SMITHFIELD, R.I. (WJAR) — A new wellness program at the Smithfield YMCA is giving members a different way to unwind: a floating sound bath where you can relax on specialized water mats.
“What did people say afterwards? They said they felt yoga drunk and very Zen,” said Shauna Lewis, the Smithfield YMCA’s chief executive officer.
Lewis said the YMCA’s role in the community goes beyond fitness.
Shauna Lewis, the Smithfield YMCA’s chief executive officer, spoke with NBC 10’s Patrice Wood about the new programs. (WJAR)
“There are so many people who say this place saved them. They were in a dark place mentally or something tragic happened in their lives and the Y has been there for them,” she said.
Along with traditional offerings such as swimming lessons and camps, the Smithfield YMCA also provides a range of community-focused programs and services, including knitting classes, a fully stocked food pantry, and financial assistance and advice.
For campers, the YMCA is a place to train, play and build confidence.
Ava Esses, a YMCA camper, said she is preparing for a triathlon.
“I’m doing this triathlon and it’s called ‘Race for Chase.’ They train us so well and we always get to go in the pool and swim afterwards,” Esses said.
Rhonda DiGilio, a Smithfield YMCA volunteer, said her connection to the YMCA began when she brought her nephew to swimming lessons.
DiGilio’s nephew is blind. He said the experience made a lasting impression.
“The aquatics instructor was so amazing and he was so thrilled,” she said.
People in a floating sound bath on specialized water mats. (WJAR)
DiGilio said that experience helped launch her own health journey. She began working out and lost 100 pounds. Now, she volunteers at the YMCA and encourages others to stick with their goals.
“It’ll get easier. Keep pumping. Keep trying. Keep doing it,” DiGilio said.
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