Spring_2018_Newsletter_Pages_WEB

OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • www.orymca.org • Spring 2018
Roy Blunt YMCA of Bolivar • Ozark Mountain Family YMCA • G. Pearson Ward • Monett Area
YMCA • Pat Jones YMCA • Cassville YMCA • Dallas Co. Area YMCA • Lebanon Family YMCA
School Age Services • Camp Wakonda
WHERE COMMUNITY
COMES TOGETHER
UNPLUG
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
TO CONNECT
By Dana Rust
OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA- Amazing things happen
when young people unplug and reconnect
with others! Y Summer Day Camp provides
a fun and safe experience for young people
to learn new skills, build self-confidence and
make lasting friendships.
Sometimes the best way to recharge our batteries
is to unplug them! While we recognize
the importance of technology we also know
that really amazing things happen when young
people unplug and reconnect with others!
At the Ozarks Regional YMCA, we have an
action packed program planned this summer,
where young people can make new friends
while having a whole lot of fun. The trained
and dedicated staff, age-appropriate activities,
field trips, team building, sports and
crafts come together to make an unforgettable
summer.
Our focus is on developing the potential of every
camper, while creating a safe and nurturing
environment where all campers can play,
challenge themselves, and make friends. We
strive to engage our campers with rewarding
activities that incorporate our core values of
Caring, Honesty, Respect & Responsibility.

2 • OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • SPRING 2018
PROTECTINGOUR CHILDREN
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
By Dana Rust
SCHOOL AGE SERVICES- The Ozarks Regional
YMCA works in partnership with parents and
guardians of children in Y programs to protect
children from abuse. Our youth participate in
a wide variety of programs including Before
and After school care, sports, aquatics, mentoring,
leadership and more. The Y’s programs
follow the principles of youth development,
which includes the belief that children need to
be physically and emotionally safe in order to
learn and thrive. We believe that all children
deserve the opportunity to discover who they
are and what they can achieve.
We all play a role in creating the safe, stable
and nurturing relationships and environments
that are central to the great childhoods that
all children deserve. This April, Child Abuse
Prevention Month, the Ozarks Regional YMCA
will be highlighting our new resource for parents
and guardians, Protect Your Child From
Abuse. The purpose of
this booklet is to provide
information and guidance
on how to talk about child
abuse and personal safety
with children, and how to
respond.
On April 6th the Ozarks
Regional YMCA will be
planting a blue pinwheel
garden at our Pat Jones
YMCA branch. Pinwheels
are a symbol of the great
childhood that all children
deserve. Every child deserves
to grow up feeling
safe and loved.
MEMBER
SPOTLIGHT
HEALTHY LIVING
By Dove Haney
CASSVILLE YMCA- Every so often I have a conversation
with someone who changes my perspective
or enlightens me. There are probably
few of us who haven’t been reluctant to try
something new and possibly intimidated to
join in an activity, wondering if you will “fit in”
or even have the physical ability to participate.
Recently I had one such conversation with a
dedicated Y member. It was a great reminder
of how wonderfully adaptive our group
exercise staff are in every class they teach.
“Where Everyone is Welcome!” is not just a Y
slogan to them, it is a truth that is instilled in
every class they teach, welcoming newcomers
and participants of every age and ability.
She wanted to inspire others who may feel intimidated
to try a group exercise class to step
out, knowing that the instructors and other
participants in the classes would be excited
to see them. This is the letter I received from
her:
“I have been a member of the Cassville Y
for several years. For the first time, I decided
to take advantage of the free group exercise
classes offered. I want to say “Thank You” to
Tiffany who teaches Strength and Tone, Lisa-Core
& More and Kelsey-Cross Training,
their abilities as a instructors, motivators and
the encouragement they provide. I will be the
first to admit being a few decades older than
the oldest instructor and participants, I was a
little apprehensive, but begin I did, and I am
happy to say, I am now attending all 3 classes
at the Y. The classes offer different levels
of difficulty and modifications for all ages and
levels of physical fitness.
So to the Instructors and the Staff at the Y-
Thank You.”
