NEWSLETTER
read about Sonia welcher and her incredible weight-loss journey, the importance of sleep and so much more!!
WAYNESBORO FAMILY YMCA
AUGUST 2026
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Andy Shaw has played a lot of music over the years. Country. Rock. Bluegrass. Gospel. He’s warmed up for country legends and spent countless nights with a bass guitar in his hands. His relationship with music began when he was young. Over the years, he played with several bands, including Southern Strings, and The Midnight Special. His bands even warmed up for major country artists such as George Jones, John Anderson and Conway Twitty. "I was on the swinging tour, man," Shaw joked. For Shaw, playing music has always been a kind of escape. "It's my zone," he said. "It's where I feel very comfortable." Now, in retirement, Shaw has found himself with a new gig. This one is at the Waynesboro Family YMCA and instead of a bass guitar, he's picking up weights. Shaw and his wife of 43 years, Cindy, joined The WFYMCA shortly after retiring in May following a 40-year career at a machine shop. Shaw found himself spending the final years of his career behind a desk. The work was demanding, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when supply-chain problems made an already stressful purchasing job even more difficult. By the time he retired, Shaw knew he needed a change. "I was tired a lot," he said. "Whenever I got home, I would just eat, and basically crash in front of the TV." He had also started noticing that he wasn't as strong or steady as he once was. He remembers realizing something was wrong when he could no longer do practical things he had once taken for granted, like putting air conditioners in his mother's windows. "I knew right away that I needed to do something," Shaw said. Shaw also realized he was still recovering from a past medical emergency. In 2021, he underwent brain surgery to remove a noncancerous pituitary tumor that had affected his vision. The tumor had expanded into his optic nerves, and Shaw temporarily lost his sight. The surgery and recovery were difficult, but he regained his vision and remains grateful for the doctors, his family - which includes his daughter Lindsey, her husband Jared and their two children - and "The good Lord," he said. Retirement has finally given Shaw the chance to put energy back into himself. Shaw quickly found his groove and began to notice improvements in his balance and endurance. He can work in his yard longer without getting tired, and activities that once felt difficult are becoming easier. "I didn't realize how out of shape I was until I actually started trying to push weights again," he said. For a man who spent much of his life surrounded by other people, from coworkers to bandmates, The WFYMCA has also given Shaw something he didn't expect: a new community. He's gotten to know staff members like Tre Woodson and Isaiah Blevins who have helped him learn the equipment and fine-tune his workouts. He's also started recognizing the regulars who come in each morning."The people here are so inspiring," he said. In fact, Shaw says he sometimes finds himself inspired by people lifting considerably more weight than he is. He doesn't see that as discouraging. He sees it as motivation. "I can see myself in the future wanting to continue on this journey," he said. And after a lifetime playing music, Shaw knows something about practice and persistence. And now, he sees a connection between his passion for music and his physical fitness. There was a time when Shaw could play four-hour shows. He's not sure he's ready for four hours anymore, but exercising is helping him regain his stamina. His advice for someone considering joining The WFYMCA is simple: Give it a real chance. Shaw recommends committing to a steady three days a week for a month and then, "Just see how you feel," he said. It's advice that reflects Shaw's own experience. He didn't regain his strength in one workout. He didn't go from a 20-pound bench press to 90 pounds overnight. He just kept showing up. And somewhere along the way, a retired machinist and longtime musician found a new rhythm.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Andy Shaw
Local Musician Has a New Gig
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WEEK 2: Create a relaxing bedtime routine to repeat each night.
WEEK 1: Sleep 30 minutes longer each night.
Signal your brain to regulate your circadian rhythm, boosting daytime alertness and nighttime melatonin.
FITNESS FOCUS COMPANION: Checklist for success Try ONE new habit each week to support increased and better sleep. See what sticks!
TRAINER TIPS: The Power of Rest
Teach your brain that it's time to relax, making it easier to fall asleep naturally.
WEEK 3: Get 10 - 20 minutes of morning sunlight.
Understanding the Impact of a Good Night's Rest
Remember to Recover as Part of a Healthy Fitness Routine
Don't miss a weight-loss superpower available to you! If your goal is weight-loss, don't focus only on eating less and working out more and harder.. Ask yourself: Am I sleeping enough? Sometimes the healthiest change isn't another workout or a stricter diet. Sometimes it's going to bed 30 minutes earlier. Exercise burns calories. Nutrition fuels your body. Sleep helps regulate the hormones that influence hunger, fullness, recovery, and long-term success. When all three work together, healthy weight management becomes much more achievable. Let's unpack some common myths surrounding sleep and exercise. Myths vs. Truth Think of sleep as part of your fitness routine, just like exercise and nutrition. Myth #1: Exercise too close to bedtime always ruins sleep. Truth: For many people, regular exercise actually improves sleep quality. While vigorous exercise immediately before bed may keep some people awake, moderate evening exercise is often well tolerated. Fitness Focus: The best exercise is the one you'll do consistently. Myth #2: If you're lying in bed awake, just stay there until you fall asleep. Truth: If you can't fall asleep after about 20 minutes, it can help to get up and do something quiet and relaxing in dim light before returning to bed. Fitness Focus: Help your brain associate your bed with sleeping—not with worrying. Myth #3: Sleep is a luxury. Truth: Sleep is a biological necessity. It influences mood, concentration, heart health, metabolism, immune function, and exercise recovery. Fitness Focus: Regular quality sleep may be one of the most powerful health habits you can develop. Create a healthy body that naturally makes weight management choices easier. Quality sleep is one of the best places to start.
