B.R. Ryall YMCA looks ahead to future after marking 50 years at Glen Ellyn site

GLEN ELLYN – Over the years, longtime B.R. Ryall YMCA members Tippi and Benno Friedrich of Winfield have seen the facility greatly expand since it opened its doors at 49 Deicke Drive in 1965.

Members of the YMCA since 1971, they also are longtime volunteers at the facility.

"You can see what a difference the Y makes in people's lives," Benno Friedrich said. "That's one of the biggest rewards."

Today, the facility remains dedicated to its mission of keeping area residents healthy. Founded in 1919, the nonprofit B.R. Ryall YMCA of Northwestern DuPage County serves the communities of Glen Ellyn, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Warrenville, West Chicago, Wheaton and Winfield.

Helping guide the facility into the future is B.R. Ryall YMCA CEO Tammy Lemke. She is a new face at the YMCA, having only been CEO of the organization since June 2015.

Lemke has been involved with other nonprofit agencies, including as president of the Illinois Children's Healthcare Foundation and vice president and chief financial officer of Prevent Blindness America.

"I want to make my community better," said Lemke, who has lived in Glen Ellyn for eight years. "And it's an opportunity for us to take a wonderful organization like the Y and make it even better."

Her goals include expanding the preschool, after-school and daycare programs at the B.R. Ryall YMCA.

"We have a strong emphasis on children, of making sure children are ready to learn before they go to kindergarten," Lemke said.

Lemke also took note of the B.R. Ryall YMCA's legacy of aquatic activities, which cater to every age group.

"The aquatics program is intergenerational, from moms who bring their kids when they are 8 months old to people who are over 90," she said. "It reflects the Y and its mission."

For the past 50 years, B.R. Ryall YMCA also has had a competitive swim team. To meet the team's growing needs, YMCA officials are exploring the possibility of installing a new competitive swimming pool for the team.

The Y currently has two pools – a large pool and a therapy pool, which are both 50 years old. The two pools would remain in operation as part of the expansion project, Lemke said.

"As the swim team grows, space is limited," she said. "The intention is for the new pool to be used for competitive swimming."

The team serves those ages 6 to 18 and currently numbers about 178 members, including about 40 high school students, 60 middle school students and 80 elementary school students.

As an example of the team's success, one of the members, Max St. George, 18, of Wheaton, has qualified for the U.S. Swimming Olympic Team Trials scheduled for June 26 to July 3 in Omaha, Neb.

He started with the team when he was 6. St. George swam the 100-meter backstroke in 57.16 seconds at the Illinois YMCA State Championships in July 2015. Finishing first, he beat the qualifying time of 57.19 and earned a spot in the Olympic Team Trials.

"He's a very smart swimmer," swim team head coach Chris Flamion said. "He hates to lose. He's extremely competitive."

While she is not competing to be in the Olympics, Tippi Friedrich knows the importance of exercise. And most days, you will see her at the B.R. Ryall YMCA facility.

"I exercise there four or five days a week," she said. "I'm there almost every morning. I had back trouble, which has immensely improved. I don't think about it much anymore, which is a huge gain for me."

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Know more

Information about the B.R. Ryall YMCA is available by going to its website at brryallymca.org.