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NEWSLETTERYMCA Northumberland

June 2020

IN THIS ISSUE:

• CEO Update

• Child Care Update

• Day Camp Update

• Fitness and Virtual Programming Update

• Summer Outdoor Aquatics Update

• YMCA Strong Communities Campaign

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We have missed you! Its’ been hard to be away from the people we care about but thank you for persevering and doing your part to stay safe and stop the spread of coronavirus.

Since March of this year, the doors at YMCA Northumberland may have been closed, but our work has continued.

Our YMCA has been supporting people and communities in times of great need for 150 years. We have been involved in addressing the immediate challenges created by the pandemic by collaborating with our partners throughout the community to identify and act upon arising needs. Initiatives include:

• Emergency Child Care provided at our Terry Fox location to offer essential workers quality childcare during the pandemic

• Virtual programming offered free of charge to people of all ages through YMCA at Home(https://www.ymcahome.ca/) and through locally developed virtual content created by our fitness, youth and aquatics staff, our Child Care educators and EarlyON staff

• Ongoing connection with members and Child Care families by phone and by email to provide updates and promote engagement

• Adaptation of programs based on provincial directives and advice from HKPR Health Unit

We have been carefully planning to reactivate some key programs in the safest manner possible so you can access the services and support you miss and need the most. Everything is being done to ensure our facilities meet the highest standards for hygiene and safety, and we have modified our policies and programs to facilitate safe social distancing practices. Details of programs being offered for the summer of 2020 are outlined later in this newsletter. We will continue to provide updates about the status of our programs and services as the situation evolves through our website, social media channels, emails, and local radio.

CEO Update

We know that our communities will continue to work together to manage COVID-19, and that we all have a shared responsibility to support the safety of ourselves and one another. The way we will interact with each other will be different, but at the YMCA, you will always be able to connect with people, improve your health and wellness, nurture your children, and support building healthy communities.

Even in this time of uncertainty, the YMCA is here to serve our communities. We know it is a difficult time, and encourage you to participate in our summer programming, try out our virtual offerings, and do not hesitate to reach out to me or a member of my team for support.

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Child Care Update

Since we’ve last been in touch a lot has been happening!

Our Y Educators and Staff have been busy preparing for your child’s return to help them transition back to Child Care in a supportive and safe manner.

Here’s a few ways your child’s centre might be different: • Drop-off and pick-up processes will include a

daily health check with your children• Physical spaces and the layout of our centre

may look a little different to support physical distancing measures

• We’ve re-evaluated some of the materials and items in classrooms to ensure they exceed health and safety guidelines

• You’ll also notice, there might be reduced ratios in classrooms (even more support than before for your child)

Some things might have changed, but a lot (and it’s all good) still remains: • Our commitment to supporting your children’s

needs through quality care, curriculum and small group practices

• Our best health practices such as hand washing and disinfecting

• Our daily schedule for play, snacks, meals, and rest time

• Our supportive, educated and caring staff• Our passion for what we do!

We look forward to seeing your child back in YMCA Child Care.

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YMCA Summer Day Camp at our Cobourg Branch will begin July 6th, and we look forward to welcoming your children back for a safe, active, and memorable summer.

Things will look a little different this year, with new steps in place to ensure everyone is healthy and safe while at YMCA Day Camp. Here is what you and your family can expect:

Health screening: Active health screening of all staff and campers, including a screening questionnaire and temperature check will take place every single day upon arrival.

Handwashing: We will ask all participants to wash their hands when they arrive at camp, throughout the day and before and after lunchtime and snacks. Handwashing stations and hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% alcohol will be made available.

Consistent Groups: Camp groups will consist of a maximum of 9 campers and one counsellor. Groups will remain consistent for the entire week and will maintain a minimum of 2 metres of distance from other groups. There will still be lots of opportunity to interact with other groups with socially distant games, activities, and challenges.

Day Camp Update

Stay Outdoors: We will spend as much of our time outside as we can. Indoor space is available for inclement weather or extreme heat, but we will be keeping your children busy and active outside.