Allow your nervous system to shift from a state of nervous alertness toward relaxation and quality sleep.
This adds up to 3.5 more hours of exercise recovery each week.
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WEEK 4: Take ten minutes AWAY from your phone before closing your eyes at night.
TRAINER TIPS: Recover to Thrive
The connections Sonia has made, like those with Sarah Olivares, at The WFYMCA have played a significant role in her weight-loss journey.
Fifteen months ago, Sonia Welcher was struggling to recognize the woman she saw in the mirror. Today, the 62-year-old is down 92 pounds, has gone from a size 24 to a size 10, is lifting weights, jogging a mile and planning to run a marathon. But for Welcher, the most remarkable part of her transformation isn't the number on the scale. It is everything she can do now that once seemed impossible. She can run around with her grandchildren. She can play football and basketball with them. She can catch lightning bugs. She can jog a mile. She can walk up the stairs without wondering whether she'll make it to the top. And perhaps most importantly, she says, she feels like herself again. "I feel like I have a new lease in life," Welcher said. Her journey began long before she walked through the doors of the Waynesboro Family YMCA. In 2023, Welcher experienced a life-threatening medical crisis that left her hospitalized for 58 days. She underwent multiple surgeries, developed sepsis and spent time on life support twice. After her hospitalization, she spent another 14 days in rehabilitation learning how to walk and perform everyday tasks again. The experience left her physically and emotionally drained. Between 2023 and 2024, she gained 95 pounds. "I was in a bad place," Welcher said. "I was like, I'm miserable." A retired licensed practical nurse, Welcher knew what she was doing to her body wasn't sustainable. She found herself taking medication throughout the day and knew she needed to make a change. "I said, I gotta change this, 'cause it's not me living," she said. Rather than trying to transform everything overnight, Welcher decided to take the approach that would eventually become the foundation of her journey. She decided to take back control. She visited her doctor and began working with a dietitian, learning more about nutrition and revisiting information she already knew but hadn't been putting into practice. She began prioritizing protein and fresh vegetables. She changed some of her favorite foods and drinks, switching from regular Coca-Cola to zero-sugar Coke and finding healthier alternatives to some of the foods she loved. She began tracking her calories. Then she walked into the WFYMCA. At first, even getting upstairs was difficult. "I could not walk up and down the steps," Welcher said. "I had to hold the rail." Rather than letting that discourage her, she started small. She got on a stationary bike and rode for a little while. "Okay, I survived my first day," she remembers thinking. That first small victory became another, and soon more followed. Welcher began putting her daily goals into her phone calendar and tracking her progress. She started spending as much as two hours at the WFYMCA. As the weather improved, she began walking in her neighborhood, too. Welcher found an important source of encouragement in weight room attendant Sarah Olivares, who helped her become more comfortable with the equipment and encouraged her to try new things. At first, Welcher was intimidated by some of the machines and wasn't sure she had the strength to use them. Sarah's approach was simple: Start where you are. "She's like, 'Just start here, start here, and start here,'" Welcher said. That encouragement helped Welcher build confidence along with strength. She bought a pair of five-pound weights to use at home. Those weights eventually became 25-pound weights. "I'm building me some muscle here," she said proudly. The physical changes came quickly. Welcher lost nearly 50 pounds in about three months and eventually reached her initial goal of 165 pounds. Then she kept going. Today, she weighs 158 pounds and has set a new goal of 140. However, the benefits of the journey extend far beyond weight loss. Welcher says she is no longer diabetic and no longer needs medication for high blood pressure or cholesterol. She still takes medication to help her sleep, but she has found that regular exercise helps her feel more relaxed. She has also discovered a love for jogging. For someone who once struggled to climb the stairs, being able to jog a mile is a source of enormous pride. "I'm like, I can't believe I can jog a mile," she said. "Does it feel good? Yes." Her next goal is even bigger. "I want to run a marathon," she said. "And I'm gonna do it." Welcher's transformation has also changed the way she thinks about food. One of her biggest lessons has been portion control. She no longer feels that eating something she enjoys has to derail her progress. She has learned to eat smaller portions and move forward without guilt. "Portion control has been a game changer to me," she said. She also keeps simple, healthy options on hand, including boiled eggs, fresh vegetables and cottage cheese with pineapple, peaches or tomatoes. Her advice to someone beginning their own journey is not to try to do everything at once. "Sometimes you just gotta get up and start somewhere," she said. She encourages people to educate themselves about nutrition, calories and what their bodies need. She also believes people