay. But if I could leave you with some words of encouragement, it would be this; you were chosen to be a part of this rebuilding process. You are here for a reason. I have so much appreciation for every role in our association and everything you do makes a difference. I have no doubt that we, as a YMCA, are on the right track. Most importantly, I know that our YMCA is a force in our community that isn’t going anywhere. I am honored to serve alongside each of you, and we’ve got this.