Connect. Travel. Serve.
Greetings!

Eros, a Belgian Malinois, and me are shown in February after completing one of our daily COVID-19 five-mile walks in sub-zero temps and windchills.

Welcome back Upper Midwest Chapter YMCA Alumni to somewhat normal activities after more than a year of pretty much mask-wearing, hibernating and social distancing plus lining up and getting COVID vaccinations since January.

It certainly seems longer since we could start to plan some YMCA Alumni activities and get together once again. Hopefully your own health and that of your family is good and you're able to resume some of your activities.
Phyllis and I enjoyed the first week of May 2021 on the North Shore of Lake Superior by hiking all 8 Minnesota State Parks. We started with Grand Portage on the Minnesota and Canada border. We then enjoyed Judge Magney, Cascade River, Temperance River, Split Rock Lighthouse, Tettegouche, Iona Beach Scientific and Natural Area and finished up with Gooseberry Falls.




Don Kerr
Upper Midwest YMCA Alumni President
The first YMCA Alumni Chapter activity is the Annual Summer Picnic, set for Tuesday Aug. 17 at Lone Lake Park, 5624 Shady Oak Rd., Minnetonka, MN 55343 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 

Bring your own item to grill and a dish to share plus your plate, cup and utensils for the potluck. Lemonade and water will be provided. The entertainment will be catching up with YMCA friends and colleagues.

Please confirm your attendance by clicking the button below or by calling Don Kerr at 612-968-8060.






The Hootenany Brothers will entertain at our annual Christmas Luncheon.

Mark the date: Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Edina Country Club, 5100 Wooddale Avenue, Edina, MN 55424. We all missed the luncheon last year.
The YMCA Alumni National Service Project Task Force has unanimously chosen a project working with the Sioux YMCA in South Dakota. We'll change lives on the Reservation by building a village of “tiny homes” and extending the YMCA's programs to far-flung communities that stretch over 5,000 square miles (photo above) by constructing “twigs” (program centers) in these communities.
All 17 YMCA Alumni chapters are cooperating and working on this project. The details will continue to be developed over the next year.We hope you all read the May issue of The CONNECTION that was totally devoted to explaining the new national project. Click the button below for a review on our website.
Register now for Reunion '22 in 'The Big Easy'
Click the arrow to watch Clark Baker of the Weatherford Chapter tickle the ivories while inviting you to join us at YMCA Alumni Reunion '22 in New Orleans Jan. 12-15, 2022. Registration is now open. Click the button below for details.
Membership report

Our retention of new member units joining between Oct. 1, 2019 and Sept 30, 2020 in our Upper Midwest Chapter was recognized for leading all of the 17 National YMCA Alumni Chapters with a 75 percent new membership retention rate. The National averages of all 17 chapters was 39.1 percent. --Bridget Nault






New members
*Jeri Glick-Anderson and Charles Anderson
*Bonnie and Rob Carlson
*Marji Miller and Bill Porteous
*Suzanne and Steven Thorn
*Nancy Weidler
*Lynn Becker Harrington and Dennis Harrington
Plenty new for you in '22; Let's travel again
We hope you read the June issue of The CONNECTION that was devoted to the YMCA Alumni Travel Clubs planned trips for 2022.

We've been cooped up way too long. Remember the best way to travel? With friends! There's domestic, international, shorter golf and spring training trips and something for everyone. Don't delay as two trips almost are sold out.
Chapter leaders
President: Don Kerr 
Secretary: Linda Ramacier 
Treasurer/Membership: Brigid Nault
EAF/World Service: Doug Petersen
Caring & Concern: Gary Lewis 
Member-At-Large: Mary Felty
YMCA Alumni Mission:
"...to enable members to promote a nurturing worldwide Christian Fellowship that provides educational, social, service and charitable opportunities."