should find ways to make healthier choices that fit their own lives rather than trying to follow someone else's formula. And she stresses the importance of giving yourself grace. For Welcher, that means recognizing that one meal or one indulgence doesn't erase months of hard work. It also means taking care of herself without feeling guilty about it. "Don't forget to take care of yourself," she said. "You gotta live your life, and you gotta show up for yourself before you can show up for anybody else." That lesson may be the most significant part of Welcher's transformation. For much of her life, she was a caregiver. She spent years taking care of other people and, following her illness, found herself struggling to take care of herself. Now, self-care has become part of her daily routine. She takes care of her skin. She gets dressed. She exercises. She drinks tea instead of reaching for another soda. She spends time with her grandchildren. She adopted a puppy named Peaches, whose energy keeps her moving. She has even started encouraging others in her community to take their own first steps. At church, Welcher has been sharing what she has learned with a friend who is also working toward weight loss. They walk together, and she offers him the same kind of "little nuggets" of encouragement that helped her. The support she has received at the WFYMCA has made a difference, too. It isn't only the formal instruction or the equipment. Welcher talks about the people she sees throughout the building—the staff members who greet her, the other members who notice her progress and offer an encouraging word, and the people who have become familiar faces along the way. Those small interactions have helped create a sense of community. "Everyone [ at the Y ] is always just as friendly as can be," she said. For Welcher, that community has helped turn the WFYMCA into more than a place to work out. It has become part of her transformation. She is quick to point out that she didn't get here through one dramatic change. It was the accumulation of small decisions. And with every step, Welcher has regained her confidence, independence and joy - things she once feared she had lost. "I've learned to love me again," she said. There is still more she wants to accomplish. She wants to reach 140 pounds. She wants to continue building strength. She wants to run a marathon and she is sure she will reach that goal. But she isn't waiting until she reaches some final destination to celebrate. She is living now. She is looking forward to swimming with her grandchildren without hiding beneath a T-shirt or cover-up. She is playing with them instead of watching from the sidelines. She is getting out of the recliner and into the world. "I don't feel my age," she said. And if Welcher has learned anything through this journey, it is that a new life doesn't necessarily begin with a giant leap. Sometimes, it begins with simply deciding to take the next step. "One step at a time," she said.
SPECIAL FEATURE: Meet Sonia Welcher
Member Shares Powerful Insights Gained Through Weight-Loss Journey
"Putt-ing" Community First: The Merv Wooten Golf Invitational Celebrates a Legacy of Giving
COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHT
Sharing leadership through a combined 50 years of service. From left: Jeff Fife, Merv Wooten and Anne Hudlow
What started with a few golfers coming together to raise $700 in the spirit of fun and community has grown into one of The Waynesboro Family YMCA’s (WFYMCA) longest-running traditions, and a tournament that has put community first for 40 years. The Merv Wooten Golf Invitational began as a fundraiser for the WFYMCA, long before it carried Merv Wooten’s name. “I think we made 700 bucks, something like that,” Wooten recalled. “So the next year, we decided, let's expand this thing a little bit. And it grew, and it grew, and it grew.” The event has continued to grow, raising well over $1.5 million over the years to support the Y and its programs. Wooten spent 25 years serving the YMCA and in 2005, the tournament was named in his honor. “We are honored to continue this longtime tradition in Merv’s name,” said Anne Hudlow. “Merv is a beacon of light in our community, and we are incredibly grateful for his ongoing dedication to the Waynesboro Y." One particularly memorable year Merv was recovering from a major heart attack that ultimately required a heart transplant. From his hospital bed, he still found a way to be part of the tournament. Jeff Fife remembers when Merv addressed the crowd from his hospital bed. “We had a full field of golfers. I held up the microphone, and he delivered the opening remarks to send the golfers out onto the course.” Thankfully, fifteen years later, Wooten is still here - and still committed to the Y. “I wasn't supposed to be here. But I am here,” he said. And, as Wooten puts it, once you've been part of the YMCA, it stays with you. “The Y gets in your blood. Once you've been there, you can't get it out of your blood. I mean, you're always part of it, and it's always part of you.” Today, the tournament continues to bring together local businesses, sponsors, golfers and community members with a shared purpose. This year, 20 teams took to the course, with Wooten noting that he saw about 15 new sponsors among the supporters. For Logan Peters, a YMCA board member and owner of ShenValley Merchant Solutions, the tournament is an opportunity to help strengthen the relationship between the Y and the business community. “I really want [the small business community] to have more awareness and involvement about how they can help — not just the children in the Y, but all the initiatives that the Y has,” Peters said. Jeff Graves, who has played in the tournament for more than 20 years, sees that commitment as part of a longstanding community tradition. “It’s kind of a tradition for us to be down here and playing and helping to support.