Summer 2017 Member Spotlight: Monica Bajaj (and family!)
To me and my family, the YWCA has been a safe and nurturing place to learn, grow, and create new friendships. Growing up in India, I was very athletic and when we moved to Gettysburg, the YWCA was the perfect place to begin my disport and the acculturation process in this country. My journey began here even before I understood the mission of the YWCA. Dance aerobics was one of the first fitness classes I took, and thus my love for play and workout continued in America.
When our family started to grow in 1993, we took advantage of the affordable child-care. Our daughter was taken care of by loving staff, while I was able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This institution even prepared our daughter Radhika for school. She was enrolled in the Terrific 2s and 3s program and was encouraged to socialize, try new things, and apply the skills she was taught. Over the course of her preschool years, I made friends with the other moms and continue to be friends decades later. Radhika tried a variety of activities, including gymnastics, dance, swimming and summer camps. When our second daughter, Meera, came along, she also ventured into these activities.
With a YWCA membership, it becomes easy to keep active and grow in spirit, mind, and body. As I made exercise a part of my daily routine, I took a variety of classes like body sculpting, toning, power hour, yoga, spin, and Zumba, to name a few. It seems I never get too comfortable with one thing. I’m always looking for a new challenge. As Sylvester Stallone says, “there are a lot of mountains to climb out there.” I never swam as a kid, and my newest challenge has been to swim well and do laps in the pool.
Lately, I am learning that the YWCA not only offers an innovative blend of physical activity and a healthy lifestyle, but is also involved in social issues. It plays an active role in the community in bringing about crucial social changes. I feel fortunate that I am slowly getting involved in such community-based programs that provide knowledge and support.
I am currently working on my doctorate in adult education, and last year I had an opportunity to conduct my community education series at the YWCA. The two-part series emphasized on class and race in America. In pursuit of the mission of the YWCA, I am getting more involved in some other aspects of the community, such as International Day, recent forums on racial profiling and human trafficking, and the Adams County Human Relations Council. In the coming years, I want to continue to volunteer to create real change for women and families in our small community. The YWCA has brought many perspectives to my life, and I am better because of it. It has given me friends, an opportunity to engage in physical activity, a sense of belonging in my new home country, and a strong advocacy voice for women.