Slobo came to Canada from Serbia in August 2006, and by November of that same year, he was volunteering at the North York YMCA. By January 2007, Slobo worked as a part-time swim instructor and lifeguard. Over the next 15 years, he worked his way up to progressive roles at the YMCA, and now works as a Health and Fitness Program Manager and virtual mindfulness meditation coach for The Bright Spot.

The Y was there for Slobo during the early years of his immigration, and his two children attended YMCA Child Care in North York. “The Y is like family and I felt adopted by the Y,” says Slobo.  “I felt like my values aligned with the Y and it meant a lot to me to be so welcomed and supported by them. The rest of my family was in Serbia and I was alone here in Canada.”

Today, the Y continues to play a large part in Slobo’s life.

The Bright Spot and mental health

Slobo is currently working towards earning a PhD at York University. During the pandemic, Slobo conducted research to find out how mindfulness was helping people cope with the effects of COVID-19.

He interviewed 23 participants of The Bright Spot – and everyone said that participating in The Bright Spot had changed their lives and helped them with their mental health. In addition to participating in mindfulness meditation, participants also attended other virtual programs like yoga, book club, and Spanish. Participants reported that all classes were helpful during a time when many people struggled with their mental health.

Mindfulness: A launch pad for change

In 2015, Slobo worked with his mentor, Dr. Paul Ritvo, Professor in the School of Kinesiology and Health Science and Department of Psychology at York University to launch a Wellness Coaching program at the Y. Many YMCAs have since adopted the program across Canada.

“Mindfulness skills allow us to be present,” says Slobo. “I use Wellness Coaching when teaching mindfulness.” Wellness Coaching is evidence-based, non-prescriptive, and incorporates mindfulness-based cognitive behaviour therapy and motivational interviewing. This empathetic program and approach is used at the Y and meets participants where they are. “The goal of the program is to help participants regain self-empathy (self-compassion) so they can adopt change in their lives.”

Wellness coaching focuses on personal change through precise, careful and attentive listening. This results in participants beginning to listen to themselves and becoming attentive to their own internal processes. This self-empathy, a key component of mindfulness, gives them traction to make changes to their own health.

Mindfulness is awareness that arises when we start intentionally paying attention to our breathing sensations. During mindfulness meditation classes, participants experience relaxation. As a result, their mood naturally lifts.

This process opens us up to become aware of the negative voices and self-judgment we are often not aware of, so that we can make change. Mindfulness helps us to regain focus – stepping into the present moment using breath, opening up a space of awareness, accepting experiences as they are without removing or changing them. Then, slowly, the non-judgmental attitude leads to compassion.

This becomes a launch pad for change.

Healthy aging and mindfulness

Slobo says mindfulness is an option for supporting healthy aging. In fact, Slobo believes that the combination of mindfulness and aerobic exercise may be “fountains of youth.”

Key elements of healthy aging include a balanced diet, getting enough physical activity and managing stress. Mindfulness helps relieve stress and it might also help our hippocampus, a part of the brain that plays a major role in learning and memory.

There is a connection between body and mind. The goal of mindfulness is to be present, in the moment, and that provides a level of contentment for many. When we feel self-empathy, we are able to make healthier choices.

Slobo believes that when health is your number one priority, everything else falls into place and helps to develop a positive outlook for the future.

Resilience for the future

Slobo has experienced some difficult times – a divorce, his children moved across the country, and his father recently passed away. He credits mindfulness for changing his life and helping him through these difficult times, giving him resilience.

He is thankful for the Y and The Bright Spot, which has helped so many participants with their mental and physical health throughout the pandemic and now.

Visit The Bright Spot https://brightspot.ymcagta.org/ or Mindfulness Meditation https://brightspot.ymcagta.org/zoom-meetings/mindfulness-meditation/ for more information.  

There’s no such thing as a typical day for Samantha Casmey, Manager of Adult Health and Fitness programs at the YMCA of Greater Toronto. That was especially true on March 14, 2020 when COVID-19 shut down in-person classes and the organization had to pivot to a virtual offering.

Casmey has been working for the YMCA of Greater Toronto since 1994 in a variety of roles. Pre-pandemic, she would train the trainers, oversee quality of the programs and establish new ventures with partner organizations. In that respect, not much has changed about her job. But over the past year, the way these programs are being offered has dramatically shifted.

