So, just what is The Greater Lewisville Family YMCA doing in Flower Mound? It’s changing its name to The Cross Timbers Family YMCA. But our local YMCA is also involved in many other commendable community efforts.
“’Where’s the Flower Mound YMCA?’ is the question I’ve gotten everyday,” laughs Executive Director Tricia Meinhold. While the Lewisville-Flower Mound border runs a winding path from FM 3040 up to FM 407, mingled sometimes confusedly with Highland Village, there was no doubt that the Lewisville YMCA was in Flower Mound, practically sharing a parking lot with the municipality’s town hall.
Meinhold explains, “When the YMCA was set up here, some 30 years ago, Flower Mound only had a few thousand residents. It was tiny. Lewisville was much better known. Now there are over 60,000 Flower Mound residents, so it was time for the name change.
“The Board of Directors voted in favor of The Cross Timbers Family YMCA. Main Street YMCA came in second, followed by Lake Lewisville YMCA, which might have added even more geographic confusion, and the YMCA of Southern Denton County.
“The truth is, need knows no borders. We serve many families from Flower Mound and other parts of southern Denton County.”
But, just as the YMCA is not just for Lewisville or Flower Mound, or not only just for young men any longer, it’s a lot more than just a gym.
The YMCA’s website – www.greaterlewisvilleymca.org – offers a lot more information than just yoga and spin class schedules. It provides information about their new competitive youth sports leagues, summer camps – including employment – as well as kids’ activities, and the Youth and Government program, which gives teens hands-on opportunities to learn about courts and state governing procedures, including competitions that will take winning participants to Austin. You can learn about college scholarships offered through the Metropolitan Dallas YMCA topping out at $3,000 per year for four years. Also, volunteering opportunities are abundant, whether you’d like to help out with the upcoming and ongoing fundraising efforts, or would prefer to coach sports or help out with a bake sale. There is also a link to help the Y assist others in our community.
“We help a lot of people who are going through hard times,” said Meinhold. “If someone came in off the street and told me that he or she has three kids, that they want to join, but can’t afford the membership, we’d sit down and work something out. We’ll find a price that they can handle.
“We offer some free membership programs for active military, for cancer survivors, for fulltime clergy members, and for Big Brothers/Big Sisters with their “kids.”
Speaking of all of this generosity – how can the community give back to the Y?
“The 2700 YMCAs across the country all raise money through volunteer programs. We have 65 volunteers who contact their friends, local businesses and such to help out. We can always use more help.
“Our annual pledge drive begins in February. The Partners for Youth Campaign looks to raise over $125,000 to help people who couldn’t participate otherwise.”
Meinhold has been with the YMCA for just two and half years, but has helped the youth programs to grow by 38%.
“One of the newest and most exciting programs is our competitive youth sports leagues – Cross Timbers Sports. We’re offering soccer, flag football, volleyball, basketball, lacrosse and karate. Parents can call Bryce Merrill at 972-539-9622 or visit www.crosstimberssports.com for information and registration.
“We also have a program designed for children 5-14 with disabilities, called Buddy Sports.”
The YMCA is well embedded within the community, whichever side of the Lewisville-Flower Mound border you call home. For more information about how you can get involved, offering time, donations, or just working out your muscle kinks and frustrations in the gym, you can contact Tricia Meinhold at [email protected].
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