Meet Lisa Rushton, committed donor and staff at YMCA Calgary. Relocating from Vancouver to Calgary nearly a decade ago marked the start of her tenure with the YMCA, coinciding with the opening of Remington YMCA at Quarry Park. From day one, Lisa's dedication to fostering a culture of wellness has shone brightly through her role as Head Personal Trainer, inspiring others to embrace healthier lifestyles.
For Lisa, the YMCA represents more than a workplace - it's a vibrant community thriving with shared passions. While it was her love of fitness that inspired her to apply to work at the YMCA, it’s the people that keep her coming back; the support she receives from the fitness community mirrors the dedication she pours into it. Among her many fitness loves, cycling stands out as her "fitness baby," a workout she firmly believes unites people: “You can get everyone together of different levels and abilities and all ride together.”
In November, Lisa had the opportunity to share her passion for cycling with the community during the first ever Cycle-a-Thon at Remington YMCA in Quarry Park. Led by the Health and Fitness team, the eight-hour cycling marathon harnessed the love of spin to inspire passion and ignite potential in others while raising money for the YMCA’s Let's Raise campaign, providing subsidies for child and adult memberships so no one is turned away.
But Lisa's involvement with the Cycle-a-Thon, as both a participant and donor, went beyond just raising money through cycling; it was a tribute to her late mother, whose impact on her continues to be far-reaching. In January of 2023, her mother passed away suddenly, leaving a legacy of love behind for her family but also massive heartbreak at the unexpected loss. When the fitness community caught wind of this, they rallied with Lisa to ride in tribute to her mother at the Cycle-a-Thon.
The event's astounding success, raising over $13,000, affirmed the community's dedication to helping ensure no one is turned away from the YMCA and the passion and love the YMCA community shows for one another: a community that rides together, stays together.
Lisa's unwavering dedication to giving back stems from a deep sense of community and empathy. Through her interactions with clients, she doesn't just train people; she shares stories, listens, and empathizes. “Being able to do what I love and to share that with people – it's pretty awesome,” she says. “The Y is a very safe and welcoming place.”
Her own experiences with the YMCA, particularly witnessing the transformative impact on her daughter during summers at Camp Chief Hector - an aura of excitement and self-discovery - that both Lisa and her mother excitedly saw in Lisa’s daughter after summers spent at camp, emphasized her belief that every child deserves the same enriching opportunities. This inspires her to give back to the YMCA to help provide those opportunities: “I want to do more; I think all kids should go to camp!”
For Lisa, the YMCA is more than a gym; it's a home, a place to acknowledge and inspire everyone's journey. Her commitment goes beyond the workout routines, recognizing names, stories, and dreams. Lisa thrives on taking these stories and dreams and igniting the community’s potential.
Lisa's story encourages others to join in this transformative journey, where generosity, compassion, and community spirit intertwine to create a healthier, safer, and more vibrant environment for all: “I want to make sure that the doors stay open; I want to be part of it.”
If you feel inspired by Lisa's story and want to help ignite the potential in your community, visit www.ymcacalgary.org/ways-give.