the Franklin Y

Posted on: Saturday, June 1st, 2024

Summer Camp Fun Now in Full Swing

Our summer Camps are now in full swing and we could not be more excited! Our summer camps provide a safe place for kids to get away from technology and all the stresses of the outside world, and lets them enjoy just being a kid. We are proud and respectful of the trust parents place in our YMCA, a safe environment for children combined with quality programming.

All of our camp counselors are trained in first aid, CPR, and child abuse prevention. All staff must sign and comply with our Y’s Code of Conduct and Abuse Prevention Policies. Our Y’s founding core values of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility are part of everything we do. Our camps give parents peace of mind knowing that their children are participating in safe, technology-free, fun and interactive activities with their peers, face to face, and having the time of their life.

At our camps, kids have the chance to try new things, to develop confidence, learn new skills, and have fun with old and new friends. Our campers will spend time in the beautiful outdoors while trying archery, rope climbing, planting in the garden, and so much more. They’ll play game favorites like Gaga, Capture the Flag, and Sticks & Arrows and swim daily in our pools. Our campers receive a daily swim lesson and get free swim time in the pool. Campers in Grades 2-6 will go on local field trips and special guests will visit our younger campers to round out their summer experience. And throughout all of these activities, our campers are creating amazing friendships and memories of the #BestSummerEver.

Our camp offerings range from traditional camps to sports camps, to enrichment camps, teen travel camps and more, for ages 3 through the teen years. To see more details on our camps and what camp would best fit your child, click on the orange “camp offerings” button.

To see what field trips and special guests are planned for our campers, please see below!

We look forward to meeting you and providing your kids with an amazing summer.

CAMP OFFERINGS

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Posted on: Saturday, June 1st, 2024

Golf with Legends

Our Legends Golf Classic

Monday, July 8, 2024

Our YMCA is partnering with TPC Boston for our 15th annual Legends Golf Classic, raising critical funds to support our Integration Initiative for children and adults with special needs and their families. This event will feature 18 holes of memorable golf, pairing foursomes with New England sports legends and creating a priceless experience for golfers.

This program was created in 2004 to meet an emerging need in the community, recognizing the importance of supporting children and adults with special needs and their families, and providing a community of inclusion at our YMCA.

AN AMAZING DAY

Thank you to all our amazing golfers and supporters for making this event a hole-in-one success! And special thanks to our 2022 Legends Honoree Butch Stearns and Boston 25 News for the event coverage.

For sponsorship or event inquiries, please contact Patrick Murphy at 508-643-5262 or patrickm@hockymca.org.

Posted on: Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024

Kevin Hines Event

Featuring Kevin Hines

A message of Hope, Healing & Resiliency

Sponsored by our Hockomock Area YMCA, Healthy KP, the SAFE Coalition and MetroWest Health Foundation in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Cross Insurance Pavilion, Gillette Stadium

Foxborough, Mass

Doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Program begins at 6:30 p.m.
Q&A and Meet & Greet at 7:40 p.m.

Parking Information: Please park in Lot 22A and look for signage for the Kevin Hines event. To view the Gillette Stadium parking map: click here.

In 2000, Kevin Hines attempted his death by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge at age 19. He survived the fall and ever since he’s dedicated his life to advocating for those with mental pain and talking about mental health.

Kevin lives with a strict motto… Life is the single greatest gift we’ve been given. Cherish it always. #BeHereTomorrow

This event is free but registration is required through the YMCA.

REGISTER TODAY

All in the community (ages 10+ with guardian) are invited to attend.

Kevin now travels the world sharing his story of hope and healing while teaching people of all ages the art of wellness & the ability to survive pain with true resilience to be here tomorrow and every day after that.

This event is offered at no cost to the community due to the support and commitment to mental well-being provided by the Hockomock Area YMCA, Healthy KP and the SAFE Coalition, and the MetroWest Health Foundation.

Questions about this event, please email pur YMCA’s Social Worker Brynne Kirwan, LCSW at brynnek@hockymca.org.

Learn about Kevin’s journey and his mission to empower us to be here tomorrow and every day after that.

Posted on: Saturday, April 20th, 2024

Child Protection Praesidium Accreditation®

Each and every day, our Y remains focused on child protection and child safety.

I’m sharing today that our YMCA has some exciting news. Our YMCA has been awarded Praesidium Accreditation® by Praesidium, the leader in abuse risk management.

Praesidium Accreditation® is a prestigious honor that publicly acknowledges our organization has a strong commitment and the resources in place to achieve the highest industry standards in safety and abuse prevention.

To achieve Accreditation, our YMCA underwent a year-long rigorous process to implement Praesidium’s Accreditation Standards focusing on eight primary operational areas within their business: policies, screening and selection, training, monitoring and supervision, consumer participation, internal feedback systems, responding, and administrative practices. Praesidium then verified our Y successfully implemented all of these standards.

We will be accredited for three years, and during this time will commit to uphold fundamental organizational values and stringent safety practices that demonstrate our commitment to protecting those in our care from abuse.

