Special to Elmore Autauga News
The silence is broken.
The quietness at the Grandview YMCA came to a halt this week. Millbrook’s Y was able to open up daycare, again, on Monday, May 4, and the kids were having a ball. Naturally, the Y was adhering to all restrictions since the spread of the corona virus is still a major concern.
“We opened up the daycare, on a limited basis,” Grandview Y director Bill Myers said. “We are keeping kids in groups of 11 or less and following all the guidelines. We still cannot open other parts of the Y or conduct some programs. For example, it will be at least May 15 before we can open the fitness center.”
Myers said the Grandview Y staff was examining all possibilities when it comes to services. This week the staff continued its preliminary planning of summer camps, even though the Y has no assurances it will be able to serve as many children as in the past. “We hope some guidelines will be relaxed. We have been accustomed to providing daycare for up to 500 kids and now we won’t be able to do even half of that,” Myers said.
The Y had to put the brakes on programming when the corona virus required government to issue guidelines to thwart its growth. The Grandview Y had just started some youth and adult programs when the corona virus changed everything. Those programs came to a screeching halt. “We are trying to figure out the best things to do with all of our programs. It is really a difficult task. Just when we think we have something figured out everything changes,” Myers said. “I’ve been involved with YMCA for twenty nine years and I have never been faced with a challenge like this.”
Myers has been at Grandview YMCA for 11 years.
“The last six weeks our normal programming has been non-existent. Everything is up in the air. It has had a direct impact on the YMCA since about 40% of our revenue comes from programing. That just dried up,” Myers said.
The Y hopes to increase activity with outdoor group exercise that also began this week. The three mile walking trail is open and the Y has placed a major emphasis on social distancing. Unfortunately, specific programs for senior citizens, those most vulnerable to COVID-19, have not started. “Some of the YMCAs in Montgomery have senior classes starting up. We call those Active Older Adult (AOA) classes. We hope to have some of those rolling soon. The YMCAs that have indoor pools can already have some aquatic classes, but we will need for the weather and the water to get warmer before we can do those here,” Myers explained.
All parties interested in YMCA programs and when they will be available should call the Grandview Y at 290-9622. Millbrook’s Camp Grandview YMCA is located at 4700 Camp Grandview Road, a short distance from Highway 14 and the Millbrook WalMart.
