Architectural rendering of New YMCA on Washington Ave -- Planned to be completed Summer 2011.
Brooks Outlines New YMCA Membership Categories
January 9, 2011
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By: O. J. Cunningham
While the construction of the new Dow Bay Area Family Y facility continues to move forward Y Executive Director/CEO Chuck Brooks and the members of the Y board and management

team are reviewing the various policies and procedures of the program and membership services. This week the Y released to its membership the first of several changes that will be implemented when the new facility opens.
"With the opening of the new Dow Bay Area Family Y, our organization will conducts a comprehensive change in the culture of how we work with and for our members and the community," indicates Brooks. "We begin with a change in our membership categories that will allow us to make as big a difference as possible in the lives of children and adults by assuring that the Y welcomes all people."
The primarily change is changing the category Family Membership and Single Parent Family Membership to Household Membership (up to 2 adults living in the same household) and Single Household Membership (one adult in the same household). In addition, the Y will add a Senior Household Membership (2 Senior Adults over age 62 living in the same household). Each of these Household categories includes all children living in the same household up to the age of 22 and full-time students.
According to Brooks, "Many YMCAs around the country are beginning to recognize that the trend among YMCAs is to extend the definition of family membership to include households - this includes not only families headed by unmarried couples but also grandparents and grown children living at home, adult siblings living together, aunts and uncles raising nieces and nephews, and so on."
This change will make sure that our YMCA membership policies make it easier to join, but also recognizes and operates in accordance with our mission by embracing diversity and serving all children and adults regardless of their living arrangements.
In addition this month the Y will begin to reintroduce the New Member Joining Fee by "Paying the Day" by increasing it $1 each day through the end of February. For example the joining fee will be $3 on January 3, $4 on January 4, and so on until February when the entire joining fee is back in effect. This will be a last chance savings for those thinking about joining the Y. The full fee will be in effect when the doors open this coming summer. Over the next few months, the Y will introduce a new Corporate Membership Program for local employers as well.
The Dow Bay Area Family Y construction is expected to be completed early during the summer 2011.
O. J. Cunningham
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O. J. Cunningham is the Publisher of MyBayCity.com. Cunningham previously published Sports Page & Bay City Enterprise. He is the President/CEO of OJ Advertising, Inc.
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