Going virtual — No time to wait

The programming at the YMCA has always been about helping people connect. For seniors who had an existing relationship with the YMCA, they would come in on a regular basis to socialize with friends while improving their mental and physical health.

The Bright Spot was created as a central, digital hub for older adults to deliver the fitness and meetups to which they had become accustomed. And the journey from program conception to a live website and programming happened in less than a month.

“Virtual had to become a reality,” says Casmey. “There are so many benefits though. Especially for older adults who have mobility issues, transportation problems or a tough time physically getting to the building.”

Launching new programs

The Bright Spot launched with 15 programs that ranged from fitness classes and workshops to book clubs and travel talks. A handful were extensions of ones already offered at the YMCA, while others were new to the mix.

“Some classes have grown to a few dozen people and others were cut after a few weeks,” says Casmey. “It was a bit of trial and error but overall it’s gone really well. We just want to make sure we’re targeting a variety of interests.”

Navigating the right technology

The YMCA has always wanted to use technology as a way to connect older adults. Naturally, COVID-19 accelerated those plans. That’s where Zoom came in. The platform delivered a lot of flexibility that allowed for larger gatherings or alternative programming not normally available in the facility.

“Before COVID, people didn’t have a lot of experience with these tools,” says Casmey. “All of that has changed. I think it’s great that we have participants teaching one another how to use the technology now. We’ve really come a long way.”

Resilient connection

With self-isolation and stay-at-home orders, the pandemic can bring feelings of isolation. That’s why The Bright Spot has been so important. Classes act almost like support groups, where virtual strangers can share their struggles. People often comment that they learn more about people that they take classes with online than they did with casual, in-person conversations.

Moving forward, programming like this doesn’t have plans on slowing down — even after COVID-19 does. The classes delivered and lessons learned will continue to facilitate meaningful conversations that allow older adults to connect with each other, with or without the Internet.

Want to spark a conversation or improve your fitness? Check out the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s programming for a full list of ways you can connect with older adults.

Sam Casmey has an honours BSc in kinesiology from the University of Waterloo and is a YMCA Canada Trainer Educator. She’s currently the YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Manager of Health & Fitness Adult Programs. In the 20 years she’s been working at the Y, Sam’s taught thousands of fitness classes and trained hundreds of volunteers to teach classes including Arriba, MuscleFit, Bootcamp, and many more. She’s currently spending her time on Sudoku, cryptic crosswords, and books on habits and behaviour change.

Bianca Da Costa has been visiting Germany for over 30 years. She starts her trips by seeing her cousins in the Netherlands and then takes a nine-hour train ride to stay with her friends in Stuttgart. A self-identified travel junkie, Da Costa would rather explore cultural sites and local history than sit on the beach at a resort. 

Morocco, Spain, Italy, France and Argentina are some of the other places she’s explored over the years. But when COVID-19 hit last year, her travel plans were grounded.

Breakfast leads to a full course load

Da Costa spent most of her career working in financial services. With retirement approaching in 2020, she started to actively plan where she would visit and what she would do. Unfortunately, her golden years began at the cusp of a worldwide pandemic and she had to shift her focus to how she could experience the world from the comfort of her living room. 

“I was looking for something mentally stimulating,” says Da Costa. “Staring at a screen all day can become difficult. I needed human connection.”

Da Costa wasn’t active with the YMCA of Greater Toronto prior to the pandemic. It’s something that she had always wanted to do when she had more free time. But when she tuned in to an episode of Breakfast Television in June 2020, everything changed.

A feature on the newly launched site, The Bright Spot,  piqued her interest and she decided to visit the online community to learn more about the activities offered.

A taste of the world

Due to her love of travel, she started signing up for classes that catered to her international ambitions. Food for Thought helped her get a taste for other places and people. The 30-minute class is made up of regular participants, with culinary topics chosen based on cultural practices or seasonal holidays. People will bring spices, oils, or herbs and talk about traditions and preparation. 

While Da Costa wouldn’t be boarding a plane anytime soon, she did the next best thing and also signed up for Virtual Vacation. The travel activity allowed her to talk to other jet setters about their experiences, as well as share some stories of her own.