We are proud to be part of the 24 YMCAs across the nation to reach this accreditation status and we look forward to helping mentor other YMCAs in their process of becoming accredited.

We encourage all individuals and organizations to play an active role in partnering with us to make our local communities a safer place for children and families. Together, we can prevent child sexual abuse by ensuring that adults have the knowledge, skills and resources needed to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. All of our resources are here.

Sincerely,

Jim Downs
CEO, Hockomock Area YMCA

Posted on: Saturday, April 20th, 2024

Y Rewards

We are excited to reward you for your membership with our Y Rewards program.

At the Y, strengthening community is our cause. We measure our success by how well we empower you to live healthier in spirit, mind and body. Now we’re making it even easier to work toward your goals with Hockomock Area YMCA Rewards.

Earn points for things like checking into the Y, doing surveys and workout challenges, and more. Then, you’ll get to redeem your points for savings on things like hotels and entertainment, your Y membership, and YMCA gear.

It’s FREE to sign up and the rewards program is our way of saying thank you. See all the latest perks here. Start earning points and join Y Rewards today!

EARN | REDEEM | REWARD

Join today and start earning points.

CREATE ACCOUNT

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How to Join

Visit rewards.hockymca.org and click “Join Program”.
Enter your email address and click “Sign Up”. (You must use the same email address that’s tied to your YMCA membership in order to earn points!)
Check your email for a confirmation message and click “Complete Registration”.
Once you’re redirected to the rewards site, enter your first and last name, create your password, and click “Sign Up”.

How to Earn Points

We are so glad that you are a Y member, and we want to reward you for using your membership and being a part of our cause. You can earn reward points on almost everything you do at the Y, and it’s so easy to do!

Earning Activity	Points
Join or upgrade to YMCA Family Membership	+250
Refer a Friend who joins the Hockomock Y	+500
Each Friend That You Refer	+10
Join Rewards Program	+50
Member Anniversary	+50
YMCA Check-in	+3
YMCA Check-in BONUS: 8x/month	+50
Birthday	+50
Follow us on Twitter (Connect to Twitter)	+25
Tweet	+5

WHAT ARE THE REWARDS EXACTLY?

There are scores of savings and free products you can easily earn! We offer “in-club rewards” – for things like a free YMCA workout for a friend, membership upgrades, free youth classes, personal training and more! Check it out to see additional vacations, shopping discounts, coupons, and Y Swag available to you when you join Y Rewards.

View Rewards

How to Redeem Points

Ready to redeem your points? Reward points can be redeemed for awesome Y apparel, local store rewards, and more.

After you have set up an account at the above link, using the same email address that’s tied to your YMCA membership, you can shop so many great items! Visit and be sure to bookmark: myrewardstore.com/hockymca.

For questions about setting up your account, please contact us at your local Y: foxboro@hockymca.org, franklin@hockymca.org, northattleboro@hockymca.org.

Please contact our vendor for any questions related to the online shopping experience including order fulfillment and shipping. All questions related to myrewardsstore.com/hockymca can be handled if you call 877-210-3221 or email customersupport@myrewardsstore.com.

Visit hockymca.perkville.com/details/ for the fine print.

Posted on: Thursday, April 11th, 2024

Calling Camp Counselors

We’re Recruiting!

Spring is here, and that means Summer Camp is up next. We’re now in the process of hiring amazing Summer staff.

If you know a responsible teen or young adult who would enjoy providing leadership and a little structure for younger kids (out in the sunshine), please give a shout. A camp counselor job can be an enriching and rewarding experience (and it pays!).

Our YMCA has so much going on this summer, and we need you!

Our Jobs Portal

Posted on: Wednesday, March 27th, 2024

Swim for Scholarships

Participate with us in our 100 Mile Swim For Scholarships!

Swim 100 miles between now and August 31, 2024.

HOW IT WORKS:

Pick one of the first two options below:

Make a donation of $100 to participate.
Commit to fundraise and ask your friends, neighbors and family to support your swim! (No cost to you) Let us know you want to fundraise and you’ll receive an email from our Fund Development Team with further instructions and a link to share with friends and family about your swim and why you are supporting the Y.
Track your miles for your swim and update the swim tracking poster on your branch’s pool deck by coloring in your swim! 72 Lengths (36 laps) is a mile! You can also track your swims at locations outside of the Y and update the chart when you come into the Y next.

REGISTER – FOXBORO Y

REGISTER – FRANKLIN Y

REGISTER – NORTH ATTLEBORO Y

There will be prizes and awards for swimmers who complete their swim as well as reach their minimum fundraising goal of $100.

If you have any questions, please email: Nicole at nicoleb@hockymca.org.

Thank you for Swimming for Scholarships!

Posted on: Friday, January 19th, 2024

Volt Hockey

Get in the Game with Volt Hockey

Our YMCA is so excited to be launching Volt Hockey through our Integration Initiative!

Volt Hockey is a para-sport designed for people with upper and lower body physical disabilities including Muscular Dystrophy, Spina-bifida, Dwarfism, and Cerebral Palsy. Volt Hockey is played in specialty motorized chairs, bringing the game of floor hockey to a population that would not otherwise have access to team sports.

