The Florence Family YMCA is hoping to continue building partnerships with individuals and businesses in the Pee Dee in the coming year.
“I think we started seeing the challenges in 2008,” said Brian New, associate CEO of the Florence Family YMCA. “I think we’ll be more prepared in 2009 for the economic situations — how to attack that and phase it so that we do have growth.”
New said January is always the busiest time for the Y, with an influx of new members rushing in Jan. 2 to fulfill New Year’s resolutions, but he thinks using the Coached Approach to Wellness plan at the Y could help those newbies to maintain resolutions past the typical three or four month shelf life.
“We’re starting January with a half-off joining fee to try and get people in the door to get them started in a routine,” he said. “We’re continuing with our Coached Approach to Wellness where we give people a fitness coach, someone they’re accountable to to make sure they are sticking to it and to track their progress.”
Jerry Dixon, CEO of the Florence Family YMCA, said a lot of the equipment used by the Y is on a lease program and will be replaced in 2009.
“We’re also trying to do new classes,” he said. “We’re trying to really focus on the retention of who we already have as members.”
Another issue facing the Y in the coming year is an attempt to raise funds to increase the scholarships offered by the fitness center, Dixon said.
“A lot of people don’t know that if people can’t afford the fees, then we try to supplement them,” he said. “I think that’s going to be one of our biggest challenges this year, to challenge our board of directors and say we want to go out and be able to raise the money to continue to do that. The needs are going to be even bigger than in 2008 and there needs to be the funds to do that.”
But, Dixon said, despite a drop in memberships and after-school care enrollment, the Y is continuing to weather the economic situation well.
“We’re hoping 2009 is going to be better,” he said “But everything we’re hearing is that it’s going to get even worse. Our mission is to really try to raise that flag and say we’re going to be here to try to help people. It’s part of our mission.”
New said for him, the most important endeavor in 2009 is to continue to increase customer service to make sure the members are as happy and healthy as they can possibly be.
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