Montgomery County Y News

Membership Payments Tax Deductible During Closure

by Kristi Potts on 04/28/20

April 23, 2020

YMCA Members,

I want to start by saying thank you for your continued support of the YMCA during these unprecedented and historic times. With the Governor’s extension of business closures until at least April 30, we are unsure of when we will be able to open our doors to everyone but we ARE sure of one thing - - we want you to continue to be a member of the YMCA.

Things have not been quiet within the YMCA while we have been closed. The gymnasium floor repair continues with an expected completion date of May 15. The arrival and installation of the new Natatorium Dehumidification Unit for the pool is to be completed the week of May 18. These two projects represent an investment back into the facility totaling over $375,000.

The YMCA Board of Directors deliberated over how to handle the drafting of the May 1 monthly membership fees but ultimately decided to charge the regular rate. As a monthly bank or credit card draft member, we ask that you continue your payment to ensure the YMCA will have the resources needed to reopen as soon as possible once the order is issued. We know there will be a “new normal” within all areas of operations – exercise classes, programs whether at the Y or not, access to the facility, to name a few. #StayWithUs

As a non-profit charitable organization, your monthly payment during this time can be converted to a charitable donation for tax purposes to the YMCA’s “Comeback Fund’. We can issue you a receipt upon reopening of the facility.

We understand that you may be experiencing financial hardship. If so, please contact me at johnb@mcymca.com or by phone at (712) 623-2161 concerning your monthly draft.

We will continue to offer the YMCA360.org online classes through our website, www.mcymca.com and our Facebook page. We are also looking to offer a phone app to enhance your exercise experience at home. Please continue to use them and share them with your friends and family.

Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you back at the YMCA!

Sincerely,

John Blomstedt
Executive Director
MONTGOMERY COUNTY FAMILY YMCA
101 E. Cherry St., Red Oak, IA 51566
(P) 712.623.2161 (F) 712.623.4920
(E) johnb@mcymca.com (W) www.MCYMCA.com

The Y: We’re for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

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A letter from our Executive Director

by Kristi Potts on 04/11/20

To YMCA members, guests, and supporters,

I hope that this finds you and your family doing well. It has been 25 days since the YMCA facility closed but to me personally, it feels like it’s been 25 weeks. And knowing that we are closed for at least another 3 weeks, makes it seem longer.

I would also like to provide you WITH an update on what’s happening at the YMCA facility. The YMCA board of directors at their March 26 meeting decided that the gymnasium floor repair project should move forward with the facility being closed. As you may or not be aware of, the gymnasium floor experienced water damage last spring causing major buckling of the floor in the northwest section of the gym. Egan Supply Company of Omaha was awarded the project and a work crew was at the YMCA on Wednesday and Thursday of this week to start removing the damaged section. The work will not only have the damaged part replaced but the rest of the floor will be sanded down, repainted and refinished as well. There is also a plan in place to prevent this type of damage from reoccurring in the future. The timeline for the work to be completed is approximately 4 – 5 weeks. I’ve attached some pictures from the work this week.

I also wanted to share a personal note with you. I woke up this morning and felt a tinge of sadness. It was not that the YMCA facility itself was closed but that an important annual event hosted by the YMCA would not be taking place. This morning the YMCA was to celebrate the 8^th Annual Good Friday Breakfast with an inspirational message from Reverend Alan Dean and musical inspiration from Susan Brown. This annual event draws 75 - 100 people to the YMCA to celebrate the Easter season and to remind us what the “C” in YMCA stands for. My message to you as Easter Sunday approaches is that you take time to reflect not only your own life but also those around you and maybe those that you have forgotten about. Maybe this would be a good time to reach out to an old friend, a relative or even a neighbor that you haven’t visited with in a while to find out how they’re doing because maybe there’s something you can do lift their spirits.

Continue to take care of yourselves, stay safe and have a Happy Easter!

John Blomstedt
Executive Director

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YMCA and COVID-19 Updates

by Kristi Potts on 04/05/20

Dear YMCA member,

We hope that this finds you and your family well. It feels strange to be in the Y facility and not see the many familiar faces coming and going throughout the day. Whether you’re one of the walkers socializing on the track, the workout warriors using the wellness room or swimming pool or those just shooting baskets in the gym, please know that you’re missed.

