Y In Central Maryland Welcomes Members With Outdoor Classes At Four Locations
PASADENA, Md. (WJZ) -- While gym doors remain closed in Maryland, many have been finding creative ways to stay connected with members throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
"People need interaction, we want to remove the concept of isolation. So we want people to get out, and if we can do it in a safe manner, why not?" EJ Amyot, VP of Operations at the Y in Central Maryland, said.
The Y in Central Maryland is now offering outdoor exercise classes for members at four of its locations.
CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE:
- Coronavirus Resources: How To Get Help In Maryland
- What We Know About Coronavirus In Maryland
- Latest coronavirus stories from WJZ
On Thursday, there was a full outdoor class at the Y in Pasadena, as they kicked off their first class in the parking lot.
"One woman, she said right when the class started, she began to cry because she missed the Y so much. Missed seeing people and interacting with us," Amyot said.
But of course, safety comes first.
"We're maintaining social distancing with our classes," Amyot said. "It's 1 to 9 ratio instructor per students"
Even though the doors to its facilities are closed, the Y in Central Maryland is still finding ways to reach out to the community.
"Luckily, we've been able to offer some programing - emergency childcare for our essential employees across the State of Maryland," Amyot said. "We've been trying to stay in touch with our members through social media outlets, emails, making phone calls to our seniors."
While the staff eagerly waits for the "ok" from state and county officials to reopen the buildings, they're already taking precautionary steps.
"We're reorganizing all of our buildings right now to maintain the social distancing, non-stop cleaning," Amyot said. "So we're ready and we can't wait to see everybody."
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
