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Dave Radnoti
You may know Dave as a familiar face in the lifeguard chair, but his connection to the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA goes back much further than you might expect.
In the 1950s, when the YMCA was located on Market Street, it offered “poor Catholic school kids” the chance to enjoy one free week at the pool each summer. Dave was one of those kids. “It was a madhouse—but lots of fun,” he recalls.
After high school, Dave and a group of friends joined the Y to work out, play basketball, and swim. He was a member from 1972 to 1977. When he returned to Johnstown in 2000, he rejoined the Y—this time at its “new” location on Haynes Street—and has been part of the community ever since.
Over the years, Dave has worn many hats at the Y, bringing his signature wit to roles in security, housekeeping, and the Welcome Desk. For the past 12 years, he’s served as a lifeguard during the school year, stepping aside in the summer to give high school students the opportunity to work and earn money.
When asked what he enjoys most about the Y, Dave doesn’t hesitate: it’s the people.
“Everyone is committed to making each day in the building clean, safe, and fun,” he says. “I never dread coming to work or seeing any of the folks I work with. I give high marks to all the staff for their smiles—and for putting up with me!”
Beyond the humor and quick comebacks, Dave is deeply invested in the people around him. He makes a point to build relationships with members and coworkers alike, celebrating their accomplishments and taking a genuine interest in their lives. Whether it’s music, NASCAR, swimming, or hockey, Dave can connect with just about anyone. He’s often the first to congratulate high school staff on a big game or academic achievement.
“I believe it’s important to have the attitude that you don’t work for someone, but with someone,” Dave says. “The best way to accomplish that is to get along with your coworkers so you can achieve shared goals—and enjoy yourself while doing it.”
In 2024, Dave became a Seedling Sponsor when the program was introduced, committing $5 a month to support the Y’s mission. For him, it was a simple decision. “It just seemed like the right thing to do—and an important gesture that helps, in a small way, to grow the programs we offer to the community,” he explains.
When the Y introduced an increased Seedling Sponsor level of $10 a month in 2025, Dave didn’t hesitate to step up.
“I figured the little increase wouldn’t change my lifestyle—maybe a few fewer beers a month,” he jokes. “It makes me feel better about being part of the solution—and maybe setting an example for others.”
Barb Petersen
A long-time member of the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA, Barb Petersen participated in an array of activities at the Y including walking, running and biking in our Fitness Center and on our track, taking our Body Pump and Pump & Tone classes and more – like when she ran in our first Shamrock Shake 5K in 2023. We are sadden to share that Barb passed away on Oct. 12, 2025.
In 1970, Barb had to quit college to get married and have her first child. She saw herself passed over for positions in life due to her lack of a college degree and vowed that when her kids got in school she was going back to college. One course per semester made it a long slog, but twelve years later she graduated summa cum laude. No longer passed over, she became the director of admissions and finally the director of education at the Hiram G. Andrews Center. She saw the impact an education has on a life and became involved in the American Association of University Women (AAUW) as a way to honor that impact.
Barb knew the importance of a life long love of fitness as crucial to a happy, balanced life, and the Y was the perfect place for her to workout to achieve those goals. Barb’s donations to the Y, during and after her life, help to make an impact now and into the future of the Y. Barb was married to Ernie Petersen for 46 years. Ernie serves on the board at the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA.
