Day: July 30, 2024

Hello, my name is Cheri Larsen and I have been a board member at the Monroe/Sky Valley Family YMCA since March 2021. I have lived in Snohomish County my entire life, so you can imagine how special this community is to me.

The YMCA’s mission and values mirror my own: to inspire (I even have a tattoo on my arm to show), to nurture and strengthen vibrant communities through youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The YMCA core values are honesty, respect, caring and responsibility. In my personal life, I strive to have compassion and empathy for all. I love to celebrate diversity and create a sense of belonging. I also have a passion for building a healthy community through teamwork and partnerships. If you know me, then you know that I am very passionate about the YMCA. These amazing qualities of the YMCA are just the tip of the iceberg regarding what the YMCA has to offer.

In 2020, I came to the Monroe YMCA so I could start exercising and get healthy. At that time in my life as a single mom, I could not afford a gym membership. The Monroe Y offered me a subsidized membership with a monthly fee that I could afford. I met Tania Price at a YMCA fundraiser before I visited the Y, but it was at this point in time our friendship seed was planted. It wasn’t long before Monroe Y became my Y. Since then, my son, Jared started working at the Y as a lifeguard and then also became a swim instructor. My daughter, Sierra, was recently hired as a swim instructor also. And my 5-year-old cousin, Bella, who moved in with me last summer, attends the amazing YMCA School-Age Care program. For me, the term YMCA family is a very true statement for me in all aspects.

If I didn’t have that financial assistance to begin with, who knows where my family and I would be today. The term pay it forward comes to my mind. When someone does something for you, instead of paying that person back directly, you pass it on to another person. One good deed deserves another.

Funds raised through the Y’s Community Campaign help to ensure no one is denied access due to an inability to pay. A strong community benefits individuals, the community itself, and the greater society. People of all ages who feel a sense of belonging tend to lead happier and healthier lives. Helping to make your community better not only improves the way your community looks, but it improves the way that community feels to visitors and how the residents feel about their community as well.

This is my Y story!