April 20, 2020
Dear YMCA Family and Friends,
From all of us at the Buckeye Valley Family YMCA, allow us to express how much we all miss seeing you and serving you. We hope you, your families and friends, are staying healthy during this current crisis. We believe strongly that if we stand together and act together, we will beat COVID-19 and see our communities get back on their feet.
In the interim, we’ve had to make some decisions about what happens right now, and as a non-profit, those decisions do not come easy. When we closed our branches on March 16th, we planned to be closed for 3 weeks. But now that April is here, and our state-mandated closure has been extended, we need to decide what happens going forward.
As a result, all membership payments for May will be deferred. Annual memberships will be extended an additional month. Corporate memberships will not be deducted by your HR Department. As an organization built on Respect, Responsibility, Honesty and Caring, we feel this decision best embodies our values.
Strengthening our community is our top priority. We’re here for you. Although our fitness facilities have been closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we are still operating to support the needs of our community at this time.
- We have been sharing virtual group exercise classes and daily inspiration on our Facebook pages, moving some of our in-person fitness experiences online, so members have options for sticking with their routines and keeping their mind and body healthy.
- We're providing child care to children of essential workers, so they can provide the care our communities so desperately need.
- We’ve shared our facilities to host American Red Cross blood drives.
- We’ve also continued to provide weekend nutrition to students in need throughout the mandatory school closure period through the Y Healthy Kids Network.
We hope you are as excited about this community response assistance as we are! This is how the Y steps up to help, and we hope you will stay with us to keep our community strong.
REBUILD WITH US
In difficult times, the Y pivots in response to community needs, and finds ways to use our resources to offer solutions – and you can help! Today and every day, your support is vital so that we can serve our communities like only the Y can. To support our pandemic response efforts, we have created the BVFYMCA COVID-19 Response Fund.
We understand times are tough, and you may only be able to stay with us in spirit. If you’re able, consider making a donation while your membership fees are deferred at www.bvfymca.org/give. Contributions can also be mailed to Buckeye Valley Family YMCA, Attn: COVID-19 Response Fund, 470 W. Church St., Newark, OH 43055.
Any amount, great or small, will help us now and into the future. Together, we will come through this pandemic stronger than ever. Should you choose to make a charitable gift to the YMCA, please know how deeply grateful we are for your generosity.
Although it is not known at this time when we will be able to safely reopen our doors, we have plans in place for our anticipated reopening to ensure the health of our members and community. We wish you and your family good health. Thank you for being a Y member.
Yours in service,
Edward Bohren
Chief Executive Officer
Buckeye Valley Family YMCA
YMCA Mission: To put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.