"Update" Program with Osage Prairie YMCA Associate Executive Director Sammie McCullough

0:00Good afternoon and welcome to today's update program on 97.5 FM double K country. I am Thomas English. Thank you for joining us this afternoon. It's time to talk about some things to get your kids involved, to get them active and moving. There's a lot of events going on at the YMCA coming up as well. And to talk about that today, we have the Associate Executive Director Sammy McCullough. Sammy, thank you for joining us today. Yeah, I'm silly Thomas, thanks for having me again. Well, coming up here shortly, the registration is ending soon for the NFL flag football program for the YMCA. Tell us a little bit about some of the team information to know and how to register. Yeah, sure. Our registration will end March 20th. We are currently taking registration for 7 U all the way up to 15 U. If there's some other age group that someone has a team, our couple teams four will be glad to accommodate that as well. Our fees are $50 for members and 75 for our community members. Our season will run up until May 16th. We'll have two weeks of practice and then six weeks

1:02of games. Our games are going to be held Saturdays at Truman Elementary in the track field and they'll start at 9 a.m. sharp. And if there's parents that are worried about the safety, you know, football, a contact sport usually, but this is flag football. It's a little bit safer. Yes, everything is way safer in flag football and there is no tackling, no touching, no shoving, no pushing out of bounds. It is strictly you grab the flag and pull it as hard as you can and then also just run as fast as you can. Games played in two 20-minute halves. They'll also get a reversible Kansas City Chiefs jersey. Yes, we have a special partnership with the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL, so it's not just a regular chief jersey. It actually will be labeled the Kansas City Chiefs. And they have all male, all female or co-ed team? Yep, we take any and all on a team. Alrighty. And tell us a little bit how they can register. Sure, they can register online or if it can come into the Y or they can always call us at 6667-9622. And you're the point of contact for that?

2:05I am the new point of contact for flag football, yes. Alrighty. So flag football, again, that season starts March 22nd. The registration ends March 20th. Like Sammy said, it goes through May 16th. Games are Saturdays at 10 a.m. at Truman Field. That'll start on April 11th. Again, you can contact Sammy for more information. Spring is coming up. Easter is coming up as well. And on Saturday, March 28th, the O Sage Prairie YMC is having a little bit of an Easter egg hunt. Yeah, we are super excited. This is our 25th year in partnership. Let's recover a court here in Vernon County. So this is a long standing tradition for us and both of us. And so we are going to, we always do an Easter egg hunt. Those recovery courts individuals do such a great job. They have literally over 5,000 eggs every year. They hand stuff them themselves. They also provide door prizes as the day goes on. So they're famous for their bikes and helmets. There's always some bike and helmet giveaways and then just random toys and things like that. That people will get

3:10raffle tickets for and they can put in whichever bucket they choose. The Y is the location. We also provide some activities such as a coloring contest. We have our own special prizes and we do some physical activities as well. And then the big thing we're adding this year is actually breakfast with the Easter Benny. And so if you and your child would like to come eat breakfast with us, we also have tickets available for that to purchase as well. But we are just excited. You know, we'd like to give a lot of recognition to Judge Bickle. He's on the start of this program. And him and his recovery courts girls have done such a great job so we can continue his partnership. And with that breakfast, it starts at 8 AM to 9 AM. Is there a age restriction with the Easter egg hunt at all? It is just the same age as our Easter egg hunter. So it's usually going to be 0 to 10. Okay. And what do they need to bring? They need to bring their own baskets, things of that sort. They are welcome to bring their own baskets. And most beautiful thing is the Y

4:12and recovery court will also provide baskets for them to take them as well. And how can they register? For that, they just show up. And they're going to get a ticket for the raffle tickets to put where they like. And then also they can just register for breakfast with the Easter Benny as well. And as you mentioned, bikes and helmets, a big prize there. What are some of the other prizes that attendees can expect? Oh my gosh. Bubble machines, Nerf guns, coloring stuff, jump ropes. Usually whatever the latest toy is that everybody wants, they provide it there. So it's usually of some pretty good monetary value that they get to win. And this a little bit earlier than Easter, I'm sure that's to avoid some of the family Easter plan. Yes, we usually try to do it the week, or two weeks before Easter just so everybody else can attend their family or their church Easter icons. Alrighty. And well, and we talk a little bit about Easter coming up in April there. The weather is getting warmer. Seems like summer is right around the corner spring break coming up here

