Local YMCA Celebrates a Century of Strength as Member Sue Paquette Turns 100
At 100, Sue Paquette still visits the Owen Sound YMCA three times a week—a testament to resilience, friendship, and the power of community support.
SUBMITTED
Sue Paquette joined the YMCA in 1995 when she moved from Tobermory to Owen Sound after her husband had a stroke and was moved to Summit Place. As a mother of five, she had always been active, but this move marked the beginning of a new chapter—and a search for connection and strength.
“I didn’t know a soul in Owen Sound,” she recalls. “I thought I’d join the Y to meet people and to stay strong—physically and mentally—for my husband. That’s when I met Dianne. She took me over and got me out of the dumps. We’ve been friends ever since.”
The YMCA became her anchor. At one point, Sue couldn’t walk and arrived in a wheelchair. “Dianne told me, ‘Get in the water and walk,’ and I did,” she says. “Whenever I could get to the Y, that was my goal.”
When she lost her husband, Sue also faced difficult financial times. The YMCA’s Financial Assistance Program helped carry her through. “The Y is always there for me,” she says. “It’s everything to me.”
At 100 years of age, Sue is still a force of nature. She comes to the YMCA three times a week and plays cards with friends twice a week. “My friends always ask if I’m coming next week. They take care of me,” she says with a smile.
“Everyone says hello to me, even if I don’t know them, they know me!”
The YMCA has been a steady source of friendship, movement, and motivation. “I don’t know where I’d be without it, probably just sitting in a chair at home,” she says. “Instead, my daughter tells me I have more of a life than she does!”
Even after breaking her leg, Sue was determined to return. “My goal was to come back. Just hang on to the wall and get in the water,” she says. Her resilience and bright spirit continue to inspire everyone around her.
She’s always been active, from yoga with her mom as a child in Tobermory, to exercises at the community hall, cross-country skiing, and lifting weights at the Y. She was still doing curls in the gym at 97—and she’s not done yet. “You have to stay active,” she says. “If I’m going to be the age that I am, you have to stay well.”
When asked why she supports the YMCA, Sue takes a deep breath. “They have the children, the seniors. It’s the best place for the people,” she says. “You see them come in with their babies, then I meet them later as adults. The Y brings the people in.”
At 100 years old, Sue continues to Shine On and shows us all what it means to live with purpose, connection, and heart.
Sue’s family and Y friends will celebrate the occasion with her this week. Please contact Dianne Speed, Senior Aquatics Staff, for more details.
Submitted by the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce