A century ago, the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago expanded its facilities to more rural areas, and established a camp along Hastings Lake. Now, 100 years later, the Hastings Lake YMCA is still standing, and celebrating its hundredth anniversary at its Lindenhurst facility.
The milestone anniversary was celebrated with a birthday party, held at the YMCA, on Nov. 20. The party, which was attended by staff and YMCA members, featured photos from the duration of the YMCA’s history on display, a ribbon cutting, and of course, a celebratory cake.
Additionally, the Hastings Lake YMCA also sold commemorative T-shirts and sweatshirts to raise funds to send children to camp. Rhonda Hoekenga, the Youth Development Director at the Hastings Lake YMCA, said that the branch raised around $1,000 from the sales, which is enough to send a child to camp for approximately three weeks.
The Hastings Lake YMCA was first built to service as a camp in 1923, as part of an expansion into more rural areas. The site was one of four camps built during the decade. Hoekenga said that the Hastings Lake location served as an away camp for the Irving Park YMCA.
“They had people from Irving Park coming up here because it was such a rural area at the time,” Hoekenga said.
The camp’s history was on display at the party through photographs from its early years, as well as letters that were written by campers.
During the party, Hoekenga and representatives from the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago spoke about the site’s history, as well as their hopes for its future.
“I’m so grateful that the Hastings Lake YMCA has been here for, what I hope, is a couple hundred more years,” said Dorri McWhorter, the president and CEO of YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.
McWhorter attributed much of the site’s success to the local community, who have supported the Hastings Lake YMCA for a century.
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“I think that what we have in this community is amazing, and I want to see it go to infinity and beyond,” McWhorter said. “It takes two pieces: it takes an incredible team, and incredible members, so together that’s what makes this such a great community.”
Hoekenga agreed that the community is what has helped contribute to the longevity of the YMCA branch, especially its longtime members and staff.
“The dedication of the same people being here for so many years, that keeps it a tight group,” Hoekenga said. “Also our members, a lot of them are 20-, 30-year-long members. That closeness and community helps it to continue to run.”
One of the site’s longtime members, Edward Jurgaitis, attended the party, and helped to hold the ribbon during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“They taught my children, and my grandkids, how to swim over here,” said Edward Jurgaitis, a member of Hastings Lake YMCA for more than 50 years. Jurgaitis is one of the branch’s longest-standing members. He said that he first joined the YMCA in Waukegan as a child, but when he moved to the area, switched over to Hastings Lake.
Jurgaitis said that there’s a simple reason why he has maintained his membership for half of a century: the branch’s pool.
“I like swimming,” Jurgaitis, who goes into the YMCA five times a week, said. “My kids were just starting to learn how to swim [50 years ago], so we signed up here, and we’ve been a member ever since.”
Jurgaitis was impressed with the longevity of the YMCA, and how much the branch has evolved since he first signed up for a membership.
“I didn’t believe that it was here that long,” Jurgaitis said. “When I first came out here, there was no building. I think there was a pool, but there was no building or anything.”
Now, the Hastings Lake branch has a main building, with an indoor pool, locker rooms and exercise equipment, as well as several cabins, where classes like yoga and tai chi are taught, and other outdoor facilities.
While the YMCA’s staff and members have had fun imagining what the potential next century may bring, they’ve also enjoyed reflecting on the past 100 years, and how they have made an impact on the community.
“It’s been very important,” Jurgaitis said. “I can’t imagine what my physical health would be if it wasn’t for the [Hastings Lake YMCA]. It’s been a big help.”