This weather is really beautiful. It seems as though we are getting the fall colors and cool nights but we have the benefits of summer as well. Thoughts do turn to fall and winter and members still seem to be coming inside to participate in our many programs or use our machines.

We have had a recent addition to our staff and his name is Dave Hamilton.

Dave comes to us after working as the waterfront at Camp Y-Owasco all summer. He will now be our Stingrays swim team coach and then next summer will be the director of Camp Y-Owasco.

Dave has many years of experience in swimming and coaching and has already been taking a lot of YMCA national training in order to improve his job experience here.

We welcome Dave to his new position and hope that he will enjoy many years with us. Be sure to stop by the pool to welcome Dave to this area and also to the Auburn YMCA.

A big thank you should also go to John Dalziel who was our previous swim coach and also to Angel Caci who was our camp director and has moved out of the area.

John is still with us in another capacity but has given us coaching in favor of spending lots of time with his soon to be born baby.

This past week, I spent a good deal of time in Rochester at the Upstate Program School for YMCAs. Program schools teach national certification courses and allow our staff to further their training and increase their professionalism within our own buildings.

We were able to send Nancy Wessleman and Dave Hamilton from the aquatics department. From the fitness department, we sent Beth Loomis who received her certification for Group Exercise Instructor and Pilates Instructor. Beth already teaches pilates for us.

Tracy Swietonowski, who is our aerobics coordinator received certification as a trainer for a number of classes.

This allows her to train not only our employees but other YMCA employees as well.

Congratulations to both of these people for their new certifications.

Congratulations for Bill Stuart who recorded the most steps taken during America on the Move Week. Bill took 186,198 steps for the week of September 23-30. Bill is a personal trainer here at the Auburn YMCA so he set a great example for all of the people that train under him.

The Auburn YMCA logged a total of 1.659,517 steps from 25 participants. This will be added to the national goal of 5 billion steps and I will let you know when we find out if we made it.

America on the Move week happens every year so be sure to sign up for it for next year and count your steps.

It costs nothing and is a lot of fun plus it really is interesting to see how many steps you can take in a week. It is all leading to a healthier lifestyle for everyone.

Hansinger is the assistant fitness director at the YMCA