New equipment added to Streator YMCA action arcade with community donations

The Streator YMCA is looking to further engage youth to take part in physical activity.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday ahead of the facility’s annual Healthy Kids Day event, Executive Director Shannon Harback said the YMCA purchased an elementary snowboarder, elementary deluxe skier, elementary starwalker, elementary recumbent bike, elementary elliptical trainer, four boomer boards and mindfulness sets to add to its action arcade.

In total, donors contributed to the $13,500 purchase of new equipment.

Harback said the equipment is designed to engage youth in interactive health and fitness activities and will be used in the YMCA’s before- and after-school programming. Research supports that activity and fitness have a positive influence on academic success, Harback said. The YMCA has 25 students signed up for the programming geared to second and third graders.

The Regional Office of Education, OSF HealthCare, Vactor Manufacturing and SOCU were champion donors. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers 601 and two anonymous parties also were significant donors.

The YMCA’s action arcade already has a rock climbing wall, dance machine, pop-shot basketball hoop and fitness tech machine, among others. The action arcade also is open to the public, and youth must be supervised by an adult.