WELCOME BACK! WE MISSED YOU!
(We will continue to post updates on changes. Thank you for your patience.)
What to expect when you come back to the Y:
We will post any changes to keep you informed.
At this time the Y will only be open during business hours to ensure the safety of the public until July 4th.
The Y will only be open to Switzerland County YMCA members. In the interest of public safety we will not be participating in the YMCA Nationwide Reciprocity and guest passes.
You will have a new waiver to read and sign so allow for extra time. (The new waiver can be downloaded and you can print and complete before coming to the Y)
You will see our social distancing markers in the lobby.
You will have your temperature taken and will have hand sanitizer applied. If your temperature is above 100.4 you will have to wait 24 hours before entering the Y.
You will scan your card before entering the Y.
You will notice that certain areas and certain cardio equipment will not be accessible at this time.
You will also notice there will a limit of the number of people in certain areas throughout the Y.
Staff will be available to monitor with social distancing and help with sanitizing.
The pool will be open PLEASE CHECK THE "AQUATICS" tab under HEALTHY LIVING for details on pool hours.
We appreciate your patience during this challenging time.
New Waiver 2020
Attention 24 hour access members: 24 hour access has returned to the Y. If you have not signed the new waiver your card will not allow you entry until you come in and sign the waiver. Please note members violating entry of anyone without 24 hour access, entry of other members without each individual scanning, and/or any member not disinfecting before and after equipment usage will result in termination of your 24 hour access. Thanks for staying with us and we look forward to serving you in the future.
Beginning Monday July 27 the State of Indiana has issued a wear a mask order.
When you come in to the Y we ask that you wear a mask in the common areas of the building. Mask are not required when working out. Please maintain social distancing while you are in the exercise areas.
We are all in this together and we will continue doing our part to fight COVID-19.
SWITZERLAND COUNTY YMCA 5 STAGES FOR REOPENING
Dear Valued Y Member,
On May 1, 2020 Indiana Governor Holcomb put forth his plan to reopen Indiana. He laid out the 5 stages to get the state opened up in his Back on Track plan. We have put together our reopening plan based on the Governor’s plan. It is important to point out that the implementation of this plan will remain flexible as we go through the 5 stages. The safety of our members and guest are far more important than the exact dates when we move from on stage to the next.
At the Switzerland County YMCA, everything we do is guided by our commitment to support our community, and this is even more critical now. On May 2, 2020 we moved from Stage 1 to Stage 2. While the Y remains closed to the public during this phase we will continue to clean and sanitize the facility to make sure that we are ready for Stage 3. If the Covid-19 numbers continue in a positive direction the Y will be able to open part of our facility on May 26, 2020. Stage 4 will begin on June 14th with the final stage and a full opening scheduled on July 4th.
As Governor Holcomb stress in his address to the public, moving forward we will only be able to keep this schedule if the COVID-19 numbers continue moving in a positive direction. If a large spike in cases return, we may have to move backwards in the process. It is very important that we all continue doing our part to stay the spread on this highly contagious virus. We are in this together.
Please click on the pdf link (Reopening 5 Stages PDF) and you will find a copy of our plan stage by stage. You will see three columns showing what to expect in the facility, Youth programming and Adult programming. If you have any question concerning our plan feel free to call us and we will be happy to speak with you about your concerns. We will be posting more information before May 26th that will explain some of the ways that the plan will work in the next stage.
Together, we will come through this pandemic stronger than ever. We wish you and your family good health. Thank you for being a part of the Y family.
In this together,
Eric Cole, CEO
Switzerland County YMCA
Reopening 5 Stages
Second Letter to Members and Community
IMPORTANT SWITZERLAND COUNTY YMCA MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
Dear Valued Y Member,
We deeply appreciate your understanding and patience as we navigate the challenging circumstances related to this pandemic.
At the Switzerland County YMCA, everything we do is guided by our commitment to support our community, and this is even more critical now. When you belong to the Y, you are not only a member of a health and wellness facility, you are a member of a charitable organization dedicated to strengthening our community. 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.
More than ever your membership helps support our efforts to meet the critical needs in our community during this pandemic. We are pivoting to support our partners by delivering meals to the seniors in our community that are unable to get out due to health concerns. We are creating virtual healthy living content to keep the community active and engaged while at home. We are continuing to employee staff during this difficult time to lessen the impact on these individuals, their families and the economy. And, we are taking advantage of this time to complete deep cleaning and annual maintenance tasks now.