Our Summer Day Camp Team has been selected for their enthusiasm, responsibility, experience, and commitment to YMCA values. They are committed to creating a safe and fun camp environment for your child. Planning is underway to ensure every day includes new opportunities and experiences for our campers.

We believe that kids need camp more than ever this summer, and can’t wait to see your child!

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Until we can safely open our Health, Fitness and Aquatics Centres, YMCA Northumberland is providing a combination of virtual and outdoor programming to help you stay healthy and active.

Virtual Programming:YMCA at HomeYMCA at Home is our new virtual platform connecting you with your favourite YMCA programs, activities, and instructors without leaving the comfort of your own home! You can expect a safe, fun and impactful experience for everyone in your family. Access is available free of charge during closures.https://www.ymcahome.ca/

Seniors Moving Forward:The Seniors Moving Forward Program focuses on promoting well being and reducing incidence of elder abuse by empowering seniors to adopt healthy lifestyle behaviors, to engage in continuous learning, and to develop technical skills needed to access engagement platforms and online financial services to promote feelings of engagement and connection. Each week, participants engage in virtual exercise classes, wellness sessions and social meetings. Participation is available free of charge made possible by a New Horizons for Seniors Program grant. To register, contact samantha.mccracken@nrt.ymca.ca

Story Time with Danielle:Every Thursday at 9:30, Danielle, one of our YMCA Educators, invites you to join her for stories, songs and music on Facebook live. You can find the link to join on our Facebook page.

Outdoor ProgrammingOutdoor fitness programs in compliance with all provincial directives and recommendations of our local health unit will begin July 6th. Schedules and registration information available at ymcanrt.ca

Fitness and Virtual Programming Update

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Summer Outdoor Aquatics Update

YMCA Northumberland will be offering outdoor aquatics programs at:

Centennial Pool- Cobourg

Campbellford Pool – Trent Hills

Alderville Pool – Alderville First Nations

We can not yet confirm a date for opening of the indoor pool at the Cobourg Branch.

Aquatics programs will look different than previous summers, as programs have been modified to meet current health recommendations and requirements from our provincial government and local health unit.

Some changes you can expect:

• Preregistration required for all programs, and no drop in programming will be offered

• Limited participant numbers to ensure social distancing

• Health questionnaire and wellness check upon arrival

• Limited use of changerooms to ensure distancing

• Only private swim lessons at this time

We will continuously monitor and make program adjustments based on provincial directives.

Registration and detailed program descriptions are available on our website at nrt.ymca.ca

We look forward to seeing you at the pool!

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For the past 150 years, YMCA Northumberland has been building Strong Communities throughout Northumberland County.

As times and community needs change, the YMCA responds with programs and services that focus on what our communities need most. We have a history of developing solutions to emerging situations, a willingness to collaborate with partners for the betterment of our communities, and a desire to offer an extended hand to anyone who needs it during challenging times. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, times have certainly been challenging.

Kids have missed out on a lot… months off of school, the cancellation of sports and activities, and the requirements of social distancing have created difficult situations for kids in our communities - making the opportunity to participate, engage and try new things more important than ever! As we begin to reactivate YMCA programs and services in communities throughout Northumberland, we want to ensure that no one gets left out. The guidelines for safe operation during this pandemic make our programs more expensive to operate, and we know many families have experienced lost or reduced income over the past few months.

Recently, the Participaction Report Card on Health was released, and Canadian kids received a grade of D+ for overall physical activity. Only 39% of children are meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines, and the report indicates children living in lower income houses were less likely to meet the guidelines. Kids need to move more, sit less and disengage from technology, and YMCA programs are designed to help them do just that!

We would like to invite you to consider donating to the Strong Communities Campaign. Your donation will help address barriers to participation and make it possible for more children in our communities to participate.

Donations can be made on our website ymcanrt.org or by contacting leslie.murray@nrt.ymca.ca

YMCA Strong Communities Campaign