A relatively new community group got a boost this year when it joined forces with the Monroe County YMCA. 

The group known as Team BOLD just ended its first session at the Y after the pandemic delayed it a few times. 

“The Y always tries to partner with the community,” Monroe County YMCA Health and Wellness Director David Cox said. “We heard about this program, and we were excited to bring something like it under our umbrella because we’d never had anything like it before. They’ve done a really good job at other locations, and we were hoping to mirror that success here.”

The team began last year after a summer camp run by Fast Fitness in the Loo. 

The group is geared toward girls in grades 3-8, and it continued after the summer. 

It is perhaps best known for raising money to help Eleanor Krebel and her family last fall through a benefit car wash. 

“It’s all about community involvement,” certified life coach Amy Wagenknecht, who leads the team, said. “Our mission is to live kindly, live boldly, and live with intention. Those are the same values that the Y represents.” 

Over the seven weeks BOLD has been working with the Y, it has held weekly 90-minute meetings in addition to planning community service activities like a community dog walk set for April 17. 

“It involves the lesson that builds their confidence and helps them deal with the stress and struggles middle school girls deal with on a daily basis,” Wagenknecht explained. “Then we add in the workout.” 

Christene Baldwin, Fast Fitness in the Loo owner, and YMCA fitness instructor Amy Carver lead that portion of each meeting. 

The group is now taking a brief hiatus before launching again in a few weeks. It will also have another summer camp this year. There will only be 10-15 open slots for the next session at the Y.

More information is available at the Y, on the Y’s Facebook page or at amywagenknecht.com/team-bold. 

Individuals can also email Wagenknecht at amybarecoach@gmail.com or Cox at david.cox@gwrymca.org to learn more. 

“A young girl’s life is hard enough with all the societal pressures, but then you add in all the things that are going on with COVID, it’s just nice that they have a chance to connect in this way,” Cox said. 

“They need the physical exercise, and a lot of kids have not been getting that, especially because of COVID,” Wagenknecht added. “There’s just a lot of things girls are dealing with mentally right now. BOLD goes over having a positive mind set, body image, friendship and a number of topics that help them grow.” 

The next session of BOLD begins April 7 and ends May 19.