In return, I wanted to say “Thank You” to her
for her inspiring story!

HEALTHY
ACTIVE KIDS
OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • SPRING 2018 • 3
OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA- Summer is a time
when children can let their imaginations run
wild! From creating their own to plays to
building forts in the backyard, there’s no limit
to what kids can dream up—provided their
properly supported.
The Y wants to ensure all kids in the Ozarks
awaken their summer imaginations through
healthy eating habits and physical activity.
Because when a child is happy, healthy, motivated
and excited something amazing is inevitably
going to result. As children grow and
reach their true potential, they can accomplish
great things.
That’s why we’re hosting Healthy Kids Day,
a chance to help ensure families have the
tools they need to help kids stay active and
engaged all summer long. The annual event is
a nationwide-initiative to improve the health
and well-being of kids and families. When a
child is healthy, happy, motivated and excited,
amazing things are bound to happen! Healthy
Kids Day is a powerful reminder not to let children
idle away their summer days but instead,
focus on physical and mental play. Across
the nation nearly 1.2 million participants will
partake in games, healthy activities, arts and
crafts and more.
“As we head into the summer, the Y wants to
help awaken their imaginations and help them
achieve amazing things. There are no days off
for a child’s developing mind and body,” said
Kathryn Custer, C.O.O. of the Ozarks Regional;
YMCA, “and Healthy Kids Day is a great opportunity
to educate families and engage kids
to stay physically and intellectually active over
the summer.”
In celebration of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day,
the Y offers the following tips to help families
develop healthy habits:
• High Five the Fruits and Veggies – Make
sure kids get at least five servings a day, the
minimum number nutritionists recommend to
maintain healthy childhood development. And
to keep kids’ taste buds evolving, have everyone
in the family try at least one bite of a new
fruit or vegetable at least once a month.
• Read Together – The summer is a great time
to enjoy books with summer program participants—and
30 minutes a day goes a
long way! Take trips to the local library
or create a family reading challenge to
see who can log the most minutes of
reading. Encourage youth to create
their own stories as well.
• Get Moving! – Activities that require
movement also help kids flex
their mental muscle. Use materials in
unique ways: ask youth to build models,
manipulate tools or develop their
own theatrical scenes.
• Play Together – Play may be the best
way to prevent childhood obesity. By
putting more play into your family’s
day, you will soon find yourself getting
the activity that will have your family
feeling energized and strong.
• Make sleep a priority – Doctors recommend
10-12 hours of sleep a day
for children ages 5-12 and 7-8 hours
per night for adults. Sleep plays a critical
role in maintaining our healthy
immune system, metabolism, mood,
memory, learning and other vital functions.
Healthy Kids Day encourages youth
and families to awaken summer imagination
and this cannot be done without
proper nutrition. Walmart Foundation
is proud to sponsor Healthy
Kids Day to raise awareness about
the importance of food security and
nutrition for youth and families.

4 • OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • SPRING 2018
NEW HIRES
AT THE Y
Suzy Callaway - Executive Assistant
to the CEO and the Development Office
Suzy’s demonstrated skills and knowledge,
her tenure in our Y, and her passion for the
mission combine to make her our best choice
to fill the role. She has served in a variety of
roles at the Pat Jones Family YMCA for over
seven years.
Hayden Ponsar - Program Director,
School Age Services
Hayden Ponsar has been serving with the
YMCA since 2010, where he began as a
Counselor and later Program Director at
Camp Wakonda in Springfield, Missouri. He
has served as an Outdoor Educator at Camp
Tecumseh YMCA, and Program Director at
YMCA Camp Carson, and is now glad to return
to the Ozarks Regional YMCA to serve
my community.
Suzy Callaway Hayden Ponsar Katy Johnson
Katy Johnson - Family and Youth Program
Director, Ozark Mountain Family YMCA
My desire to make a difference in the lives of
children brought me a degree in Education,
which allowed me to work in the Nixa and Lebanon
school districts and teach preschool before
joining the Ozark Mountain YMCA team.