This Learn to Play program will be a drills-and-skills format for new players of Volt Hockey who are current wheelchair users. Players will learn basics of driving the chairs, basic rules of play, and fundamental techniques and strategies of the game. We are launching the program beginning February 3rd.

Offered for ages 13+ on Saturdays from 3:15pm-4:15pm at our Hurley Family Branch in North Attleboro.

REGISTER WITH US

Cost: $48 member & non-member per month

A competitive option will be available to players by coach invitation.

For more information, please contact Sarah Henesey at sarahh@hockymca.org.

This innovative program is being offered through a partnership between our Hockomock Area YMCA, Space2Thrive and the generous sponsorship of Bill & Tina Belanger.

Posted on: Thursday, January 11th, 2024

Join our Leaders Club today (Grades 6-12)!

All are Welcome!

Join us as we kick off the spring session! Free for Hockomock Area YMCA members and only $5 for the entire session for anyone in the community who wants to get involved. Please register so we know to expect you!

LAUNCH INTO LEADERSHIP

Leaders Club is a year-long leadership development program for middle and high school teens. This program provides teens extensive leadership training and volunteer opportunities supporting YMCA programs and community services. In addition to teaching teens leadership through service, Leaders Clubs advisors introduce teens to all the work the Y does to strengthen the community, and inspire and prepare teens to become future Y leaders. Our goal is to challenge teens to serve the community, and to help them grow in who they are and lead those around them.

Leaders are known for making ordinary days extraordinarily fun. We enjoy field trips, parties, visiting neighbor Ys, guest speakers, and lots more.

Session dues: $0 for Hockomock Area YMCA members / $5 non-members; our two sessions run: September through December and January through the start of June

CLICK TO RSVP AND JOIN US

@ YMCA Zone Teen Center in downtown North Attleboro (585 East Washington St.). Meetings are held weekly through June 3.

@ THE FOXBORO Y Meet us in the Marilyn Rodman Teen Center on the first floor. Meetings are held every other week through June 5.

Please sign up at this link or contact us today!

CONTACTS: Ashley Dumas (Franklin) ashleyd@hockymca.org | Dawn Dacosta (North Attleboro) dawnd@hockymca.org phone: 508-643-5270 | Ross Gemba (Foxboro) rossg@hockymca.org

Posted on: Sunday, December 31st, 2023

New outdoor tree-climbing elements at our Franklin Y

New outdoor tree-climbing elements have been added at our Bernon Family Branch as an enhancement to our outdoor challenge course in Franklin. The new climbing elements were funded by a generous donation from longtime Y supporters Paula Rooney and Gerry Shaw, and will be used extensively in spring and summer 2024 with youth participating in the Y’s Before & After School Care and Summer Camp programs, as well as local school groups visiting the Y.

In late August, we installed Monkey Hardware systems on trees on at the Franklin Y, each providing a different climbing level of accessibility. These kits effectively turn the trees into climbing walls and are paired with the TRUBLUE iQ auto belay system. The TRUBLUE auto belays allow climbers of all ages and skill levels to climb heights safely. Rather than pulling the young climber upwards, they allow climbers to ascend the tree on their own power, while providing rest as needed during the climb with its catch and hold technology. Once the climber has reached the top of the climb they have chosen, the auto belays use magnetic braking technology to lower the climber back down slowly and safely to the ground.

“From their decades in leadership at Dean College in Franklin to their contributions as Board members of our Hockomock Area YMCA, Paula Rooney and Gerry Shaw have a long history of supporting youth and families in the Franklin community,” said Jim Downs, Hockomock Area YMCA CEO. “Our Y staff and members are so appreciative that they continue to find new ways to enhance operations at our Y and help us provide an even better experience for the youth we serve.”

The Monkey Hardware and TRUBLUE auto belays have received rave reviews from Y summer campers. “These new elements have brought the kids together in a new way that I have not seen in a long time. When a camper was climbing their whole group would be watching and cheering them on to reach the top,” said Ashley Dumas, Youth Program Director at the Bernon Family Branch. “It gave the kids something to work towards and accomplish. It was amazing watching the campers challenge themselves to make it higher than they did last time or try a harder climb.”

Our Hockomock Y is grateful for this generous donation made possible by Paula Rooney and Gerry Shaw. The Franklin Y’s camp and playing fields also feature Gramdma’s Place, an outdoor pavilion with weatherproof tables and seating, which was built with funds donated by the Rooney & Shaw family.

Registration for the 2024 Summer Camp Season begins January 12, 2024!

BERNON FAMILY BRANCH	45 Forge Hill Road Franklin, MA 02038	508.528.8708
INVENSYS FOXBORO BRANCH	67 Mechanic Street Foxboro, MA 02035	508.543.2523
HURLEY FAMILY BRANCH	300 Elmwood Street North Attleboro, MA 02760	508.695.7001
MANSFIELD ARTS & EDUCATION CENTER	40 Balcom Street Mansfield, MA 02048	508.339.3066

NEWS & UPDATES
the Franklin Y

Summer Camp Fun Now in Full Swing