Sigora Solar and the Waynesboro Family YMCA are teaming up on what will be the largest thermal solar installation in the state of Virginia.

The system will consist of 40 panels covering approximately 1,600 square feet of space mounted on custom-engineered and -built aluminum rack on the YMCA’s roof. The $103,000 project is being funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy under a program funded by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

The grant monies will be made available to the Y upon completion of the project in April. Bob and Patty Rouse of Waynesboro are providing the Y with a 0 percent loan to cover costs of the project until the grant monies are made available to the YMCA as reimbursement.

“I’m very excited to be partnering with Sigora Solar in Waynesboro and appreciative of the resources from the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. This is win-win for everyone,” YMCA executive director Jeff Fife said.

The thermal solar system will be tied in the building’s domestic hot-water and space-heating system and has the potential to save the YMCA $13,000 a year in energy costs, said Andy Bindea, the president of Sigora Solar, a Waynesboro-based company that began operations in the River Town complex in April.

“Projects such as the Waynesboro YMCA solar thermal energy project are fantastic for our community. They bring together local companies and contractors and benefit a local organization that does a significant amount of good for our community,” Bindea said.

For the Y project, SIgora designed a drain back solar thermal system with a pumping station and a 500-gallon custom built heat storage tank that will be installed in one of the Y’s mechanical rooms along with all the heat exchanges and automatized controls.

Once the system is operational, it will be fully automatic with minimal maintenance required – an estimated two to three hours a year.

The project has the enthusiastic support of the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy. Ken Jurman, the coordinator of the solar and wind incentive grant program, said the Y project “fits well within the scope and intent of Virginia energy policy to encourage renewable energy resources.

“I’m very pleased that this initiative is moving ahead – it’s exactly the kind of thing we want to encourage across the Commonwealth to move toward a sustainable energy future,” Jurman said.

Waynesboro City Councilman Tim Williams – a longtime YMCA member – is excited about the project and what it will do for the Y and for the Waynesboro community.

“This is a great opportunity for our city and the YMCA,” Williams said. “Renewable energy sources are inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and can provide the YMCA costs savings to improve and expand. the services they provide to the community. Congratulations to the leadership at the YMCA for aggressively seeking funding support through the Department of Mines, Minerals, and Energy and serving as a role model and hopefully a catalyst to green living in our city.”

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About the Project

- The Waynesboro YMCA solar thermal energy system is the biggest solar thermal energy project in the state of Virginia.

- The system will consist of 40 panels mounted on custom engineered and built aluminum rack on the building’s flat roof. Each panel has a surface area of 40 square feet bringing the system total to 1,600 square feet of collector area. The rated capacity of this system is 1.6 million BTU.

- The system will be tied in the building’s DHW (domestic hot water) and space heating system and has the potential to save our local YMCA $13,000 a year in energy costs.

- Sigora Solar has designed a “drain back” solar thermal system for the YMCA. This system will have clean fresh water as it’s working fluid. The design of the system allows the differential temperature controller to automatically drain the panels in freezing and overheating conditions. This eliminates the need for glycol/antifreeze as a working fluid.

- A pumping station and a 500 gallon custom built heat storage tank will be installed in one of the Y’s mechanical rooms along with all the heat exchanges and automatized controls. Once the system will be commissioned it will be fully automatic with minimal maintenance required – 2-3 hours a year.

- The project was made possible by a DMME (Virginia Department of Mines Mineral and Energy) grant. The funds for the grant came via the DOE from the ARRA funds.

- The system will be owned by the Waynesboro YMCA and maintained by Sigora Solar.

About the Waynesboro Family YMCA

- Since 1957, the Waynesboro Family YMCA has had a long-standing commitment to health and wellness, strengthening the community, and helping people grow in mind, body, and spirit. The Waynesboro Family YMCA has always provided a sense of belonging, people who care, and a choice of positive activities that build skills, teach values, as well as a place to just have fun. At the heart of our community, the YMCA goes beyond sports and recreation when it comes to building healthy individuals and communities. The YMCA serves all age and socio-economic populations and never turns anyone away due to their inability to pay. We served (unduplicated) over 10,000 people last year. We have the largest basketball program in the region, serving over 400 children annually in youth sports. We taught over 300 children to swim last year and we average over 250 people a day utilizing our fitness facility and programming. We are also a significant provider of child care in our community, providing high-quality, affordable care to over 100 children.

