Andrew Bagli Earns YMCA Spotlight

YMCA of Montclair, located on Park Street, has been serving the Montclair community for over a century. For the past 120 years, the YMCA has provided Montclair with endless services, in the form of Youth Development, Healthy Living and Social Responsibility. But this service would not have been possible without the dedication of the YMCA staff, who work hard everyday to make the YMCA the best it can be.

Andrew Bagli smiles for the community
Photo Courtesy of Lena Rawley

Andrew Bagli believes in our community.

Andrew Bagli, a seasonal employee at the YMCA, is one of those employees. Bagli has been working at the YMCA for three years now.

Bagli, 19, began his career at the YMCA when he was a sophomore in high school. He applied for the job simply wanting to earn some extra cash while also helping out others by working for a community-centered organization.

The job has turned out to be excellent for Andrew Bagli, currently a Public Health major at Syracuse University, because he’s realized he wants to do community-based work when he graduates.

As a seasonal employee, Andrew Bagli doesn’t work year-round, but instead works when he’s home during the summer and school breaks.

“I primarily help out in the Youth, Teen and Family Department,” shared Bagli. “I’m one of the supervisors here who helps out the program director by supervising all the youth sports classes and programs that are organized by the director.”

Andrew Bagli’s day at the YMCA is a long one.

“I get here around seven to help open our Teen Adventure Travel Camp. I then help out with some of the healthy living educational workshops,” explained Bagli. “Then I assist the Teen, Youth and Family director and our COO with different things that need to be taken care of around the building.”

Despite the hours, Bagli loves working at the YMCA and wouldn’t work at any other job. “I love working here,” said Bagli. “It’s such a great family environment. Everyone is so friendly and I love everybody I work with.”

Andrew Bagli’s favorite program at the YMCA is the Camp at the Lake. Having worked at the camp for three years, Bagli really had a chance to experience its greatness first hand.

“The first two years I worked there I was a counselor for five, six and seven year olds. My last year I was the Specialty Sports Director, which meant that I directed the campers to their sport activities for the day,” explained Bagli. “Working there was great. I got to be outside and work with some really great people. Kim Burrows, a program director at the Park Street branch, and Jim Goodger, the director of the Geyer Family Center, are just excellent people to work with.”

Andrew Bagli believes Camp at the Lake is vital to the community because it not only teaches kids important outdoor skills and social skills, but also gets them outside, which really allows for them to truly enjoy the beauty of summer.

“I think the Y is an excellent part of the Montclair community,” shared Bagli. “We offer programs for all ages, from as young as six months, down at the family center, to senior citzens, at the Park Street branch. It gives everyone in the community something to do.”

Andrew Bagli, a Montclair native, proves that YMCA only hires the best, brightest and most compassionate to serve the Montclair community.

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