Vanderbilt Y Celebrates "Two Chapters"
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THE VANDERBILT YMCA HONORS TWO CHAPTERS OF THEIR STORY Ginette Thomas & Denise Romain Celebrate 35 Years of Service
By LeeAnn Kelley
Every day is a new story at the Vanderbilt YMCA and this month we celebrate two Member Service Representatives
who have held these stories together for 35 years. Ginette Thomas and Denise Romain were honored for their incredible
years of service at the YMCA of Greater NY Staff Recognition Luncheon held on January 22nd at the Plataforma
Churrascarria Restaurant. Being hired within two months of each other, both women also originate from Haiti, speak
French, and have become prominent faces on the membership team. Though Denise closes the Y at night and Ginette
opens the next morning, these colleagues and close friends work as a team to ensure that members, guests, and staff
have a smooth start each day.
Ginette began her career at the Vanderbilt Y in August of 1977 to support her family
while attending night school. She was hired in the Residence Department, but has
since served as a Lifeguard, Switchboard Operator, and now a Member Service
Representative. Members of her own family, including her two sons, have held
positions at Vanderbilt over the years. She has experienced some great moments in
her career, including visits by Tipper Gore, Sean Penn, and Mayor Bloomberg.
Though, she has also faced some darker times in the city’s history when she tirelessly
focused her efforts to connect hotel guests and members with their loved ones on
9/11 while working the switchboard. Through it all Ginette remains dedicated to
members and staff who are like family to her, being just one of the many reasons
she says, “I hold the Y very dear to my heart.”
Denise Romain was hired just two months after Ginette in October of 1977 in the
Membership Department. It was the people she met when visiting NYC that
convinced her to make it her permanent home. Denise’s son and daughter grew up in
the Y, taking swim lessons and participating in Day Camp. Being a native French
speaker and having picked up the basics of other languages while working at the
desk, Denise quickly breaks language barriers with guests. The kindness and
patience she extends to guests stems from her own experience of being looked after
her first time in NYC. She says, “The way you want it to be for yourself, you want
to do for others.” As Denise plans to retire in the near future, she knows leaving
will be difficult explaining, “The YMCA is like home for me, it’s a part of me.”
Ginette and Denise truly exemplify the service, kindness, and dedication of the
Vanderbilt YMCA and we thank them for their 35 years of service. With each new
story every day brings, Ginette’s beginning and Denise’s ending chapters help to
make it a good one.
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Jack Lund (CEO & President of YMCA of Greater NY) & Ginette Thomas at the Staff Recognition Luncheon
Denise Romain (who was unable to attend the Luncheon event) ready to go at the start of her shift