About Sigora Solar

- Sigora Solar is a Waynesboro-based solar integrator, a contractor that designs and installs solar energy systems both photo-voltaic (PV electricity producing systems) and thermal (domestic hot water and space heating systems). The company takes care of all aspects of a solar energy system installation beginning with solar site analysis, energy consumption audit, system sizing, system design, engineering, permitting, hands on installation, commissioning and finishing with monitoring, maintenance and warranty.

- Sigora Solar is a local start-up that has been in business since April 2011. The company’s HQ/shop/warehouse is located in a 12,000-square-foot building in the River Town complex. The two-story historic industrial building is easily recognized by the 34.2 KWp (roughly 3000 square feet of south facing roof) photo-voltaic solar energy system that Sigora Solar has installed as part of our “we practice what we preach” mantra. The system is by far the biggest system installed on the HQ/building/warehouse of any solar installer in Virginia (until now 12 KWp was the biggest one) and one of the biggest in the nation. All the energy that Sigora Solar uses comes from clean, green, renewable energy produced right on our roof top. The system generates enough surplus, above our usage, that it can fully power 3 average homes.

- The company’s core crew is Andy Bindea, owner and president, Shawn Cooke, chief of operations, Chis Sine, certified solar energy technician, and Allen McCown, sales administrator.

Generally in USA Sanctioned Age Group Level Swim Meets all swimmers compete based on their age on the first day of the meet. The age groups are broken down into 8 and under, 9-10, 11-12 13-14 and 15 and over. In this meet the age groups were switched so the swimmers competed in age groups 7 and under 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, and 14 and over.

The following SMAC swimmers participated in the meet: Alexis Brooks (15), Peyton Brooks (11), Bobby Carey (14), Chris Carmagnola (12), Lindsey Carter (15), Mackenzie Carter (12), Maya Chatterson (8), Nate Chatterson (6), Hailey Cook (10), Megan Cross (6), Braelin Fauber (10), McKinna Fitgerald (12), Miles Fitzgerald (8), Grace Hardiman (8), Colleen Higgins (13), Kristen Holman (11), Norah Hunt (13), Caleb Johnson (11), Ethan Johnson (10), Sarah Loomis (11), Hunter McMillion (14), Justin Merritt (14), Jordan Miller (13), Cody Niles (16), Ashley Painter (8), Ella Pickering (10), Ben Prucha (9), John Prucha (7), Clara Riggan (9), Maggie Riggan (13), Charlotte Rumsey (11), Eli Scarbrough (7), Jackson Sherman (7), Hanna Shifflett (10), Tate Snyder (11), Robin Taylor (15), Madison Tegen (15), Logan Terrell (13), Elizabeth Terrell (13), Mattie Tindall (10), Sam Tindall (8), Evelyn Wade (9), Kaleb Wade (11), Nick Wade (14), Kristen Wagner (9), Emma Woodworth (9) Ben Young (8), Libby Young (11) and Luke Young (9).

SMAC brought 48 swimmers to the meet and virtually all had at least 1 best time and many swimmers had multiple best times. The swimmers with 4 new personal best times included: M. Chatterson, H. Cook, M. Fitzgerald, C. Johnson, E. Johnson, C. Rumsey, K Wade, N. Wade, and B. Young. E. Pickering, J. Sherman and L. Young had 5 new best times while S. Loomis, E. Woodworth and E. Terrell had 6 best times. Hanna Shifflett led the Team with an amazing 7 new personal best times for the meet.

SMAC not only had tons of best times they also won many events. The following swimmers picked up first place finishes: Arnold (Open – 1000 free), P. Brooks (boys 10/11 – 50 breast and 400 IM), M. Chatterson (girls 8/9 – 50 free and 100 IM), Hunt (girls 12/13 – 1000 free), C. Johnson (boys 10/11 – 1000 free, 50 fly and 100 fly), H. McMillon (boys open – 1000 free), J. Merritt (boys open – 200 back and 200 fly), J. Prucha an amazing 8 first place finishes in the boys 7 and under – 25, 50, 100 and 200 free, 25, 50 and 100 back, and 25 breast, C. Rumsey (girls 10/11 – 200 IM), M. Tegen (girls open – 100 back), L. Terrell (girls 12/13 – 500 free, 200 back and 200 IM), N. Wade (boys open – 100 free), K. Wagner (girls 8/9 – 200 free, 50 back, 100 breast, 200 IM, and 400 IM) and E. Woodworth (girls 8/9 – 100 free).

SMAC swimmers are now in the process of gearing up for the Virginia Swimming district, regional and state championship meets. These meets will be a chance for the swimmers to show how much they have improved over the course of the year. The meets will conclude the short course season (meets swam in 25 yard pools) for all of the swimmers except those that can qualify for the National level meets.

For more information regarding SMAC swimming contact Coach Norm Wright, Director of Competitive Swimming at the Waynesboro Y at 942-5107 or email him at normw@smacswimming.org. For more information about SMAC, visit their website: www.smacswimming.org.

Event Photos

 
Above Left: Elizabeth Terrell (13) starting the 100 backstroke.
Above Right: Madison Tegen (15) after finishing 500 free.

Take a virtual tour of the Waynesboro Family YMCA with Executive Director Jeff Fife.

Thanks to Augusta Free Press for filming and production of the Virtual Tour video.

Chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, bad cholesterol and high blood pressure account for more than 75 percent of the $2.5 trillion the U.S. spends annually on health care, according to data from the Department of Health and Human Services. Cigarette smoking, 10 percent more prevalent among Medicaid enrollees than the population at large, according to the National Center for Health Statistics, and is also the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.

Medicaid recipients who commit to a healthier lifestyle by visiting the Waynesboro Family YMCA twice per week will receive a free membership, plus, have access to the fitness facility, pool and gyms, along with membership rates for youth development programming such as childcare, swimming lessons, and youth sports.

This incentivized health care program reflects a sharpening emphasis on the role of preventive health in targeting the underlying causes of chronic disease which is a central pillar of the Affordable Care Act agenda. “This allows the Y to provide programs and activities to more children and families.” says Nikki Brown, Community Relations Director of the Y, “It is our hope to impact preventable diseases in our community by providing this service.”

For details, contact Nikki Brown at the Waynesboro Family YMCA at 540-943-9622 ext. 204.

On Monday, Jan. 30, a LifeFitness sales rep will be on hand at the Y to respond to your questions on the machines and how to use them.

The sales rep will be available to talk about the equipment from 4:30-6 p.m.

Please check out the YMCA Facebook page which will have updates throughout the day on programming.

I’d argue that ‘rebranding’ is not just for corporations and non-profits, but an excellent exercise for individuals as well. So throw out the old New Years Resolutions that might last you the first few months of this year – and create a new brand for yourself. What do you believe in? What core values are most critical to you? How do I want my friends and family to view me? Who do I want to be when I ‘grow up’? What do I want to accomplish while I’m here?

With anything worth doing, this requires some investment of time. The first exercise I’d suggest is a recommendation from Steven Covey – straight from the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Write your own mission statement. This will help refocus your goals and direction. It will help define what you believe in most and help guide you as critical decisions need to be made. This is just a first draft – and the New Year is great time for reflection and putting in additional drafts every year. This is also a great ‘diary’ for your children. Make sure someone close to you knows where this document is because it will serve as a great teaching tool for your children once you’re gone. My second recommendation also comes from Covey – write your eulogy. This will give you a sense of how you want people to view you when you are gone. The third recommendation is pure Fife – get in a quiet place and listen to Train’s “I Am”. Then answer all the questions the artist is asking of himself. “Am I the father that I think I am, am I the man I think I want to be, am I the son I think I am” It’s worth a listen. Compare the documents, are you behaving in the same manner that is both consistent with your core beliefs and the way you want people to remember you when you are gone?

The Y’s refocused effort comes into three focus areas. 2012 will bring programming directed at Youth Development, Healthy Living, and Social Responsibility. We’re dedicated to serving the community in these core areas for generations to come. Where are you going to focus your efforts in 2012? How will you be remembered? Let the journey begin!

Children with disabilities want to “play” just like everyone else, regardless of ability or disability. EPEW provides a program that is designed around the needs of each child and allows them to achieve a high level of success. Whether its throwing and catching, dribbling or striking, this motor skill development program meets the unique needs of any child who wishes to run, walk, wheel, or crawl into the gym. “If you think your child CAN’T DO THIS, bring them and we will show you they can.”

EPEW Adapted Aquatics Program is an aquatics program designed to meet the swimming needs of children with disabilities. Whether you want your child to be more comfortable in the water, learn functional swimming skills, or work on improving their strokes – this program will meet their needs. Each child will have his or her own swimming program and will have an instructor working with them to ensure safety and success. SPACE IS LIMITED due to staffing needs – so please register your child ASAP.

EPEW Fitness Program is an individualized fitness program for children and adults with disabilities. Whether you are looking for someone to design individualized workouts, provide one on one assistance during workouts, or to engage in a small group fitness program – this program is for you.

Program dates

January 10th – Jan. 31st & February 7th – Feb 28th

Contact the Y at 540.943.9622 or make an appointment online at www.vadonor.com (sponsor code: YMCA).

Walk-ins welcome.

Free T-shirts for all donors.