The Portage Township YMCA, 3100 Willowcreek Road, offers the following programs. For details, call (219) 762-9622 or visit the Web site at www.ymcaofportage.org.

T-BALL

The Portage Township YMCA will hold a T-Ball League for players 3 to 5 years old. The registration deadline is May 5 for the league that will run from May 12 to June 21. Practices and games will be on the field behind Real Life Community Church, 3134 Swanson Road. There will be a one-hour practice once a week, and games will be on Saturday and will take about 45 to 60 minutes. The cost is $25 for Primary Plus YMCA members, $33 for Primary members and $66 for others. Volunteer coaches are needed.

FYI: Call Ryan Penrod at (219) 762-9622 or ryan@ymcaofportage.org.

CAMP COUNSELOR AUDITIONS

The Portage Township YMCA will hold auditions for prospective camp counselors at 10 a.m. May 15 in the YMCA gymnasium, 3100 Willowcreek Road. Applications are available at the YMCA and must be returned by May 12. Winners of the camp counselor auditions will be hired to be responsible for the supervision, care and leadership of a group of school-age children in a summer camp environment. Requirements include being an energetic, positive, reliable role model who has leadership experience with children and possesses specialized skills in at least two of the following areas: athletics, drama, music, organized games, social recreation, arts and crafts, and cooking.

FYI: Call Janice Krebs, youth services coordinator at (219) 762-9622 or jan@ymcaofportage.org.

TEETER TOTTER TOTS

The Portage Township YMCA is starting a new toddler program for youngsters 1 1/2 to 3 years old and their accompanying adults. The first class will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon May 6 at the YMCA, 3100 Willowcreek Road. Bernadette Burrell, who is certified to teach regular and special education, will lead the class. Children will be introduced to a group setting and learn social skills. Stories will be read to stimulate cognitive abilities and imagination. Crafts will focus on the theme of the story to enforce comprehension and work on fine motor skills. Structured play time will focus on gross motor skills, modeling, socialization and imagination. Snacks will be provided to introduce children to good nutritional habits. The class will have at least five and no more than 12 children. The cost is $17 for Primary Plus YMCA members, $24 for Primary members and $48 for others.

FYI: Call (219) 762-9622.

FREE FAMILY SWIM

The Portage Township YMCA will offer a free family swim night from 4 to 8:45 p.m. May 7 at the Portage High School West pool, 6400 E. U.S. 6. The free family swims are the first Wednesday of each month. Membership is not required. This is unstructured swim time for families to play, exercise or practice swimming skills. Swimmers are encouraged to bring their own water toys (no snorkels or rafts). Children younger than 10 years must have adult supervision on the deck, while children 6 years and younger must have direct adult supervision and contact in the water. Locker rooms and showers are available for 15 minutes before and after pool hours. Swimmers need to provide their own locks. YMCA aquatics staff act as life guards for the family swims.

FYI: Call 762-9622.

SUMMER DAY CAMP

The Portage Township YMCA will offer Adventure Camp and Summerz-R-WILD Day Camp during the summer. This summer there are 10 weeks of Day Camp that will meet from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting June 9 and ending Aug. 15. For families wishing to use camp as a child care program, the Portage Township YMCA also provides before- and after-camp care called extended care. The camps are designed children in kindergarten through eighth grade and feature various value-centered experiences and fun activities. All campers need to bring a swimsuit and towel. Portage Township Schools provides free breakfasts for those campers who arrive before 7:30 a.m. and provides free lunches for all campers. If you choose to send a sack lunch and beverage to camp, for safety reasons, no glass bottles are permitted. There is a nonrefundable registration fee of $15, and a YMCA membership is required. The cost for camp only is $16 per child per day ($11.20 for Primary Plus members) or $70 per

child per week ($49 for Primary Plus members).

The cost for camp with extended care, which meets from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., is $85 for the first child in the family per week ($59.50 for Primary Plus members) with discounted rates for the second and third child residing in the same house (on the $59.50 rate for Primary Plus members, there are no further savings for additional children). A per-day rate of $19 per child ($13.30 for Primary Plus members) is available with no further savings for additional children.

