After 43 years working for the YMCA, Erika Wood is saying goodbye. As she looks forward to retirement, Wood is also looking back on her four-decade career that all started with a simple summer gig.
“The Y probably has given me more than I probably have given the Y,” said Wood. “I can’t imagine a better place to be for all these years.”
At just 12 years old, she started volunteering for the West Communities YMCA on the south side of Chicago with preschool programs.
“When you walked in, one of the first people that you met was Erika and her boundless enthusiasm and passion,” said Steve Dahlin, former Executive Director of West Communities YMCA who first hired Wood.
A lifelong calling
What began as youth volunteering turned into a lifelong calling. At 16, she would land her first job as a lifeguard and swim instructor, the first of many with the YMCA.
“The Y is anchored in communities to help make a difference,” said Wood. “Seeing a child read for the first time, seeing a senior be excited about their new fitness class, having a place for teens to come and play basketball, I love it.”
That passion led Wood to earn a degree in recreation before taking on various administrative roles. Her career took her to Denver for ten years before returning to the Chicago area, where she spent more than 15 years overseeing the local Safe ‘n Sound afterschool program.
“Really looking at intentionality around what was happening in a child’s after-school time, really taking our principles of the YMCA and fostering leadership in children and all those great things,” said Wood. “So I’m pretty proud of being able to contribute to those.”
Leading Naperville’s Fry Family YMCA
Wood eventually stepped into the executive director role for the Fry Family YMCA in south Naperville, motivated not by the title but by the desire to build meaningful programs and relationships within the community.
“She doesn’t just lead teams. She really shapes them,” said Shannon Payton, Operations Director for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago’s Safe ‘n Sound program. “She’s pushed us to aim higher, to never settle, never cut corners and always do great things.”
As Wood prepares to retire, colleagues and community leaders reflected on her lasting impact during a party in her honor.
“For years, you’ve been the heart of our why and have made this facility feel like a second home to so many in our community,” said Touline Elshafei, Fry Family YMCA Board Member.
The next chapter
Wood’s last day as the Fry Family YMCA’s executive director is July 3. While she plans to enjoy traveling with her husband in this next chapter, she says she’ll always stay connected to the community she helped grow.
“It will be a part of who I am forever,” Wood said.
If you have a story idea, we want to hear from you!