{"id":33645,"date":"2020-09-14T12:38:56","date_gmt":"2020-09-14T16:38:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/?p=33645"},"modified":"2020-09-15T13:42:34","modified_gmt":"2020-09-15T17:42:34","slug":"ymcas-and-other-gyms-now-open-used-creative-ways-to-keep-clients-engaged","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2020\/09\/ymcas-and-other-gyms-now-open-used-creative-ways-to-keep-clients-engaged\/","title":{"rendered":"YMCAs And Other Gyms, Now Open, Used Creative Ways To Keep Clients Engaged"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Brian Bearor, CEO of the Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area, says the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) helped carry the facility financially until September.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Lisa Balschunat
\nUse of online classes and parking lots kept some clients of local gyms and fitness centers participating in their exercise routines, but the lack of social connection was an important element that was lacking during the shutdown caused by the coronavirus.
\nThe state recently allowed gyms to reopen in late August. They had been closed since March 16.
\n\u201cOur members are coming back to the Y to get back into their daily routines, but in addition to the exercise, they are back because they\u2019ve missed their friends and the socialization that happens here everyday,\u201d said Brian Bearor, chief executive officer of the Family YMCA of the Glens Falls Area.
\nIn the summer, some 300 people interacted in with the Glens Falls Y at the children\u2019s summer or gymnastics camps or through online classes, and some 220 employees were furloughed during the five month freeze.
\n\u201cThe Payroll Protection Program (PPP) carried us through until September and 50 percent of our members shifted their monthly membership to a donation status during that time to help the Y financially,\u201d Bearor said. He indicated that the success of the Y\u2019s annual fundraising campaigns this fall and winter will be crucial this year.
\nWith the startup of school in September, the Glens Falls Y will shift its after school programs back to the Glen Street facility and Adirondack Center in Brant Lake. Previously the staff was dispersed to 11 sites in the region.
\n\u201cIt is the best way to manage a safe environment for our children,\u201d Bearor said. With COVID-19 protocols in place the facility is clean. \u201cIt has never been a question of the Y not being a safe environment for our members pre-pandemic,\u201d he said. \u201cNow we have an additional critical cleaning regimen in place.\u201d
\n\u201cWe are very excited about our reopening. We\u2019re trying to help people find their new normal,\u201d said Saratoga Regional YMCA Interim CEO Scott Clark. \u201cDuring the past five months, our Malta location offered a full-based pre-school for 175 kids for parents who were essential workers, and operated our summer Care program for 92 kids per week.\u201c
\n\u201cThe kids had an opportunity to get outside and run around,\u201d he added. \u201cWe had to be flexible and fluid to meet state regulations, but we wanted kids to be kids whenever possible.\u201d
\nBeginning March 15, virtual classes and outside exercise programs kicked into gear at the Saratoga Y. With just under 600 employees, Clark said the organization did not qualify for PPP, but had to furlough employees.
\nThe Saratoga Y had 15,000 family memberships, representing 28,000 individuals pre-pandemic and 15 percent donated their membership draft during the shutdown.
\n\u201cWe launched a Summer to Remember campaign that raised $100,000 to underwrite summer care,\u201d Clark said. Businesses including Stewart\u2019s Shops, Munter Enterprises, Airosmith Development, Hill and Markes, GlobalFoundries and Fingerpaint Marketing contributed.
\n\u201cWe invested in a Clorox 360 degree electrostatic spray machine, purchased the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the safety of our staff and members taking our cleaning efforts to a new level,\u201d said Clark. \u201cThe printing costs for signage and floor decals added up. We have signs on everything for social distancing and washing hands. We conducted training for the new protocols. We\u2019re following the guidelines and we are excited to get members back to here at the Y to help them find their new normal.\u201d
\nTara Silzer, owner and personal trainer of Fit City in Queensbury said, \u201cI survived the shutdown with outdoor classes under a big tent in the parking lot. PPP saved my business.\u201d
\nShe shortened Fit City\u2019s hours and now sanitizes throughout the day. There is also an evening cleaning crew in place.
\n\u201cSome members chose on line classes through our Facebook Live page. I actually had people in Canada, Arkansas and other places that signed on, too,\u201d she said. \u201cI have a loyal group of members. They don\u2019t mind the mask thing. They were just elated to get back into their exercise routines.\u201d
\nFit City has been open for five years at 959 Route 9 and presently have 600 members.
\nNicholas Galuardi, owner and exercise physiologist at Saratoga Health and Wellness, on Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs, said the re-opening is \u201cgoing pretty well so far.\u201d
\n\u201cWe are not your typical gym. My partner, Michael Lapolla, and I worked for a local cardiology group for 10 years. We pick up where rehabilitation leaves off,\u201d Galuardi said. \u201cWe assist baby boomers who want a total fitness and nutrition program, the high school college athlete looking for a better fitness experience, or anyone who wants to improve their core, flexibility or cardio-physiology.\u201d
\nDuring the past five months, Galuardi and Lapolla offered one-on-one coaching programs live from their basements. \u201cCOVID-19 was a huge disruption in our clients lives,\u201d he said. \u201cSome choose outdoor regiments and some did virtual to get by, but some have been rather sedentary since March. We want to get them moving again.\u201d
\nSaratoga Health and Wellness, on average has 400 clients each year. The company has been in operation since 2009 and currently employs one full-time and three part-time workers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Lisa Balschunat Use of online classes and parking lots kept some clients of local gyms and fitness centers participating in their exercise routines, but the lack of social connection was an important element that was lacking during the shutdown caused by the coronavirus. The state recently allowed gyms to reopen in late August. They […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":196,"featured_media":33646,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\r\nYMCAs And Other Gyms, Now Open, Used Creative Ways To Keep Clients Engaged - Glens Falls Business Journal<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.glensfalls.com\/glensfallsbusinessjournal\/2020\/09\/ymcas-and-other-gyms-now-open-used-creative-ways-to-keep-clients-engaged\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"YMCAs And Other Gyms, Now Open, Used Creative Ways To Keep Clients Engaged - Glens Falls Business Journal\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Lisa Balschunat Use of online classes and parking lots kept some clients of local gyms and fitness centers participating in their exercise routines, but the lack of social connection was an important element that was lacking during the shutdown caused by the coronavirus. 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