Community Member Of The Month Nomination

Community Member of the Month

This past year we have loved watching our organizations come together to push through everything. It has created an opportunity for us to recognize the outstanding members in our community. We would value your help to identify them. Click on the link to nominate anyone who has impacted your life or the community.

April 2021

Allison Troyer Wiswell

Allison has been participating in YMCA activities for many years. Along with her family, Tom and Norah, they have experienced youth sports, swim lessons, Camp Algonquin, Y Time childcare, and volunteer workdays. Recently, when the YMCA began to provide more outreach services to the county, she saw an opportunity to team up and help our organization distribute more food boxes and direct services. Allison leads Blue Zones Activate Barry County, a well-documented and structured approach to improving health and well-being. Through our partnership, the YMCA and Blue Zones have made a difference by distributing thousands of boxes of food and evaluating mobile food delivery approaches for the future. Allison always has a smile on her face and cheerfully interacts with our staff when we have the pleasure of working together. Thanks again, Allison, for all of your hard work on those cold mornings this winter!

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March 2021

Matt and Jennifer Haywood

During the pandemic, Matt and Jenny reached out to see how they could help. In March, when the Y was feeding kids and families, Jenny made sure there was a fun activity for kids each week. When USDA Farms to Families approached the Y to deliver food boxes, we quickly needed a forklift and pallet jack. Matt jumped in to help secure both, then stayed involved in coordinating the movement of pallets, coordinating donors, and many other parts of the food distribution. Both Matt and Jenny worked seamlessly with the group to help distribute boxes all over the county, from driving a forklift to driving trailers full of food. They are raising three wonderful daughters, all of whom positively impact our programs.

February 2021

Emily Benningfield Hayward

Emily is involved in the community in many different ways, including teaching preschool music, working at the library, marketing/social media for Seasonal Grille, working with the high school choir, and with musical productions as a vocal coach and “stage mom.” On top of all of those jobs, she is the mother to two wonderful children Nora and Quin. Emily worked at YMCA Camp Algonquin for four summers and eventually married her husband Dan there eight years ago. Emily is a compassionate and caring person with a love for helping others. She fuels herself daily with lots of coffee in preparation to go out and make a difference in the community.

“Emily Hayward is an amazing wife, mother, and friend to everyone. She has helped me through some incredibly tough times. She is human sunshine, and I truly enjoy her company!”

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