Stay with Us – Your YMCA Membership Options
The Y has always served those most in need, but we can’t do it alone. We ask you to stay with us and keep your membership. Not as a facility user or as a consumer, but, like your other charitable or religious organizations, as a cause-driven member. Being a Y member means that you are a part of a cause-driven organization that is committed to making a difference in our community.
Beginning with the April 15 membership draft, you have the following options:
1) We respectfully ask that you consider keeping your membership active during this time, so that we can remain fully focused on our efforts to help our community stay strong in spirit, mind and body. Should you choose to keep your membership active, please know how deeply grateful we are for your generosity. No further action is required. As a thank you, if permitted under charitable donation laws, your membership may qualify as a charitable gift during the time that we are closed. We will provide you with a letter acknowledging this accommodation during this pandemic.
2) We also understand that you may have financial obligations; and naturally, we will place your membership on hold at no cost during this time should you wish to do so. As soon as our Y reopens, your membership will automatically resume. Of course, no Joining Fee would be required. If you would like to place your membership on hold, please contact us switzerlandymca@yahoo.com or 812.427.9622. Please be patient as we address a large influx of inquiries.
In order to ensure that we are able to process your request in time for our April membership draft, we appreciate that you contact us by April 7th. If you run into difficulty after that date, please contact us directly and we will be happy to work with you to find a solution.
It goes without saying that the Coronavirus has created enormous uncertainty. However, how we respond is within our control. You play a vital role in helping us deploy these services and serve our community by continuing your membership.
Together, we will come through this pandemic stronger than ever. We wish you and your family good health. Thank you for being a part of the Y family.
In this together,
Eric Cole, CEO
Switzerland County YMCA
Go to the Healthy Living Tab for fitness videos.
First Letter to Members and Community
Switzerland County Ymca covid-19 message
Contact:
Eric Cole
CEO
Switzerland County YMCA
812.427.9622
SWITZERLAND COUNTY YMCA CLOSING FACILITIES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS
(Vevay) March 16, 2020 – At the Switzerland County YMCA, the safety and well-being of our members, staff, volunteers and the broader Southeastern Indiana and Northern Kentucky community have always been and will always be a top priority.
We have been diligently monitoring all national and local updates surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) situation. In order to best ensure the health of our entire Y community, we have decided to close the Switzerland County facility to the public effective March 16, 2020 at 8:00PM through at least April 7, 2020 after conferring with Dr. Frede the local health officer.
We understand this is a very concerning situation. The Switzerland County Y has been a pillar of the community for more than 20 years, throughout both good and challenging times. The decision to close our facility was made to best ensure the safety of everyone in our community. We will continue to monitor this evolving situation and will work with local officials to determine what future actions will be necessary.
During this closure, we will provide updates and information directly to staff, members and participants through our website and Facebook. We are also working together with YUSA and the Indiana Alliance of YMCAs to provide virtual classes that you will be able to access online and through Face book. Stay tuned to our website and our Facebook page for more details.
My colleague Jorge Perez, from the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati shared the following:
“We ask that you join us in this effort that you remain a member so that we can “do good” together in this time of uncertainty. We know your membership is rooted in the relationships you have built at the Y; these relationships are based on the humanity we share with each other.
Remain with us as we write a story of how we came together, continued our wellness journey at home, and served those who needed us the most. Let us tell the story of the “meaningful” ways we responded. Let that be the story that is told.
I know many of you will be hurt by the hardships this virus will cause. If you cannot remain with us, we will place your membership on hold and look forward to the day when we can again continue our efforts to reach goals, make friends and connect to the communities we love. If we can help you, let us know. We will do our best to find the resources you need.”
I could not agree with him more. Please reach out to us at 812.427.9622 from 9AM – 12 Noon Monday through Friday. Staff will be monitoring the phone to assist you during this uncertain time. If you do not get a live person when you call leave a message for Eric Cole, CEO and a message will be sent to him and he will follow-up with you.
We are asking everyone to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and take their own measures to protect themselves, including not putting themselves in situations with large crowds or where they come in close contact with others, staying home if they do not feel well, frequently washing their hands with soap and water and covering their coughs and sneezes.
We will continue to work with the health department and local physicians to determine what other actions, if any, would be prudent on our part and when it will be safe to reopen our facilities.
Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate this evolving and challenging situation. We look forward to returning to business as usual as soon as possible.
With gratitude,
Eric Cole
CEO
Switzerland County YMCA