Pilot Family YMCA

Sometimes the strongest communities are built by simply showing up for others.

Back in March, YMCA of East Tennessee member, and Pilot Family YMCA Ultimate Fit participant Andy brought the Hero’s Hill Challenge to his classmates. After training together week after week, a group of Y members, including our amazing Y instructor Gina, decided to take on the challenge at the official race event together, supporting something that meant a lot to their friend and to veterans right here in our community.

They trained together. Raced together. And tackled a 1-mile run, 140 burpees, 140 squats and 140 lunges, and another 1-mile run together, each 140 rep representing a local veteran experiencing homelessness.

Today, as Operation Hero’s Hill celebrates its ribbon cutting, Gina brought that same challenge back this morning to Ultimate Fit to honor the veterans at the heart of it all and celebrate what today represents.

We’re proud to see Andy and this group be one small part of a much bigger story. Congratulations to Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, Knox County Government, and everyone who came together to make Operation Hero’s Hill a reality - https://shorturl.at/oTrOf

A workout at the Pilot Family YMCA may have brought this group together BUT community gave them an opportunity to show up for others, be part of something bigger, and help make our very own local community stronger and better.

And that’s a pretty powerful kind of strength. ❤️💪

⛳ LAST CALL! There’s still time to enter your team in Monday’s YMCA Golf Tournament at Egwani Farms!

Choose your flight:
🌅 Morning Flight: 8:00 AM
☀️ Afternoon Flight: 1:30 PM

Swing for a cause and help raise scholarship funds that make YMCA programs accessible to more kids, families and individuals right here in our community.

Ready to tee it up for the Y? Email Jared at [email protected] to enter your team.

Sometimes the best part of coming to the Y has nothing to do with the workout.

A few weeks ago, some of our youngest members were waiting for their parents to finish a class and ended up around a table playing cards together.

Fast forward to this week, and another group of members pulled up chairs in our lobby to catch up before and after their workouts.

Different generations. Same Y. Same sense of community.

These little moments are a big part of why the YMCA of East Tennessee exists. Physical activity is important, but so are friendship, conversation, social connection, and simply having a place where you feel like you belong.

Whether you're playing cards while waiting on Mom or Dad, catching up over coffee after class, or just stopping to talk with a familiar face, community happens here.

And we couldn't have planned the word "CONNECT" on the wall any better.

Connection has no age limit.
Community. Belonging. The Y.

📚 School is back in session, and we've got the perfect part-time job for college students, young adults, and retirees!

Join our After School Child Care team and get paid to make a difference. Lead arts and crafts, help with homework, organize games on the playground, and help kids find their confidence.

✔ Work 2–5 days per week
✔ No nights or weekends
✔ Free YMCA membership
✔ Valuable job training
✔ Opportunities for advancement
✔ Competitive pay
✔ On-demand pay available (get paid the day you work!)

The YMCA provides After School Child Care in 18 Knox County Schools from Farragut to Halls, so we're likely hiring near you!

Not interested in after-school care? We have opportunities in aquatics, health and wellness, member services, and more.

Find the role that's right for you and apply today at ymcaetn.org/careers.

Happy 80th Birthday, Jo! 🎉💙

Today we're celebrating a very special member of our Pilot Family YMCA family - Jo!

Yesterday, Jo celebrated with her family and her friends from our Kick Start class. What made the week even more meaningful were sweet surprises each day from her daughter, who brought treats for all the members of the Kick Start class as a thank-you to the friends who have made the Y such a special part of her mom's life.

She shared, "This Y class means so much to her and all the sweet friends she has made from it."

We often say the YMCA of East Tennessee is more than a place to work out, and Jo's story is a beautiful reminder of why. It's where neighbors become friends, friends become family, and every workout is about so much more than fitness. It's a place where people encourage one another, celebrate life's milestones together, and create the kind of connections that make a community stronger.

Happy 80th Birthday, Jo! Thank you for letting us celebrate this milestone with you. ❤️🎂

🚨 Water Fit Schedule Update 🚨

Please note that our Wednesday 6:00 PM Water Fit class has been discontinued.

We appreciate everyone who joined us for this class and hope you’ll continue to take advantage of our other Water Fit offerings.

🚨 Indoor Pool Temporarily Closed 🚨

Due to an unexpected maintenance issue, our Indoor Pool is currently CLOSED until further notice.

Our team is actively working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding.

When life gives you rain... make s'mores anyway!!

The skies opened up just as we were getting started, so we made a quick change of plans, waited out the rain, and kept the campfire ready.

Before long, the fire was crackling, marshmallows were toasting, and families were gathering to enjoy a sweet summer evening together.

We were proud to join YMCAs across the country for Campfire Across America - a one-night, nationwide celebration of connection, community, and belonging.

Thank you to everyone who stuck it out with us. We hope you left with sticky fingers, full hearts, and a few new memories. 🍫🔥

One Y. Hundreds of campers. Countless summer memories. ☀️💙

Last Friday, the Pilot Family YMCA was filled with laughter, excitement, and the energy of more than 350 YMCA summer campers from across the YMCA of East Tennessee camps as they came together for our annual Summer Camp Bash!

The day was packed with swimming, dance parties, airbrush tattoos, popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, lunch with friends, and the always-entertaining Cardboard Boat Regatta. But more than that, it was a day where our campers from across our association made new friends, cheered each other on, built confidence, and created memories they'll carry long after summer ends.

A special thank you to the incredible YMCA staff, and a special shout out to our camp counselors, lifeguards, maintenance, and childcare services teams who worked together behind the scenes to make this day possible. Whether you were flipping burgers, serving lunch, handing out snow cones, lifeguarding, leading activities, or simply jumping in wherever you were needed, YOU helped create an unforgettable experience for hundreds of campers.

Summer Camp Bash is more than just one fun day, it's a reflection of what happens when our community comes together to invest in young people. Through the YMCA Annual Campaign, we're able to create opportunities for every child to belong, grow, and make memories that will last a lifetime.

These are the moments that remind us why summer at the Y is so special.
There truly is No Place Like This Place. 💙

Campfire. S'mores. Community.
This Wednesday, July 22, from 5:30-7:00 PM, we're joining YMCA’s across the country for Campfire Across America - a special evening celebrating connection, community, and belonging as part of the YMCA's 175th anniversary!

The Pilot Family YMCA will be bringing the fun with a real campfire, s'mores, and a place for members, kids and families to gather, roast marshmallows, and simply enjoy being together.

Sometimes the best memories are made around a fire.
We'll see you Wednesday! 🔥🍫