A few months ago, Da Costa volunteered to present about her time in southern Germany. She believes that letting people in on small details paint a big picture of what you can expect. It’s that world-building that makes you want to go there.  

“It’s been a challenging year for people who love to travel,” says Da Costa. “But I take each day as it comes. These programs are the next best thing to being there yourself.”

Speaking from the heart

While food and travel stories have helped Da Costa get a sense of other cultures, she also took advantage of The Bright Spot’s language classes to help her post-pandemic. She’s currently taking a Tuesday Spanish class to improve her vocabulary and communication skills.

Over a dozen people attend the weekly class, where participants learn through structured conversations. The introductory-level program covers language basics but over the past year, participants have improved their vocabulary extensively. In the future, they hope to meet in person, possibly in a country where Spanish is the native tongue.

“I love the Spanish class,” says Da Costa. “I have very dear friends who live in Spain and I’d love to go back to Barcelona. It’ll be great to actually order from a menu or have a conversation with someone.”

What’s up next?

When asked what has stood out most about The Bright Spot programming, Da Costa says it was how fast it all came together and the quality of the classes taken. She’s even brought the sponsorship opportunity to her past employer to see if they were open to supporting the initiative in the future.

“I hope the momentum continues, “ says Da Costa. “30 to 45 minutes to connect in the virtual world is better than not being able to connect at all. I don’t know when I’ll be able to see the globe again, but The Bright Spot has made a world of difference for me.”

A Victoria, B.C. native, Rick Casmey moved to Labrador City, NL in 1963 and spent most of his career working in the mining industry. Casmey is married with three daughters, two of whom live in the same city while the other is 2,000 km away. And even though he retired more than 15 years ago, he’s still active in his community. 

Casmey has been on the executive team of the Newfoundland and Labrador Curling Association since 1983 and is currently the Northern Zone director. Over the years, he’s attended 22 Briers across Canada and sees them as a great way to explore the country. 

“It’s what I do in the winter, “ says Casmey. “Now I’m just waiting for the snow to go away before I start golfing.”

From hurrying hard to a slower pace

Last spring, his daughter Samantha Casmey, manager of adult health and fitness programs at the YMCA of Greater Toronto, reached out and told him about a new programming initiative designed to support older adults during the pandemic. That’s how he got started volunteering for The Bright Spot.

He initially signed up to attend a Tuesday trivia night in June 2020 and immediately got hooked. Before he knew it, he had volunteered to host one of his own on Thursdays. What struck him most over the first few months is how much it helped people connect with one another and build a sense of community.

“Suddenly, they didn’t feel so isolated,” says Casmey. “It’s eye-opening how much looser people become. Now that this is part of their weekly routine, they’re getting the support and interaction they need.”

Growing a community

The sessions started small but have grown in size over the past year. Now, 15 to 20 people show up each week and the sessions have turned into a larger platform for group discussions. For example, Casmey might follow up on a travel-related question, asking participants about the places they’ve visited and the experiences they’ve had. 

Attendees end up sharing parts of their lives that they haven’t talked about for years. Even though the question portion of the trivia only lasts for 20 minutes, the whole session runs over an hour with sprawling conversations from those in attendance. 

A family affair

Casmey’s favourite part about volunteering with The Bright Spot is interacting with different people and the conversations they have. 

“Making connections is a wonderful thing,” says Casmey. “After a while they almost act like extended family that you see on a regular basis. We all bring a lot of brightness into each other’s lives.”

While participants may feel like family, his real offspring are part of the mix, too. Casmey’s granddaughter, a student at Queen’s University, joins the sessions with her roommates. The same goes for his daughters and in-laws at home. But they’re not just limited to activities Rick Casmey hosts. They’re also exploring the other activities that The Bright Spot offers.

Connecting on a deeper level

It’s tough to say how long it’ll be before participants are able to attend a trivia session in person, but Casmey sees The Bright Spot model as something that will keep growing. Even though he’s hosting activities in Labrador City, he’s able to connect with people thousands of kilometers away. 

When asked why he’s committed to giving so much of his free time volunteering, Casmey says that it goes deeper than supporting his curling community or bringing people together through trivia.