FYI: Call Janice Krebs at (219) 762-9622 or e-mail jan@ymcaofportage.org.

TEEN NIGHT

Portage Township YMCA, 3100 Willowcreek Road, will offer a Teen Night for Willowcreek Middle School on May 9. Activities will include basketball, volleyball, pingpong, racquetball, pool and foosball. Enjoy the new YMCA gymnasium or just hang out and enjoy a movie. Food, such as pizza and nachos, and beverages will be available for purchase. Teen Nights have designated dates for different schools. Nativity of Our Savior Catholic School's night is May 16. Cost for admission is $2 for YMCA Members and $4 for others.

FYI: Call Christy Cantrell, teen and senior coordinator at (219) 762-9622 or christy@ymcaofportage.org.

PRESCHOOL ACADEMY DAY CAMP

The Preschool Academy Day Camp is a first-camp experience for 3- to 5-year-olds who have not yet attended kindergarten. Camp is held at the Portage Township YMCA building, 3100 Willowcreek Road, and playground area and is led by the YMCA preschool staff. The campers will participate in hands-on discovery, learning and fun. Each camper will help make a snack each day of camp. Ability to use the restroom independently and a YMCA membership are required.

There are two sessions this summer, and each one is for two weeks. A minimum of eight campers per camp must be registered by June 2 for the first session (which runs from June 9 to June 20) and by June 30 for the second session (which runs from July 7 to July 18).

The 3- to 4-year-olds attend from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the cost for a two-week session is $ 24.50 for Primary Plus YMCA members or $35 for Primary YMCA members. That includes the registration fee.

The 4- to 5-year-olds attend from 9:30 a.m. to noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The cost for a two-week session is $31.50 for Primary Plus YMCA members or $45 for Primary YMCA members. That includes the registration fee.

FYI: Call Janice Krebs, youth services coordinator, at (219) 762-9622 or jan@ymcaofportage.org.

WALK THE 'Y' WEIGH

The Portage Township YMCA is offering a new program designed to combine an exercise and weight loss program. Walk the "Y" Weigh will meet from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays or from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Thursdays at the YMCA, 3100 Willowcreek Road. The participants will walk and do strength and flexibility training to get their weight-loss programs on track. The second component will be weight-loss education, counseling, and weigh-ins to keep their weight-loss program on track. Walk the "Y" Weigh will start by the cardio desk and meet in the cardio room, the track, the aerobic room and the upstairs conference area. The cost of the program is free for Primary Plus members, $20 a month for Primary members and $40 a month for others.

FYI: Call Sue Fingerhoot, certified lifestyles coordinator, at (219) 263-7240.

PRESCHOOL ACADEMIES

The Portage Township YMCA is now accepting registrations for the 2008-2009 preschool academies. All classes will meet in the newly remodeled and secured preschool academy wing of the YMCA building, 3100 Willowcreek Road. The nine-month program serves children who are one or two years away from starting kindergarten. The child must be able to use the restroom independently, and a YMCA membership is required.

Class size is limited to 16 children in the two-day-a-week classes and 18 children in the class that meets three days each week. Since space is limited, prompt registration is encouraged. The twice-weekly classes meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The child must be 3 years old on or before Aug. 1. The thrice-weekly classes meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The child must be 4 years old on or before Aug. 1. A nonrefundable registration fee of $20 is required. The fee for the twice-weekly class is $45 for Primary Plus members and $50 per month for Primary members. The fee for the thrice-weekly class is $67.80 per month for Primary Plus members and $75 per month for Primary members. A Primary YMCA membership costs $64 per year. The cost of a Primary Plus membership varies according to age and number of household members.

FYI: Call (219) 762-9622.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

The Portage Township YMCA offers volunteer opportunities. Residents interested in volunteering as referees, coaches, scorekeepers or in other capacities are encouraged to contact Ryan Penrod at the YMCA. Volunteer applications for the sports programs are available at the YMCA, 3100 Willowcreek Road. Information about YMCA programs is available at www.ymcaofportage.org.

FYI: Call (219) 762-9622.