By Amantha Dickman and Sarah Ruff
For Courtney Miller and her family, the Frozen Family Festival Night at the Northeast Lincoln YMCA meant helping others and getting quality family time.
With family-friendly crafts, swimming and, of course, the movie “Frozen,” it was the perfect way to involve everybody, Miller said. And after being unable to attend events for a couple of years, this was the perfect way to become active in the community.
“We were excited to come,” Miller said. “For the whole Frozen theme, especially.”
Dec. 10 marked the Y’s annual holiday event. In the spirit of the season, the event also served as a chance for families to help out Elliott Elementary School.
With an admission fee of gloves, mittens and/or socks, the goal is to make sure everyone stays warm and dry this winter, according to Executive Director Geoff Weller.
“We partner with Elliott Elementary School as a part of the community learning centers programs. We are a lead agency for them. And next week we will be passing out gifts to every one of the kids that are in the school. We will include hats and gloves and socks for those kids that may need them,” Weller said.
The two share a lot of history, outside of this event. Even before the Northeast YMCA had become a Community Learning Center lead agency, they had a long-standing partnership with Elliot Elementary School to ensure that the holiday seasons were full of cheer.
This season, however, others were invited to join in on the giving.
“As a community organization, we try to open our doors to bring in the community at large and not just those people that are YMCA members,” Weller said.
Sydney Winter, a preschool teacher, reminds others who did not attend that the doors are always open at the Northeast YMCA.
“They’re family-friendly. This Y feels like a home, versus other Y’s that are very big, and very beautiful, but everybody knows everybody here. And that’s why I come here,” Winter said.
With the fundraiser finished, the Northeast YMCA said they are preparing for other upcoming events.
The most immediate event is the father-daughter dance this upcoming February. Plans for other quarterly events are in the process.
For information about upcoming events go to: https://www.ymcalincoln.org/NortheastCalendar
