By Holly Ward

Since 1889, the Pueblo YMCA (Y) has served our community through growing programs, memberships and connections that welcome everyone.

President and CEO Janelle Andrews have worked her way up through the organization in leadership. 

“I started my job at the YMCA as a frontline staff person at the customer service desk and teaching group exercise classes,” Andrews shared.

After college, Andrews worked in marketing and financial development for approximately seven years and later served as Vice President of Operations for 10 years. In addition, she has been CEO of the Pueblo YMCA for seven years.

“I have a strong foundation of all the internal workings, and now as CEO, I can easily go out to the community and talk about my passion for the organization and also understand all the inner workings of the day-to-day operations,” she said.

Located off the boulevard, the non-profit organization offers numerous recreational and community-building services for all ages.

“We are here for all, literally serving cradle to grave, a healthy environment to support spirit, mind, and body. It’s not just a gym. We are so much more,” Andrews gushed.

The Pueblo YMCA offers childcare services and programs for active older adults. 

“People come here for a treadmill or a swim lesson, but they stay because of the relationships they’ve built with another member or staff member,” Andrews said proudly.

The community has changed since the original founding of the Pueblo YMCA, but its mission is still the same. The organization has four core values: caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. The YMCA collaborates with like-minded organizations, such as Colorado State University Pueblo, to find ways to serve the communities in the city.

“Currently, we have our Junior ThunderWolf program with all our youth sports. Being able to align young athletes with college athletes and give college athletes the opportunity to give back to the youth is amazing,” she said.  

Andrews believes in the powerful opportunity for partnering with CSU Pueblo to create a positive impact. The Junior ThunderWolf program can inspire young athletes with the help of college athletes and see both athletics and college as possibilities for their future.

The YMCA also supports numerous young professionals and is one of the leading youth employers in the country. There are internship opportunities for college students at the Y.

Students can take the skills they’ve learned in the classroom and then apply them at the YMCA. Early Childhood Education majors can participate in the organization’s child development program. Exercise and Health Science majors may be interested in the organization’s health and wellness department.

Andrews mentioned, “If they fall in love with the Y like I did, it could potentially be a career for them, and the cool thing about the Y is it’s not just in Pueblo, so you can have a great experience here, and then life takes you to California or New York, and there are Y’s there. You can translate the experience that you had here, just in a different community.”