CONTACT US

The Geneva Family YMCA
399 William St.
Geneva, NY 14456

Phone: 315-789-1616
Fax: 315-789-4259

THE GENEVA FAMILY YMCA

WELCOME !
Current Hours of Operation:
Monday - Thursday, 5:00am - 9:00pm • Friday, 5:00am - 7:00pm
Saturday, 7:00am - 4:00pm • Sunday, 9:00am - 4:00pm

Geneva Family YMCA COVID-19 Message - 3-17-20


Dear Valued Members and Families:   

With the closing of schools across New York State and the need to provide the most essential services for the most vulnerable amongst us, we are confronted with a moment of truth.  Many parents depend upon us for early education and after-school care.  For these families, the services we offer are essential. In light of the uncertainty created by the closure of schools and the increased threat of the Coronavirus, we must focus our resources of time, talent and treasure on those amongst who are at the greatest risk – our children. 

During this time while our YMCA facility is closed to normal activities, our childcare program remains operational to provide care for the youth in our community.  We will encourage families to keep their children at home; however, it goes without saying that some parents must work and some parents are first responders and “essential” employees who are called on to work to protect us.  These families need safe and reliable places for their children.  In the coming weeks, the need for food and services for children will increase exponentially.   Moving forward we will be working with our community partners to provide two meals a day for each child placed in our care.

Since our inception in 1862, the Y has always been the organization that walked toward the direction of the challenge.  Today, we are being asked to make a choice; either we close our facility entirely in order to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus or we continue to provide care for children who need it the most- while taking the calculated risk that we can protect them from exposure to the virus.

We ask that you join us in this effort.  We ask that you continue to pay your membership fee so that we can use the revenue to “do good” during this time of uncertainty.  Naturally, we will put your membership on hold, but we invite you to join us in service to others.  Your membership is meaningful to us and that “meaning” lies in the relationships you have built at the Y.  Those relationships are based upon the humanity you share with others.  We are asking you to support us in service of “our” children and our community.   

The Coronavirus has created enormous uncertainty; however, how we manage it is within our control.  Won’t you please join us in creating a history that demonstrates how we came together and served those who needed us the most?  Let the story that is told be of the “meaningful” ways in which we collectively responded. 

As members, we do want you to know how much care about you and your health and wellness.  At this time, we are working with our amazing group fitness staff to provide access to virtual and live stream classes within the next couple of days. These workouts will enable you and your family to exercise together from home.  Needless to say, we will reopen at first chance, and hope that you will find it in your heart to continue to support us.

In Your Humble Service,

Mary Bakogiannis
Executive Director
Geneva Family YMCA
315-789-1616




Geneva Family YMCA COVID-19 UPDATE – March 15, 2020

Dear Members, Guests and Supporters of our YMCA,

As a pre-emptive measure, and in cooperation with the Ontario County initiative to maintain health and safety, the Geneva Family YMCA will suspend operations beginning  5 pm Sunday March 15th until further notice.  Please note: at this point, there has been no case of COVID-19 at our facility.

While our YMCA facility will be closed to normal activities, our childcare program will remain operational for children who need service and families who need our child care.  We are diligently working with state and local officials, including the Ontario County Department of Public Health, and the New York State Office of Child and Family Services, to create a safe, effective plan to serve as many children in our community as possible.

This decision, as difficult as it was to make, was made in accordance with guidelines from our public health authorities, taking into account many other considerations including the safety of our staff, children, seniors, and others in high risk categories, as COVID-19 issues continue to unfold locally, nationally and internationally. In the end, it will be impossible to know if we overreacted or did too much, but it will be quite apparent if we under reacted or did too little.

 Our decision was made because the risk outweighs the reward. We know that the Y is a place where people come to de-stress and exercise, participate in programs, make friends, socialize, and achieve personal goals. We also know we do not want to put people at risk of contracting this highly infectious disease. It is our hope that while we are closed, progress can be made in containing the virus, testing can be performed more rapidly, and movement toward a potential cure can be made. We will stay in constant contact with our health professionals, community partners, staff and members as we learn information and make decisions.

