YMCA offering free memberships to some military personnel and their families

by Adriana Janovich
Yakima Herald-Republic

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The Yakima Family YMCA is offering free memberships to families of deployed U.S. Army National Guard and Reserve personnel.

The local YMCA began offering the free memberships last week as part of a nationwide YMCA campaign, says membership director Tressa Shockley.

So far, she's received several phone calls about the offer, but no one has signed up under the promotion -- yet.

"We're expecting to see people coming in this week to start their memberships," Shockley says. "I hope we max out at as many as possible."

The offer allows families a six-month free membership with the option to renew as long as the member makes a minimum of eight visits a month, according to Shockley.

Families of deployed members of the National Guard and Reserve, active duty service members on independent duty and their families, and active duty service members and their families assigned to select bases are eligible for the free memberships at participating YMCAs, including the Yakima Family YMCA at 5 N. Naches Ave.

"We chose to participate as soon as we heard about it simply because we knew it would be utilized," Shockley says. "There are a lot of military personnel here in the Valley, especially at the Training Center."

Participating YMCAs have agreed to cap their monthly fees and waive all joining fees so there's no cost for service members or their families for membership, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Defense. Some classes might have particular fees associated with them; if so, the service member or family member would be responsible for those costs.

Free, on-site childcare during limited times is also available to service members and their families at some YMCAs, including the Yakima facility.

The U.S. Department of Defense announced the offer on Oct. 1.

There are 2,686 YMCAs in the country, according to the organization's Web site, www.ymca.net.

The YMCA is one of the largest non-profit community service organizations in the United States.

-- For more information, call the Yakima Family YMCA at (509) 248-1202. Or visit www.yakimaymca.org.

 

 



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