I hope this message finds you healthy and safe.

Outlined below are some quick updates related to the State Rules related to Team on Pause target end date next week, an upgrade to the App that automates and standardizes reservations being available for booking, bringing to your attention a marketing and communication change that will be visible to you as well as a reminder about our schedule for the Martin Luther King Day holiday this Monday.

State Rules/Team on Pause

In Monday’s daily press briefing, Governor Lamont indicated that Low and Moderate Risk sports (includes all our Aquatics teams) can start practicing on January 19. He did provide various caveats that stated that the date is contingent upon COVID-19 metrics remaining steady. As you may recall from the announcement for the initial implementation (daily press briefing on November 19), the original effective date was not until November 23 but first draft of rules were issued November 25/day before Thanksgiving and we did not fully implement these rules and restrictions until December 5. In the same way we waited for final rules to implement the restrictions, we need to follow suit with the lifting of the restrictions. We first need the rules to be issued/published (we are told target is end of this week/beginning of next week) and then time to digest and implement. It is our hope that the rules are issued near term so we can have our teams resume practice and increase capacity throughout the facility as promptly as possible.

App Automation

The good news is that we have worked with the App provider and they are implementing an automated reservation opening that will be at 8:00 AM two days prior to the reservation.  For example – a reservation for 7 AM on Saturday will open at 8 AM on Thursday while an 11 AM reservation for Saturday will also open at 8 AM on Thursday. Suggestion is that you refresh your App prior to 8 AM if you are seeking to gain access at the reservation window opening. I recognize that the functionality was released on the App before we intended/had a chance to update Membership with this notice. We will be pushing an update through the App shortly after this eBlast. The combination of temporary restrictions being lifted by the state in conjunction with this systemic change should hopefully alleviate some of the consternation related to making reservations.

Marketing and Communication

We have recently outsourced our marketing and communication function to a third-party, local company. As part of their introduction, they will be visiting various programs and taking photos. Our waivers cover the use of photos but wanted to bring to your attention. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Further, you may have noticed some delays in responses from the Marketing email account during our transition. Full access has been granted and flow should be more timely.

Martin Luther King (MLK) Day Holiday

Please note that this Monday is MLK Day. As was mentioned in the enrollment, our Winter 2021 Programs will not be offered on Monday due to the holiday. That said, please consider our School Vacation Camp.

Stay Healthy and Safe!

Michael Kelly,

Chief Operating Officer,

Greenwich YMCA