When I was five years old, my family moved to Boca Raton. 

And like any five-year-old moving to a new place, I had a lot of energy, a lot of questions, and absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. 

That was also the year St. Jude moved to its new location right next to the YMCA. It was my first year at St. Jude, so for me, it was the beginning of a whole new chapter. 

And there was one problem. 

We didn’t have a sports facility. 

We didn’t have playground equipment. 

No giant slide. No swings. No real PE space. 

And if you’ve ever spent time around a five-year-old, you know that asking them to sit still all day without a place to burn off some energy is basically a recipe for disaster. 

I remember all of us staring at the clock waiting for recess. 

But our recess looked a little different. 

Because right next door was the YMCA. 

And the YMCA opened its doors to us. 

They let our little school use their facilities, and I can honestly say that those were some of the happiest moments of my day. 

I was five years old, the new kid in town, and suddenly I had this place where I could run, play, laugh, and be around other kids outside of the classroom. 

And I think that mattered more than I understood at the time. 

Because when you're five, you don't think about things like wellness, community, or the importance of physical activity. 

You just know that you get to RUN. 

And I ran. 

A lot. 

Probably more than anyone wanted me to. 

But looking back, I realize the YMCA was giving us so much more than a place to play. 

They were giving us an opportunity to connect. 

They were giving us a sense of community. 

They were giving us a place to be active, to make friends, and to simply be kids. 

And those things stay with you. 

In fact, I sometimes think about that little five-year-old running around the YMCA when I think about how much physical activity and wellness have become a part of my life. 

Eventually, that love of movement turned into running marathons. 

Now, I can tell you that the five-year-old version of me probably would have been much more excited about a giant slide than a marathon. 

But the foundation was there. 

I learned early that being active could make you feel good. It could give you confidence. It could bring people together. 

And that's something the YMCA continues to do for this community every single day. 

What I love most about the YMCA is that it isn't just about a building or a gym or a swimming pool. 

It's about what happens inside those spaces. 

It's about giving people opportunities they may not otherwise have. 

It's about making sure that a child has somewhere to go, somewhere to play, somewhere to belong. 

And for me, that was especially meaningful because I was the new kid. 

The YMCA gave me another place to meet people and feel connected to my new community. 

I may not have understood that at five years old, but I understand it now. 

And that's why being here today is really special for me. 

Because I get to look back and realize that the YMCA was part of my Boca Raton story from the very beginning. 

Before I knew what community meant, the YMCA was showing me. 

Before I understood wellness, the YMCA was giving me a place to experience it. 

And long before I ever ran a marathon, I was running around this YMCA simply because I was five and had energy to burn. 

So when I think about the YMCA, I don't just think about what it offers today. 

I think about what it gave me as a little girl. 

Joy. 

Movement. 

Friendship. 

And a feeling that I belonged. 

And I think that's the greatest gift any community can give a child. 

Thank you for allowing me to share my Y-Story.