I’m continuing my passion for working with
children, but in a role with more freedom and
an approach that impacts the most families in
my community.
DODGE.
HEALTHY LIVING
By Katie Tonarely
DIP. DUCK.
DIVE.
G. PEARSON WARD YMCA- Who says kids get
to have all of the fun at the YMCA? At the Y,
we’re about healthy living, for all ages! This
year, adults can get in on the action with the
third annual dodgeball tournament on April
14. Why dodgeball? It’s fast-paced, fun and
a great way for every adult of every athletic
level to get involved.
Though the dodgeball tournament is on the
surface a day of fun, we partner with the community
to help further our Mission. In 2017,
DJ CEO emceed our event and then hosted
the official after party. The results? His after
party raised $1,000 for our Annual Campaign,
which helps kids and low-income families right
in our community. We can also add that 417
Taphouse donated $1000.
Grab a team of six and register online at orymca.org
or either Springfield location. A team
of six is just $60, and each participant gets
a t-shirt. This bracket-style tournament runs
for several hours, with games being best two
out of three.
Want more fun? 417 Taphouse at 431 S. Jefferson
in the Wilhoit Plaza is again partnering
with the Downtown Y with drink specials and
fun for dodgeball participants all day.
Music will keep
the energy going,
and vendors will
keep participants
entertained when
they’re not hanging
at Taphouse
or playing.
New this year!
Sign up for our
dodgeball league
on Wednesday
nights this
spring. After
the tournament,
participants say
they just can’t
get enough of
the fun, fast-
paced sport, so the Downtown Y will be hosting
a league for adult dodgeball play. Get your
teams ready!

OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • SPRING 2018 • 5
Congratulations to Charity Elmer, Senior Vice
President and General Counsel at CoxHealth for
appearing on the cover of this month’s Biz 417
issue! She is a wise and successful leader, and we
are fortunate to have her serve on our Board of
Directors.
Courtesy of 417 Biz
Written by Lillian Stone
As CoxHealth’s first in-house legal counsel,
Charity Elmer has built the health system’s legal
presence from the ground up. Now, Elmer
leads a stellar woman-dominated team with
equal parts candor and compassion.
Charity Elmer will be the first to admit that she
is not a numbers person. “That’s why I went
to law school,” she jokes. “Because I’m not
good with blood or numbers.” That humility is
part of what makes Elmer’s leadership style
so refreshing. Her candor is reflected in the
way she deals with her all-star legal team; it’s
also apparent in her approach to mentoring
young women in and out of the office. Elmer is
passionate about owning her weaknesses and
prioritizing transparency—an approach she
cultivated after years of fighting her way to
the top in a highly competitive legal setting.
Elmer’s law career began at Price Fry & Robb,
where she started as an intern for local legal
powerhouse Virginia Fry and then was hired
as an associate attorney. When Fry transitioned
to a role at Blackwell Sanders, Elmer
joined her. Elmer quickly found that, in the legal
world, competition was king. “You may bill
the most hours, and you may provide excellent
service, but everybody’s trying to become
partner,” she says. “That means you’re trying
to work better and faster than everyone else.”
For Elmer, the environment was challenging
but manageable thanks to coaching from
Fry, who quickly became Elmer’s mentor in
the male-dominated law firm. “At that time in
the legal profession, there just weren’t many
[women],” Elmer says. “Virginia was a total
trailblazer.” Fry’s mentorship had a major impact
on Elmer’s compassionate approach to
leadership. Elmer recalls one instance early
in her career when she missed an important
deadline for a client. Instead of chastising her,
Fry was supportive, coaching Elmer in finding
a solution to correct the problem. “Telling her
[about my mistake] was the most terrifying
thing I’ve ever done,” Elmer says. “But her reaction
was the most reassuring and powerful
thing ever.”