For those of you that pay your membership fees on a monthly basis through either a credit card charge or bank draft, you will notice that the YMCA proceeded with the April 1 drafting of your membership fee. The YMCA Board of Directors voted at its March 25 meeting to go ahead and draft the April fees with the hope that the YMCA facility would be reopening in mid-April. This decision was made after much discussion and was not taken lightly by the board.

The YMCA has not been idle since the governor’s mandated closing on March 17. YMCA staff spent last week deep cleaning throughout the entire facility in hopes that we can reopen as quickly as possible when given the word to do so. We have applied to the Iowa DHS to serve as an emergency childcare site, if needed, for those that are battling the coronavirus on the front lines. YMCA staff have also started making calls to our active older adult members to check on them and give them the chance to socialize.

The YMCA’s Board will continue to monitor the coronavirus situation going forward as we do not know what challenges the upcoming month(s) will bring for the YMCA and our community. We hope that you will continue to support us in this unprecedented time.

If you have any questions regarding membership, programming or just want to check in, feel free to email me at johnb@mcymca.com or call (712) 623-2161. If you leave a message, we will call you back. Take care, stay safe and know we look forward to serving you in the future.

John Blomstedt, Executive Director & Mark Jackson, YMCA Board President

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Temporary Facility Closure

by Kristi Potts on 03/17/20

YMCA CLOSURE

Dear YMCA members and friends,

As mandated by Kim Reynolds, Governor of Iowa, we will indefinitely close our facility at 12 noon on Tuesday, March 17th.

Things are moving so quickly right now, we can hardly keep up. Just yesterday evening, we had announced that we would be stopping all classes and programming.

This temporary closure will have very real financial consequences. As we intend to continue employment for our full-time staff during this challenging time, we will rely heavily on the continued support of members, program participants and donors. Therefore, we ask that if you are able, please continue to pay your monthly Y membership dues and enroll in future programming. This will ensure the Y is able to provide services when this crisis has passed.

To help you stay healthy in spirit, mind and body during this time, we are offering an on-demand healthy living network called YMCA 360 at no charge to all Y members. Content is accessible on the YMCA 360 YouTube Channel at YMCA360.org. Content will be refreshed frequently and includes programs for kids and families.

Thank you for being part of the Y and for all you are doing to support the greater good as we all face this unprecedented health challenge.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank our members for their patience and understanding.

Sincerely, Sincerely,

John Blomstedt, Executive Director, & Mark Jackson, YMCA Board President

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YMCA Transitions to Support Pandemic Response Efforts

by Kristi Potts on 03/17/20

YMCA Transitions to Support Pandemic Response Efforts

Dear YMCA members,

At the Y, the health and safety of the communities we serve has always been our top priority. After discussion with the Montgomery County Emergency Management and the YMCA’s board of directors, the Montgomery County Family YMCA is implementing the following measures:

• All group fitness classes, water and land, and personal training sessions are suspended until March 31st.

• All scheduled group recreational activities are canceled through March 31st. (Wednesday evening Men’s Basketball League, Pickleball, Tennis League)

• Youth sports programming is suspended until March 31st. This includes youth sports, swim lessons, tumbling, taekwondo, etc.

• Facility rentals and use of facility for meetings, etc.

• The Y supports the recommendation of the Iowa Department of Public Health that individuals 60 years of age and older with underlying health conditions should stay at home and avoid situations of potential exposure.

• Staff and members are encouraged to:

o Not come to the Y if sick.

o Thoroughly clean all machines and equipment before and after each use, using spray and cleaning cloths as provided.

o Practice hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette measures:

? Wash hands frequently with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds and use hand sanitizer before and after working out.

? Cough or sneeze into a tissue and discard tissue after use.

? Avoid contact such as handshakes or high fives.

? Maintain space between yourself and others while using equipment.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank our members for their patience and understanding. We believe this is the socially responsible thing to do during this national health emergency.

The leadership team at your Y is monitoring all local, state, and national developments around the clock. We will provide you with regular updates and are prepared to take additional steps as needed to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our members, staff and communities.

We are in unprecedented times, calling on unprecedented response on the part of all individuals and organizations in the community. Please stick with us as we work through this challenge, so we are here for you better and stronger than ever once this crisis has passed.

Sincerely,

John Blomstedt, Executive Director, & Mark Jackson, YMCA Board President

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