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Gary
Yoshida was a high school student in 1968 when he went to
Japan for the first time as a participant of Let’s Get
Together—one of the longest running international teen
exchange programs in the country. During the past 50
years, YMCA teens between the ages of 15–19 have alternated
between Hiroshima, Japan and Honolulu to work together towards
peace and to maintain a critical exchange of
ideas. 
On
Sunday, July 31, Gary, along with many other alumni,
dignitaries and this year’s teen participants from Japan and
Hawai‘i will be celebrating the 50th
anniversary of this ground-breaking program at a special
dinner in Honolulu. To make it a true celebration, the YMCA is
hoping to bring as many past participants as possible together
for this extraordinary event. If you are a past
participant, or interested in the exchange program, click
here. |
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Approximately
30% of Hawai‘i kids do not know how to swim or do not have basic
water safety skills. As a national and local leader in swim
instruction and water safety, the YMCA developed SPLASH, a  national initiative that stands for “Swim, Play and Learn
Aquatic Safety Habits." Due to the generosity of a McInerny
Foundation grant, 225 third and fourth graders from Honowai
Elementary school in Waipahu spent four days at the Leeward YMCA
learning water safety from Y aquatic instructors, and building their
confidence in the water. The YMCA plans on expanding the
SPLASH program to more schools on O‘ahu. 
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For thousand of our island kids, summer is officially
here. Make sure your children and teens take advantage of a great
summer ahead with the YMCA. Programs include: day camp, specialty
camp, after summer school and teen leadership programs. Many options
to choose from:weekly programs, 4-week or 8-week programs.
Sending Your Kids
to Camp
Tips for First-Timers
Overnight
summer camp is filling up fast at YMCA Camp Erdman. Don’t be
left without a spot! And for those first timers, both campers and
parents, the most heart-racing, adrenalin pumping moments happen
when...
Read On. 
Treat Yourself—
You Deserve It!
Enroll before June 17
When was the last time you did something nice for
yourself? Whether it was yesterday or three years ago, it’s time to
do something good for your mind and body. Treat yourself to
a summer island-wide Summer Commit to Get Fit membership at a
special flat fee of $129 for individuals or a $219 for
families. Visit your local Y for a personal tour and we’ll
give you a “thank you” gift just for visiting us.
Give me S’More!
Fourth of July
Family Camp
Spaces are going fast for the next Family
Camp, July 1–3, 2011 at YMCA Camp Erdman on the beautiful North
Shore. What is Family Camp you say? Check out this article in
Parenthood.com: “When my wife first dragged us all to
Family Camp a few years ago, I had mixed emotions.” Read
on. 
Each year, the National Military Family Association (NMFA)
provides support to more than 30,000 children through their annual
Operation Purple Summer Camp. Again this year, YMCA Camp
Erdman has been selected to host two free summer camps from June
5–11, 2011 and June 12–18, 2011.
The NMFA developed this
free summer camp program in 2004 to support military children, ages
8–17. Kids attending camp will have the opportunity to learn the
skills to cope with the stress of a parent deployment and make
friends with other kids who are also missing their mom or
dad.
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