YMCA of East Tennessee

09/19/2026

One team. One heartbeat.

Some of our Y leadership team have spent the past few days at YMCA General Assembly in New Orleans, joining thousands of Y leaders from across the country.

Together, we’ve learned from one another, reflected on 175 years of Y impact, and found inspiration for the next 175 years of creating connected communities where everyone belongs.

Different communities. Different stories. One mission. One Y.

09/14/2026

Ready to hit the trails?

Join us for the 11th Annual Ridge Runner 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run on Saturday, September 19th at beautiful Big Ridge State Park! Whether you’re a seasoned runner or bringing the family for some fun, there’s a spot for you.

Even better? Every step supports YMCA programs like childcare and swim lessons for neighbors who need us most.

📍 Big Ridge State Park
⏰ 5K at 9 AM (trail run) | 1-Mile Fun Run (paved course!) at 9:15 AM

👉 Lace up and register today! https://runsignup.com/ridgerunner

09/09/2026

What if the answer to a workforce crisis was already inside the building?

When Hillcrest Healthcare faced the challenges of recruiting and retaining healthcare workers, they partnered with our YMCA of East Tennessee, a longtime leader in child care with decades of experience serving local families.

Together, we transformed unused space inside Hillcrest’s Beverly Park community into a licensed child care center for employees’ children.

But we created more than child care.

We created connections between generations, where children visit residents, share meals, make art, sing songs, and bring new energy and purpose into the senior living community. Where "Big Neighbors" read to "Little Neighbors" and intergenerational play dates happen every day.

The waitlist filled in just 48 hours.

And for some employees, access to on-site child care has become a reason to choose Hillcrest, and to stay.

This is what happens when community partners come together to turn an existing space into an opportunity that changes lives.

Child care. Workforce development. Intergenerational connection. One powerful solution.

View a full case study on this model, aptly named "Better Together," and see the true impact for our community: https://www.tnbusinessandfamily.org/case-study/hillcrest-healthcare-2/

09/09/2026

Three Reach & Rise mentees enjoying the Cansler Family YMCA pool, waving to each other underwater in their brand new goggles, gifted to them by their mentors!

Reach & Rise is more than a mentoring program. It’s about giving kids someone who believes in them, listens without judgment, and helps them discover their own strength.

Sometimes, it’s as simple as creating moments of joy, friendship and belonging along the way.

Reach & Rise is free group mentoring for youth, made possible by caring, committed mentors who show up and believe in the kids they serve.

09/09/2026

⏰ Busy schedule? We've got you covered.

One of the biggest misconceptions about personal training is that you have to rearrange your entire life to make it work.

At the Y, our certified personal trainers offer flexible scheduling to help you fit fitness into your life.

Early mornings, lunch breaks, evenings, or weekends, there's a trainer and schedule that can work for you.

Stop waiting for the "perfect time" to prioritize your health. We're ready to help you start working toward your goals!

Learn more and request a trainer at ymcaetn.org.

09/08/2026

Our YMCA of East Tennessee Evening of Impact online auction opens at 5 PM today, and ANYONE can bid!

You don’t have to attend Thursday’s Evening of Impact Gala to join in. Browse the auction and bid on some incredible items, including:

🏈 Signed UT Sports Memorabilia
💆 Massage & Spa Experiences
⛳ Rounds of Golf at Local Courses
🎣 Fishing Excursions
🍽️ Local Restaurant Experiences
🎨 Local Art
✨ And SO much more!

This auction is about more than winning something great. Every bid helps support YMCA programs for people in our community who need us most.

Your bid can help:
🏊 A child learn to swim
❤️ A single working parent afford high-quality childcare
🤝 A teen connect with a caring mentor
💙 A senior stay active, connected, and less isolated

You bid. Someone in our community benefits. That’s the power of the Y.

👉 View items and bid now: https://shorturl.at/Mv48T

Not ready to bid but still want to help? You can make a donation, too!

👉 Give to the Y here: https://ymcaetn.org/give

Share this post with someone who loves a good auction, because you don’t have to attend the Gala to make a difference!

The YMCA of East Tennessee’s Evening of Impact Auction brings our community together to create meaningful opportunities for children, families, and neighbors…

09/06/2026

All YMCA of East Tennessee locations will be open 8am-2pm. The Pilot Y Outdoor Pool will be open 10am-4pm.

08/27/2026

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. ❤️💪

08/27/2026

✨ TWO WEEKS AWAY! ✨

We’re just two weeks away from the YMCA Evening of Impact!

Join us September 10th as we throw a Roaring 20's themed Gala to celebrate the impact the Y is making across our community.

🎟️ Buy your tickets today and be part of the impact. Every ticket helps the Y's work reach our neighbors in need.

📅 September 10th, 2026 | 6–9 PM
📍 Riverview Family Farm
✨ Roaring '20s attire encouraged
🎲 Casino games, live swing jazz music, silent and live auction, and a night of fun.

Come celebrate. Come make a difference. Come support the Y.

🎟️ Get your tickets today at ymcaetn.org/events.

08/26/2026

⛳ 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!