While Elmer was at Blackwell Sanders, she
SHE MEANS
BUSINESS
The key to managing top-notch employees
when the going gets tough? According to Elmer,
it’s essential to make your team feel valued
and accepted, even when you might not
understand their perspective. “Make people
feel safe when expressing their opinion,” Elmer
says. “Don’t belittle them or make them feel
stupid, even if [their opinion] doesn’t make
sense to you.” Elmer has an inherently transparent
communication style, working to tie
radical honesty into her daily dealings at the
office and with the multiple young women she
mentors through community programs. “The
best advice I can give is to own your strengths
and weaknesses,” she says. “I’ll tell you all day
long the things I think I could do better.” Furthermore,
she’s committed to learning from
her mistakes and bettering herself in challenging
situations. Whether it’s crunching numbers
or riding out a challenging legal situation, one
thing is certain: Elmer’s compassionate nature
has taken her straight to the top.
had the opportunity to work on a malpractice
case involving a CoxHealth physician, who
mentioned the health system was hiring its
first-ever in-house legal counsel and encouraged
Elmer to apply. She couldn’t resist. “There
aren’t many in-house positions in Springfield,”
Elmer says. “But an in-house position at Cox-
Health was the most desirable place I could
have ever imagined working.” After her first
interview, she was so certain she wouldn’t get
the job that she ended up shredding the information
she was given so no one would know
she applied. About a month after her first interview,
however, she was asked back for a
second interview—and got the job. “Getting a
position like this for a billion-dollar health firm
at the age of 31—as a female, no less—is exceedingly
rare,” Elmer says, who considers the
feat her biggest accomplishment to date.
When she started in the role, she didn’t have
an office or a secretary—instead, she used
vacant offices left by
co-workers who were
on vacation. Today,
she’s built up a staff of
five full- and part-time
legal experts, four of
whom are women. She
describes herself as a
“traffic cop,” overseeing
her team’s approach to a
variety of company-wide
legal matters and other
issues such as compliance,
risk management,
workers’ compensation
and insurance. Needless
to say, the stakes are
high. “Health care is one
of the most heavily regulated
industries,” Elmer
says. “You screw things
up, there are mandatory
fines and penalties.
Worst-case scenario,
people can go to jail.”
Outside of the traditional
legal issues, Elmer’s
team deals with a plethora
of emotionally tough
patient care situations.
“Not a day goes by when
we’re not helping someone
make a life-changing
decision,” Elmer says.
Photo Credit: Brandon Alms for 417 Biz

6 • OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • SPRING 2018
RUN STEADY
OR VARY THE PACE?
HEALTHY LIVING
Courtesy of the Downtown St. Louis YMCA
First of all, if you are running, congratulate
yourself for even taking the time to treat your
body to a sport that truly benefits the mind,
the body and the soul. This form of exercise
improves heart and lung conditioning, burns
excess fat, strengthens muscles, improves
sleeps, aids in overcoming depression or other
mental problems. And that’s not all! Research
shows that running can raise levels of
good cholesterol, boost the immune system
and lower our risk of developing blood clots.
Running at any speed is beneficial. Whether
you run fast or at a moderate pace, it’s always
best to start slow and build up to whatever
pace you’re aiming for.
When considering the amount of calories
burned while running, it’s a complex situation
because there are many variables to be taken
into account. Each individual runner must
take note of their weight, gender, weather,
distance, duration and of course speed… all
which factor into their specific caloric burn.
Running for distance at a steady pace is a
good way to train type I muscle fibers, which
converts oxygen to energy. You might burn a
lot of calories, but when you add variations
of speed into your running regimen you burn
more calories for lean muscle mass. A steady
pace will give you only minimal
calorie burn because
you aren’t exerting as much
energy as a varied pace.
Running at a constant
low-level pace uses less
energy from the arms and
legs because of the shorter
strides.
When you start adding
sprints to your running
pace, you are engaging type
§§ muscle fibers. Anaerobic
muscle fibers are responsible
for enhancing muscle
definition. Adding sprints
into your running regimen
helps you in maintaining or
increasing your calorie burn
in lean muscle mass, which
helps you stay looking youthful in appearance.
Sprinting or faster pace running uses
more explosive arm and leg action, which uses
more energy and triggers excess post-exercise
oxygen consumption. Also known as the
after-burn.