This is an unprecedented situation and will be challenging for us all. As you know, information regarding the coronavirus pandemic is constantly evolving, so unfortunately, we may not have answers to all of your questions. However, we want to reiterate our commitment to our members, employees, volunteers, and community at-large.  We will work together to address issues that arise due to this closure in an effort to support our members.

Please see below for a few details regarding our closure.

  • If you need to reach a member of the Y staff during this time, please email the appropriate director. Click here for a contact list.
  • Any updates regarding the Y’s status will be communicated via email, the Y’s website and at 315-789-1616.

During this time, the Y will engage in deep cleaning the entire facility. Our full-time staff will continue to work in some capacity, in the form of additional cleaning duties, communication, call answering, website updating, and Facebook posting.  We ask for your understanding, cooperation, and assistance in supporting our decision.

The Y has changed lives for the better over our 165-year history. We expect to continue to do so, regardless of the challenges. We need to come back, and come back strong- financially, programmatically, and personally. We ask for your ongoing support of our efforts during this trying time. Please visit our website at www.genevafamilyymca.org for up-to-date information, and visit our Facebook page, which is easier to post to quickly.

For the latest and most up-to-date information on the coronavirus, please visit the CDC website. 

Thank you for being a part of our Y family, whom we care about very much. We’ll get through this together.

Sincerely,

Rob Sollenne              Mary Bakogiannis
Board President          Executive Director



Update Friday March 13, 2020

Dear YMCA Family,

The Geneva Family YMCA is committed to safeguarding the health of our members and staff. As we monitor the spread of COVID-19 in New York, we want to keep you informed about what the Y is doing to prevent the spread of coronavirus in our community and how you can help.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the novel coronavirus is part of a large family of viruses common in people and many different species of animals. The virus causes a respiratory disease called COVID-19. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure and include fever, cough, and shortness of breath.

We are encouraging everyone to do their part to keep our YMCA safe and clean by ensuring we are all following good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of germs and viruses.

Hand washing remains the most effective method of preventing the spread of germs, including coronavirus. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

Additionally, the CDC recommends these everyday preventative actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases including Coronavirus:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
  • Stay home when you are sick
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces


Further steps and the precautions the YMCA is initiating:

  • Posting hygiene flyers in high traffic locations throughout the facility
  • Having hand sanitizer visible and available for members and staff. Ensuring that sanitation stations are visible
  • Scheduled frequent cleaning of door handles, fitness equipment, locker rooms, tables/countertops, phone and other common "high-touch" items in each Y facility
  • Asking all members to clean equipment BEFORE and AFTER workouts, with the antibacterial spray provided.
  • Following our established childcare policy of children enrolled in our preschool and after school care programs being required to stay home from program a minimum of 24 hours after being deemed symptom free.
  • Ensuring we remain diligent in cleaning all areas used by children throughout the day
  • Encouraging staff and members (including their children) experiencing any symptoms affiliated with these illnesses to stay away from the Y and immediately seek medical attention.


While no one can predict with certainty how severely we will be impacted by coronavirus, we are monitoring the situation and preparing for the possibility that our daily program and work routines could be temporarily impacted if the situation significantly worsens.

At this time the Y remains open to serve our community. We will keep all members and participants updated with information as it develops.  Any facility and/or schedule adjustments will be communicated by our website and social media accounts, Facebook and Instagram.

Additionally, we encourage everyone to regularly check the CDC's website for important updates and safety information. The American Academy of Pediatrics also has helpful information specific to children and families.

We understand that this unprecedented situation is both challenging and worrisome.  The Y is committed to care for our members and our community in the safest and best possible way. 

If you have additional questions, please feel free reach out to me at mbakogiannis@genevafamilyymca.org

Thank you in advance for your cooperation!

Mary Bakogiannis
Executive Director