Being back at the Northwest Family YMCA has been full circle for Virginia Cross. Virginia, better known as Ginny, was a member of the branch back when it first opened its doors 50 years ago.
While working for Monroe County’s Department of Public Health in the early 1970s, Ginny was looking for ways to relieve stress. She decided to join the Y so she could help take the edge off her life.
She would go jogging with a group of fellow members from Northwest through the surrounding areas in Greece. That is until the Northwest branch suffered damages from a fire in June 1986.
Fast forward to 2022. As the world was reopening following the COVID-19 pandemic, Ginny was entering her fifth year of retirement from the Public Health sector. She was trying to find a way to get herself active again after periodically visiting the YMCA over the years. That’s when she and her cousins decided to head back to the Northwest Family YMCA; this time as a group.
So Larry and Barbara Robinson, Mike and Diane Robinson (pictured to the right of Ginny above), as well as Ginny and her husband, Bob, have been making their way to Northwest to work out in the fitness center and join the Silver Sneakers classes.
Having worked as a nurse throughout the majority of her professional life, Ginny has a penchant for health and wellness. And whether it’s 1973 or 2023, she has looked to the YMCA to ensure she’s maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
“It’s a great facility, and over the years, I’ve taken classes, the instructors have been terrific,” said Ginny, whose last nursing role was at Park Ridge Hospital Inc. Unity Chemical Dependency. “I’ve met a lot of people, made a lot of friends. It’s just a friendly environment and a very nice place to be.”
Thank you for coming back, Ginny. We hope you and your family stay with us for the next 50 years.