5:13for some students in the area. And well, that brings summer break coming up here shortly. In summer camp registration, I know we're only in March, but that's open now. Yes, it's absolutely open. We are open ready to take your kiddos for the summer. We usually run June 1st through the first week right before school. And we offer a very fun filled summer camp, which I take field trips. They get to swim, they get to roller skates. And we usually have the immune extension office come in where they learn how to do summer robotics, some cooking, and then any other community partner that's willing to come in and teach our kids something we always welcome it. But your kids usually go home tired, a little dirty, and they're ready to go to bed, which most of our parents highly enjoy about our program. I know I did the YMC summer camp for a couple years as a kid always a great time for sure. With that ages five to 12 still this year? Yep, so five 12 already. And you talked a little bit about

6:13some of the events sports arts and crafts roller skating outdoor adventures swimming. There's two different camps I believe with Nevada and the Butler wine case as well. Do you want to talk a little bit about the differences between them? Sure. The main difference is our Butler summer camp is highly unique. It is outside all day long. And so our first year we did a lot of parents were very reserved about having a summer camp outside all summer. But we have a beautiful park that they let us utilize most of the park. And then we have a nice pavilion where shaded we also have access to water and in a bathroom and all that. And then their pool is right across the street from our location a summer camp. So in the afternoons we take our kids swimming. So they have a nice place to cool off on those on those really hot days. But same activity is just a little different. The only thing at Butler is they have to bring their own lunch. We don't have anywhere to to make or do anything along those lines. But still the same experiences, still the same arts and crafts is just that one is completely outside. And it's called camp electric. Yep because

7:14Butler is the electric city. And very good reason for being outside and everything it's going to have an electric time as well. Talk a little bit about registration for that. So yeah both sites are open for registration. We actually take registration up until the last week because any kid can register at any time. Both locations do have different charges but we do offer a flat weekly fee. We also offer a 20% discount for extra siblings. So if you've got three kiddos two of them will at least get the 20% off to help with those costs. I do want to mention we always offer our scholarship program for summer camp. And as we stated earlier this year our strawberry campaign that is that is definitely what that is utilized for. So any parent who reads our registration fee and our weekly rates and are like oh I don't know about that. We always highly recommend you come and sign up because we want your kids to be with us during the summer. We want them to have a safe place and we want to make that magic happen for them as well. Speaking of that strawberry campaign how did that go. I know I got my box and it was finished within 48 hours. Yes yes they are delicious.

8:20We actually are going to come close to a net of around of 5,000 so we we did really well this year. Very good. So then you talk about like football we talked about summer camp we talked about the Easter icon. I know that's a lot going on between now and really the start of June. What other things are going on at the YMC. I'm sure there's plenty. There is plenty. Hey we mentioned spring breaks and next week is spring break. We also offer a spring break camp for our kids or any kid in the area. So week long program they're more than welcome to register. It's similar to summer camp we're going to swim skate and have a good time. This year we also are opening up our pool. Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to the community or our members and community members it'll just be $3 come join us for a pool party. We'll have some games we'll have music we'll have toys and we also offer free lunch to anybody that attends our pool party Monday through Friday. And as always you can always get a membership at the YMC. You absolutely can. That is the best thing come by swing by we'd love to give you it's here we'd love to give you information about it

9:24give us a try and if you and if you want to come join us we are always more than welcome to and it's also free t-shirt time. So I mean what a better way to start your new membership with the free t-shirt as as our complimentary gift to our members. So I'll get your free t-shirt now with a membership at the Y again we mentioned a bunch of activities and events that you can go to we'll talk about them recap them really quickly here again the flag football program registration ends March 20th the season starts on March 22nd with practices the first game on April 11th again register online at opymca.org or call 4176679622 Sammy is the contact for that summer camp registration now open all the way until the last week of summer camp in August you can get all that information again on their website and the Easter egg hunt Saturday March 28th starts at 9 a.m. breakfast with the Easter buddy as well Easter egg hunt at 10 a.m. make sure to bring your family and enjoy the fun Sammy thank you so much for coming in today absolutely that is the associate executive director

10:29for the Osage Prairie YMCA Sammy McCull I'm Thomas Singles and this has been today's update