“For most people, volunteering sets a purpose and helps you grow,” says Casmey. “You’re doing something that’s important to you. Giving back and not just taking. After I finish something like trivia, I feel pretty good. They do, too.”

If you’re interested in joining a future trivia night or wonder if one of the dozens of other classes The Bright Spot offers are right for you, visit our activities page and get the answers you’re looking for.

Sidney Finkelstein (left) in front of the North York YMCA on December 2, 2020, collecting food for the month-long food and clothing drive.

According to Statistics Canada, there are more older Canadians in the labour force now than in the mid-1990s. From 1996 to 2018, the proportion of workers aged 55 and older almost doubled, from 10% to 21% of the workforce.

Forbes magazine says companies stand to benefit greatly from having older adults on their team. According to Forbes, older adults offer employers many skills and attributes that grow and develop with age including loyalty and stability, superb decision-making, confidence, management, leadership, and communication skills, as well as empathy.

At the YMCA of Greater Toronto, we know firsthand how beneficial it is to have older adults on our team. We are lucky to have older members, employees and volunteers that make up our community. One of our longest-tenured members and volunteers is Sidney Finkelstein.

Sid, as he’s fondly known, has been volunteering with the YMCA of Greater Toronto for decades and in that time has brought his expertise and leadership skills to a variety of experiences.

Sid says that volunteering for the YCMA of Greater Toronto for the past 37 years is one of his great joys. He has embraced many roles during his career as a YMCA volunteer, including past Board Member and Chair of the Board’s Auditing and Nominations Committees. He has also been part of the Leadership Council at the North York YMCA. When you talk to Sid, you can tell that he is most passionate about his role as Group Fitness Leader and Group Fitness Mentor. He has trained more than 100 new group fitness instructors and has no plans of stopping.

Before COVID-19 hit, Sid was teaching group fitness classes at a variety of YMCA locations including North York, Oshawa, Scarborough and Markham. He is certified to teach many classes such as Runfit, Boxfit, Pilates, Boot Camp, Muscle Fit, Muscle Works, and Arriba.

When we temporarily closed our Health and Fitness centres in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we also had to pause many of our volunteer programs, but that did not stop Sid from continuing to serve the Y community. He sprang into action and reached out to several other volunteers and members and they started corresponding online and working out together virtually. It was his way of keeping the spirit of the Y going even in a time of crisis. “We stayed connected and supported each other through emails and on Zoom in the beginning. We’ve kept that up even now,” he says.

Once YMCA health and fitness centres re-opened in late Spring, Sid was back to teaching group fitness classes. “I used to teach about 12 classes per week, but after the pandemic, that number decreased to about three classes per week.”

As the infection rates started to rise again in the GTA in Fall 2020, many of the YMCA centres once again closed their doors to indoor programs but our committed team of employees and volunteers kept working. Outdoor classes were available at many YMCAs. One of those was Sid’s home Y in North York. He put on some warm workout gear and showed up for the community again, this time to teach three outdoor group fitness classes per week. He also attended other outdoor classes as a participant. When asked about what it was like to volunteer and work during this challenging year, he had this message:

“Volunteering is a really important part of connecting and feeling useful and productive, especially during challenging times. Right before the pandemic hit, I retired and I actually don’t think retirement is right for me. I think I will be back to working again once the pandemic is over.”

It’s evident that Sid thrives when he is serving others and staying active. With some YMCAs temporarily closed again and outdoor programming paused for the winter season, Sid is still showing up to serve the community by lending a helping hand with our food bank initiatives. Part of the North York YMCA is currently operating as an extension of the North York Harvest Food Bank.

Our staff and volunteers are working hard to prepare food donations for the people in our communities who need the extra support. COVID-19 has created more food insecurity in our city than ever before and Sid says actively working to help alleviate some of that strain on people in our neighbourhoods is motivating him to keep going.  “Volunteering at the food bank is what keeps me excited and looking forward to something every day.”

We are lucky to have such a passionate and committed member on our team. Thank you for all your hard work, Sid!

For anyone interested in donating food or gently used winter clothing, we are accepting donations for the entire month of December at all nine YMCA Health and Fitness centres. Find out more on our Facebook event page.

