Meet YMCA Members: Cindy & Mike

Mike and Cindy agree that one of their favorite parts of attending classes at the Y is arriving a few minutes early to chat with fellow classmates. It was during one of those pre-class sessions that the two of them met and struck up a conversation about making music, a favorite pastime for both. 

Mike was looking for someone to put vocals down on some of the tracks he’d written and Cindy happened to be a singer. In that first year, they produced an Americana/country album and then a rock album. For Mike, finding a new bandmate is just one example of how the Y cultivates a sense of community. 

“For my wife and I, the Y is our social life,” Mike says. “We’ve met so many cool people here and made so many good friends. And [fitness instructors] Meighan and Kelly create such a welcoming atmosphere and the whole class emulates that.” 

Cindy’s made a great group of friends at the Y, too. In fact, one of the bands she is in, Candygram, recently played a show at the Union Club and a bunch of her Y classmates attended. 

“We really look out for each other,” Cindy says. “I felt like half of the Y was there cheering me on.” 

These days, Cindy and Mike have formed a new punk rock band called Cinder with two other musicians. They both agree that they probably wouldn’t be playing together if not for the Y, and not just because that’s where they met. 

“The Y helps me feel good physically and that makes me feel young and vibrant, which makes me want to make music,” Cindy says. “If you’re in survival mode all of the time you don’t want to write songs.” 

In May, Cinder played their first live show at Free Cycles. Mike was quick to note that the show ended at 10:00 p.m., which was important because it meant that he and his wife were still able to get up early the next morning to get a workout in at the Y.