“I think, very simply, what the Y does for the local families and community is huge,” he said. “Especially in today's world, as much support as you can give to families, I think it's a great thing, Graves said. Sometimes, Graves said, the reason for supporting a cause can be as simple as believing in what it does. “Who needs more of a good reason than to just say, because I like what they're doing?” he said. “Sometimes it’s that simple.” And perhaps that is what makes the Merv Wooten Golf Invitational such a lasting tradition: for one day a year, local businesses and community members come together on the same course, putting community first and supporting the families who call it home. After all, when it comes to the Y, a commitment to the community is simply par for the course. A Volunteer Who Knows the Value of Giving Back For Eric Fletcher, serving his community is about more than showing up. It’s about asking questions, bringing his experience to the table and making sure the work he supports can continue making an impact for years to come. That approach has made Fletcher a valuable member of the Waynesboro Family YMCA Board of Directors—and this September, he will be honored as The WFYMCA’s Volunteer of the Year at the organization’s annual Gala. Fletcher has served on the board for roughly four years. An inivitation from Jeff Fife, to serve came after Fletcher, whose family owns Property Managment of Virginia, asked some pointed questions while discussing support for the Y. “I would always ask probing questions about where the funds were going, how the funds were being used, how they felt those funds were making a direct impact on the community,” Fletcher said. Since his board tenure, Fletcher has brought his business acumen and analytical perspective to the board, with a particular focus on the YMCA’s financial health. “I believe in the founding principles and feel that the staff and the board are better equipped to enact that vision with a sound financial structure,” he said. For Fletcher, financial stewardship isn’t separate from the Y’s mission, it helps make that mission possible. “We want to make sure that you have the financial backing and security to be able to do that well into the future,” he said. His commitment to service comes from a deep connection to the community. Having grown up locally and spent 25 years working in the housing industry, Fletcher says he has reached a point in his career where giving back feels like a natural next step. Eric Fletcher also founded the Frank Fletcher Memorial Pickleball Tournament, now entering its third year, bringing together the Waynesboro Y and Staunton-Augusta Y pickleball communities. He has generously underwritten the event each year in memory of his father, Frank, who loved playing pickleball with friends at the Waynesboro Y. For Frank, it was about community—and Eric continues that legacy through this growing event. “You get out what you put in,” Fletcher said, recalling advice from his father. That philosophy has extended beyond the YMCA, inspiring Eric to serve with organizations throughout the community, including Kiwanis. This year, he also brought that spirit to the Merv Wooten Golf Invitational, serving on the golf committee for the first time. As for his golf game? Fletcher is quick to keep expectations realistic. “I am an aspiring golfer, not very good,” he said. His community impact record, however, is a much better score.
Merv Wooten hits the links with his son, Brandon.
Y board member and golf committee member Logan Peters competes in the putting contest, made possible by longtime board member, Liza Scallet and the Cid Fund.
Our 2026 golf tournament was a huge success! Many thanks to everyone who played, volunteered, and supported the Y - your impact truly shows! Together, we raised over $39,000 for the Waynesboro Family YMCA , making a meaningful difference for our community.
The Y's Merv Wooten Invitational Golf Tournament was a huge success!
Thank you to our incredible sponsors for helping make this year’s outing so special! Your support strengthens our community and helps the Waynesboro Family YMCA continue serving local families through healthy living, youth development, and social responsibility. PLATINUM SPONSOR Waynesboro Moose Lodge SHIRT SPONSORS ShenValley Merchant Solutions Smooth Athletics SILVER SPONSORS Graves Corporation LD&B Insurance and Financial Services John Matherly, CPA Dogwood Comprehensive Dentistry BRONZE SPONSORS The Adler Mortgage Team Blauch Brothers Inc. Business Financials Inc. C & C Sensations Floral and Tanning Dani's Pizza DuPont Community Credit Union Don & Jeanne Hashagen Electric LadyLand IDiehl Tire & Lube Ivy Dental KK Homes Team Mike’s Transmissions Oak Lawn Mausoleums & Memory Gardens (Staunton, VA) P&S Electric LLC PoindexterHill, P.C. Property Management of Virginia Purchaser’s Choice Title & Settlement River City Car Wash Burks Home Group Severs Contracting State Farm : Patrick Blevins Suds Laundry Valley Air Heating, Cooling & Plumbing Waynesboro Pickleball Group Willy's Ice Cream WithinU Coaching, LLC Shear Dimensions