“No other organization has really focused on older adults during COVID-19 like the Y has—we’re glad we could help make an impact.” —Steven Ranson, President & CEO, HomeEquity Bank, the provider of the CHIP Reverse Mortgage, Donor, and Strong Start, Great Future Campaign Cabinet Member”

COVID has had a profound impact on many older adults across Canada, including in the greater Toronto area—a fact that Steven Ranson, President & CEO of HomeEquity Bank, and his team at the financial institution have taken to heart. As a bank that provides reverse mortgage solutions, HomeEquity Bank helps older Canadians stay in the homes they love and enjoy retirement. The average age of their clients is 78, so Steven and his team knew they had to act to ensure older adults weren’t isolated, lonely or in need during the COVID-19 lockdowns. That’s why they decided to launch ‘Operation Warm Hug’ at the onset of the pandemic. “Recognizing people were stuck at home, we started reaching out and asking how we could lend our support,” explains Steven. “Older adults are our client base, they’re the people we help daily, so we wanted to understand how they were doing and what their needs were.”

Collective acts of kindness come naturally to HomeEquity’s staff. Volunteering and giving back are a big part of the bank’s culture. “Along with supporting older adults, our staff volunteer in many different ways that are meaningful to the community,” says Steven. “For us, it’s all about connection, about reaching out to people, and letting them know we’re here.”

As a Y donor and volunteer on the Strong Start, Great Future Capital Campaign Cabinet for more than four years, Steven’s first Y story goes back to his childhood. Attending Boy Scout Camp as a teen, Steven and his fellow campers would be tasked with making meals. “You can imagine what the food was like,” he recalls. One day, because they weren’t far from a YMCA Summer Camp, Steven and his friends hiked over and showed up at the kitchen door at lunch. “The staff provided one of the best meals I’ve ever had, which was tremendous,” he laughs.

When the opportunity arose for the HomeEquity team to expand its efforts by partnering with our charity on a new online community for older adults, The Bright Spot, Steven understood the value. HomeEquity’s employees agreed, seeing it as a distinct way to help them continue to lend their support to older adults during COVID-19. By offering everything in a virtual and dynamic format —from exercise classes and small group chats to trivia nights and mindfulness tutorials — The Bright Spot is a place where older adults can shine.

“For us, The Bright Spot has been a really great response to what’s one of the most unique challenges of our lifetime,” explains Steven. “It’s borderless and fosters connection among older adults, helping them overcome boredom, loneliness and isolation,” he adds.  “No other organization has really focused on older adults during COVID-19 like the Y has—we’re glad we’re able to help make an impact.”

Written by Karolina Hordowick.

The great outdoors have always mattered to Diane and Stan Gasner. They raised their sons, Dan and Wayne, to appreciate the physical and mental well-being benefits that nature provides. When their son Dan was a teen, he attended YMCA Camp Beausoleil located on Georgian Bay. This first camp experience was especially transformative for Dan, and he thoroughly enjoyed his time there.

After Camp Beausoleil closed in 1980, campers were transferred to YMCA Camp Pine Crest. “Dan ultimately became a counsellor at Camp Pine Crest,” explains Diane. His favourite activity was canoeing. “Dan was a godsend, because he taught me the basic handling of canoeing.”

Sadly, in the summer of 1988, the Gasners experienced the unthinkable — they lost Dan in a car accident. To honour the memory of their beloved son, the couple established the Dan Gasner Memorial Endowment Fund, which provides an annual gift to help youth who otherwise would not be able to attend Camp Pine Crest experience all it offers.

“We have, for some time, donated to the YMCA, but Dan’s memorial fund was the beginning of our giving to Camp Pine Crest,” explains Stan. “We didn’t know Camp Pine Crest before Dan started going there, but after we lost him, our involvement deepened. Since then, we’ve visited often.”

With a background in engineering, Stan offered his expertise and insight to the redevelopment of Camp Pine Crest’s spaces as part of the 100-year anniversary. “With the renovations, I reviewed designs for several areas of the camp and its facilities,” he explains.

