ANNA JOHNSON AND KIRSTEN DOUGLAS

Kirsten Douglas moved to Fargo from Charlotte, North Carolina in 2016, and immediately joined our YMCA. “I had been a member of YMCAs in Illinois and North Carolina, and I knew that, being a stay-at-home mom, the Y is where I would find my community.”

Not long after, she met Anna Johnson in a BODYPUMP class, and the two became fast friends, eventually going on to try every group fitness class, and personal training together with Jacob. Now, Kirsten and Anna describe each other as “family,” and say that they couldn’t imagine their lives without the YMCA.

For both Anna and Kirsten, having PlayTown available as a resource has been a saving grace. For Anna, making the transition from working in the finance world to being a stay-at-home mom has been a challenge, but the support system that she’s found at the YMCA has been irreplaceable. For Kirsten, “the Y has been everything. Whether I come and get in a workout, or just take a shower and sit in the sauna to get a break from being around my kids all day, the Y has saved my sanity.”

Both Kirsten and Anna’s families have gotten involved as well. Kirsten’s daughter Bella swims on the Gator Swim Team, and has attended Camp Cormorant. Her daughter Kinley and Anna’s daughter Harper have both attended Busy Beaver Camp. And both of their husbands are able to utilize our Nationwide Membership when they are traveling for work. They describe their kids as “best friends,” and even spent time together on Thanksgiving this year. “The Y has helped our family become so much healthier, and so much more involved and connected,” Anna said. “It truly feels like our home.”