Staying connected, fit with Newton YMCA

The Newton YMCA, like many businesses, has closed its doors due to the coronavirus pandemic but it has come up with creative ways to stay connected with the community while also providing ways for people to stay active at home.

One of the main avenues it is using is social media. For example, it has been hosting events like Facebook live workouts where people can tune in and follow along. These workouts help people stay active while they spend more time at home.

“This was just one way that the Y can kind of find a way to meet the community need right now during this hardship,” Newton YMCA CEO Lucas Hughes said.

The Newton YMCA is hosting certain workouts online through places like Zoom or Facebook live. So far those classes have included things like dance fitness, cardio and strength classes and stress relief yoga among other classes.

“We are just trying to kind of create a virtual YMCA,” Hughes said.

YMCA Director of Operations Hannah Bartlett also has started a Stranded but Strong Bingo game, Hughes said. Functioning like traditional Bingo, it has participants completing certain activities to fill out their squares. The game is available to the entire community not just Newton YMCA members

“If they complete a Bingo they can receive a shirt that is going to be somehow tied into COVID-19,” Hughes said.

There is also Facebook group called the Newton YMCA Fitness Class which has workouts and ideas to stay active while at home. Hughes said it is important for organizations to continue to engage with the community while not being able to provide traditional services.

“It is absolutely free and we are doing it for the community,” Hughes said.

As the community as a whole continues to go through these uncertain times, the Newton YMCA will continue to try and provide fitness services. Hughes stressed the activities they are doing virtually are free for all community members and can be found on the Newton YMCA website and Facebook page.

“You don’t have to be a YMCA member. We want everybody to be involved in this to you know some sort of an outlet,” Hughes said.

Staying engaged with the public is of the utmost important, Hughes said, while the coronavirus pandemic drags on. There are plenty of things the YMCA can conduct virtually to continue to support the community.

“There is not a whole lot we can offer inside of our facility but there is a lot that we can do virtually,” Hughes said.

For anyone wanting to checkout what the Newton YMCA can offer them virtually or online visit newtonymca.org.

Contact Dustin Teays at 641-792-3121 ext. 6533 or dteays@newtondailynews.com