Today, Diane and Stan continue to give generously every year, ensuring campers have the opportunity to explore the great outdoors, discover new skills and abilities, make lifelong friends, and experience the thrill of water sports. The couple recently made a significant gift to establish The Gasner Family Fund, which initially provided funds to make Camp Pine Crest’s refreshed sailing program a reality. The program is now successfully underway. “We hope the sailing program initiates in campers a lifelong interest in getting out on the water,” says Stan. “Sailing will normally lead to racing, and provide many lifelong skills, including decision making, teamwork, leadership, strategic thinking, and confidence.”

Thanks to the Gasners, more campers will have opportunities to develop these skills that will stay with them for life. “It feels great knowing that our gift will emphasize adventure, nature, and all the skills and abilities that come with sailing,” says Stan. “I remember how much our son Dan loved getting out on the water, and I love that other young people will have opportunities to do the same,” adds Diane.

There’s no slowing down Rose Arciaga. Moving to Canada from the Philippines almost five decades ago, she’s always found ways to stay healthy and fit, staving off the diabetic and heart conditions impacting many of her siblings. “Being active gives me such a sense of accomplishment. It’s the best!” she says.

In 2005, Rose’s daughter introduced her and her husband, Robert, to the Scarborough Centre YMCA. “It was definitely the best change in our lifestyle since retirement,” Rose says. She was instantly hooked and, before we temporarily closed our doors to help slow the spread of COVID-19, she would visit five days a week. “The Y is my home away from home,” she explains. For Rose, it’s about more than maintaining physical health. It’s about reducing isolation, getting social, and making meaningful connections.

“When I wake up every morning, I feel like I have purpose. It’s so much better than just sitting at home, in front of the TV, doing nothing,” explains Rose. Robert also joins in often.

Between her favourite Y classes, now available online, Rose has gotten to know many other older adults. “It’s very social and fun. Everyone gets along — we’re like a big family here.”

Getting social is a big part of Rose’s overall health and well-being, she explains. “We exchange pleasantries, chat, and build friendships. We have luncheons, celebrate various occasions, and share our stories. It’s so great to be a part of it.”

Rose believes everyone in her community — not only the growing number of older adults, but also young children, teens, and families — should have access to the same opportunities for physical and social well-being she enjoys at the Y. That’s why she gives, every month. “A gift to the Y, no matter how big or how small, matters. I know mine matters,” says Rose. In fact, she recently doubled her donation in support of others in her community.

“It feels good to know I’m helping provide financial assistance to older adults who cannot afford it, to children, youth, and families too,” she says. “I want everyone to be able to come here.”

While we may not be able to use our Health and Fitness centres at the moment, many older adults like Rose are finding the same inspiring classes and community connections they know and love on The Bright Spot. Browse our Activities page to try some of Rose’s favourite classes from your own home for free! We look forward to seeing Rose and all of our other members again in person, but until then, we have The Bright Spot to help us keep connected.

We are so looking forward to a time when we will all be able to get back in the pool again! Until then, here’s a story from YMCA member Lea, who has a long and special history with our Scarborough centre and its team members.

Here is her story, written by Karolina Hordowick.

Lea, 80, has been swimming laps at the Scarborough Centre YMCA for more than 25 years. This former competitive swim coach passed her love of the water on to her two grandchildren, both of whom took swim lessons at this same Y.

In 2013, Lea’s world changed forever when she experienced a debilitating stroke. Losing significant physical capacity in the left side of her body forced her to take a year off to recover. She then faced a monumental task: learning to swim all over again.

The combination of her own perseverance, the Y community that rallied around her, and support from Y staff Bev Stephenson and Narayan Persaud, helped Lea dive back into her passion. “When I returned to the Y, everyone welcomed me back — it was like coming home,” Lea recalls. From keeping her safe in the water to helping her with strengthening exercises afterwards, Narayan has been there for Lea every stroke of the way. “We’ve built a relationship that feels like a family,” he says. Having known him for 17 years, since the start of his YMCA career, Lea adds: “Thanks to Narayan, I feel supported. I feel like I’m not alone.”

Pre-COVID-19, Lea would get in her laps with Narayan by her side — even on tough days. “I’ve said a few times, ‘I’m not getting in,’ but Narayan just says, ‘What would your former swim club think?’” laughs Lea. With patience and practice, she’s learned how to glide through the water with freedom and grace once again — and the Y volunteers, staff, and members who’ve witnessed Lea’s incredible journey couldn’t be more proud.