Day: September 15, 2022

Meet the Y Team: Cameron Cudnohowski

Posted on Updated on by Katie Anderson

Here at the Y, we have a great team of staff members! We’d love for you to put a face to a name and get to know them a little better. 
Each month, we will feature a different director from either our Pabst Farms or Watertown branch locations.
We hope you enjoy this new opportunity to meet our incredible Y Team! 

This month, we’d like you to meet…

Youth Program Director at the Watertown Area YMCA, Cameron Cudnohowski.

Cameron wears many different hats at the Y, but does so with lots of enthusiasm! Here’s a bit more about Cameron…

How long have you worked for the Y? June 2016

My job at the Y is:

Youth Sports Director; Supervisor of the Managers on Duty; Supervisor of the Youth/Teen Room; Supervisor of the Gymnasium; Personal Trainer; Group Exercise Instructor; Responsible for the Maintenance of the Weight Machines; Manager of the Watertown YMCA Facebook/Instagram Account

Pets: An English Cream Golden Retriever named “Thor”

Hobbies include: Jiu Jitsu, Skateboarding, Frisbee Golfing…

I work for the Y because: The Y family is the best part about working with this organization.

Favorite music: Metal and Hard Rock, my favorites are Metallica and Pantera.

Favorite movie: Jurassic Park

The most fun part about my job is: Interacting with everyone on the daily, and playing basketball with the Shuler boys.

Favorite sports team: Forever a New England Patriots fan, but Tom Brady is my favorite athlete.

Favorite restaurant: Fiesta Cancun is where my fiancé and I had our first date, but wherever I can get a margarita and a burrito.

The most meaningful part of my job is: Bringing joy to the individuals I interact with directly/indirectly with my job duties, whether its helping someone achieve their goals through fitness our providing someone a spot on a sports team with their friends.

Favorite way to relax: Cooking dinner and watching cooking shows

Favorite holiday: Halloween. I love the colors, apple picking, corn mazes, pumpkins, caramel apples, breezy weather, scary movies, and costume parties.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned while working at the Y is: Patience.

Back to School Food Safety Tips

Posted on Updated on by Katie Anderson

Sara Dow is a ACE Certified Weight Management and Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is also a ACE Certified Personal Trainer and Small Group Trainer at the Y. Twice a month, her blog posts will feature nutrition education, a healthy recipe she has tried and loves, and tips to help you achieve your health goals, as well as answers centered around a nutrition question from a Y member.

September is national food safety education month! Of the estimated 42,000 annual cases of salmonella food poisoning, almost 50% occur in infants and school-aged children. Check out these back-to-school food safety tips to help prevent foodborne illness in the lunchroom.

Handwashing: This is the first and easiest step for avoiding foodborne illness.  Before eating, children should wash their hands for 20 seconds with warm soapy water. Have them sing the ABCs twice while washing if they sometimes finish early. Pack hand wipes or 60 percent alcohol-based hand sanitizer if water and soap are unavailable.

Insulated container: Perishable food can be unsafe to eat by lunchtime if packed in a paper bag. Use an insulated lunch bag or box instead. 

Keep cold lunch cold: Pack a cold lunch with two freezer packs to keep it at a safe temperature of 40°F or below. Frozen juice boxes (or water bottles) can be used as freezer packs. By lunchtime, the juice should be thawed and ready to drink! If the classroom has a refrigerator, store the lunchbox with the lid open so that the cold air can circulate.

Keep hot lunch hot: If packing a hot lunch, such as soup, chili, or stew, use an insulated container to keep it hot.  Fill the container with boiling water, let it stand for a few minutes, empty it, then fill it with piping hot food. Tell your child to keep the insulated container closed until lunchtime to keep the food at a safe temp of 140°F or above.   

Children are the most vulnerable to food poisoning, so it’s essential to take extra precautions to keep them safe.  Check out this infographic with back-to-school safety tips from foodsafety.gov.  I found it so helpful that I printed it and posted it on my refrigerator!

For healthy back-to-school meal and snack ideas, check out my previous post, Smart Nutrition for Academic Success.

I hope your little ones enjoy a safe and healthy school year!

About Sara Dow

Hi, I’m Sara and I am passionate about helping people improve their quality of life through the knowledge and practice of good nutrition.  

In 2018, I was inspired by the YMCA community to go back to school and pursue my dream of becoming a registered dietitian. I am now in my senior year, double majoring in Nutrition and Dietetics at Kansas State University.  I am excited to share with you what I am learning. 

Email Sara