So, whether your goal is to maintain yourself
as you are now, running at a steady pace
would be your best bet. If you are aiming for
a certain goal, like muscle tone or an event,
adding variation to your pace is the best route
to go. You will burn lots of calories either way,
it just depends on the individual in the end.
Your muscles will go into habit just like any
other action in life, so switching up the pace
will keep your muscles guessing and the calorie
after burn will be beneficial as well.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
APRIL
20-21
Benefiting The Ozarks Regional YMCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, Good Samaritan
Boys Ranch, Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Ozarks, Harmony House Family
Violence Prevention Center, Boy Scouts of America Ozark Trails Council and Great Circle
ozark trails council

FACES
AT THE Y
OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • SPRING 2018 • 7

8 • OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA • SPRING 2018
MEET OUR
BOARD
PRESIDENT
PRACTICE
PAYS OFF
YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
By Sara Nevatt
Branson Ultimate Gymnastics, located
at the Hollister, MO Ozark
Mountain YMCA, wrapped up their
season at the Branson Classic
meet held at the Branson Convention
Center. Over 800 gymnasts
from Florida, Texas, Oklahoma,
Kansas and Missouri competed.
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
By Kathryn Custer
OZARKS REGIONAL YMCA- The Ozarks Regional
YMCA is excited to introduce Shannon Boggs
as our board president for the 2018 term.
Shannon is a Senior Financial Advisor and
Assistant Vice President with Merrill Lynch
in Springfield. Growing up in St. Charles, MO,
Shannon began his Y journey playing T ball at
the age of 4 and continued to play Y sports
through his childhood. He spent his college
years at the University of Missouri and graduated
in 1991. He later relocated to Springfield
where he started his career and family. Shannon
involved his daughters, Riley and Chloe,
in Y soccer and basketball while also serving
as coaches for their teams. In his spare time,
Shannon can be found playing basketball or
racquetball at the Y or practicing his skills on
the golf course. He and his wife Jessica love
to hike and walk their 3 dogs and spend lots
of time outside. He shares that his proudest
accomplishment is his 2 daughters, Chloe-17
and Riley-14. He says, “I want to be the best
Dad possible for raising 2 great kids, balance
work and play, and always take time to have
fun and recognize how lucky and blessed our
family is.”
Shannon has served with Y boards, in numerous
capacities, since 2003. He says, “I love
the mission of the Y and how many lives we
improve through all the programs offered. I
also love how the Y never turns away anyone
for the inability to pay”.
We are honored to have Shannon serve as our
board chair and look forward to his leadership
in spreading the Y mission and strengthening
community.
The Xcel Bronze team received 1st
Place with a total 113.35 points,
and the top three All Around gymnasts.
Maci Moore, 1st All Around
in the 8 year old division and first
place on beam, with a total 36.6
points. Angie Perla also placed
first on vault, bars and beam with
an All Around score of 37.925
earning 1st place in the 10 year
old division. Charlee Davis, placed
1st All Around and on vault with a
total score of 37.925 in the 9 year
old division.
The Xcel Silver & Gold teams were less than
one point away from earning 1st Place. Xcel
Silver gymnast, Keelie Purkett, placed first on
bars, floor and All Around with 37.05 points
in the 12 year old division. Kaylee Neal was
UPCOMING YMCA EVENTS
G. Pearson Ward YMCA
3rd Annual Dodgeball
Tournament
April 14
Roy Blunt YMCA of Bolivar
Job Fair
April 17
Charity Home & Garden Show at
the Roy Blunt YMCA of Bolivar
April 17
Roy Blunt YMCA of Bolivar
Healthy Kids’ Day
April 17
for more information visit orymca.org
the top Xcel Gold gymnast with a total of
36.775 points placing first in the 9 year
old division.
Ozark Mountain Family YMCA
Healthy Kids’ Day
April 28
Springfield Healthy Kids’ Day
at the Pat Jones YMCA
April 28
Pat Jones YMCA Swim-A-Thon
April 28
Camp Wakonda Open House
April 28 and May 26
Roy Blunt YMCA of Bolivar
Walk & Wag
May 5