For Anthony Cory, membership with the YMCA goes beyond working out. It involves taking care of his health, providing experiences for his family, and making memories together.

His involvement with the Henry County YMCA can be traced back to his childhood. He worked out, used weight machines, and played basketball throughout high school, but his first memories go back even further.

Anthony recalls, “I would do the Kids Night Out on Fridays, and I will always remember the really nice girls who watched us and fed us Totino’s Party Pizza or Pizza Rolls.” Most notably, Anthony remembers, “My first experiences and memories of the YMCA are with my dad. We used to play racquetball together on the old courts of the Y on Church Street.”

Since then, Anthony married his wife, Rachel McGrady, had a son, Samuel, fostered four kids, taught elementary school, graduated with a master’s degree in nursing, and currently works at Community Hospital Anderson and the University of Indianapolis.

Through all these life events, Anthony has remained committed to his health. He shared, “The YMCA is helping me combat cardiovascular disease which runs in my family and which claimed my dad’s life at the early age of 49. Setting a positive example to my son by living out the message of the YMCA of a healthy mind, body, and spirit is extremely important to me.”

Over the years, Anthony has seen improvements. He expressed, “I just had my yearly wellness check, and blood work indicated that all of my levels are better especially my HDLs and LDLs, my cholesterol, and my overall weight. I attribute a lot of this to our membership at the Henry County YMCA!” While he does still enjoy the occasional visit to Taco Bell, he did say, “I would give up eating Taco Bell before I would consider ending my membership at the Y!”

Together, Anthony and his family make the most of their membership. Their son, Samuel attended the preschool three years ago and now plays soccer. Anthony’s mom, Annetta, teaches several classes. They use treadmills, weight machines, and the swimming pool. They also enjoy walking together on the trail. Anthony especially appreciates being able to create lasting memories.

“I bring my son to the YMCA where we play racquetball just like my dad I did when I was his age,” he shared.

It’s a membership that has seen Anthony through so many steps in life. Well beyond working out, Anthony’s dedication to the YMCA is providing a healthy lifestyle to be able to continue family traditions with the next generation.