YMCA Sends Email to Reassure Members
I belong to the YMCA — I work out (infrequently!) at the Y in Winooski. Late last night, I got an email from YMCA President/CEO Mary Burns, assuring me that the Y takes complaints of inappropriate behavior "very seriously". I can only assume the message is responding to the charges leveled against Senator Ed Flanagan, which Shay Totten reported in this week's "Fair Game."
This issue is receiving a fair amount of media attention — it made the front page of the Burlington Free Press this morning. And there are two threads dissecting it over at Green Mountain Daily, here and here.
Read the full text of the YMCA email below.
Dear Members,
On Friday July 24th, the YMCA received an incident report from a Y member which has received media attention. That member reported that another Y member was behaving inappropriately in the Men’s Wellness Center. The Men’s Wellness Center is a part of the Y that is accessible only to individuals 18 years and older with a key.
I want to assure all YMCA members, child care families and program participants that we take these reports very seriously. My main concern is the safety of everyone who comes to the Y. It is our practice to immediately confront any kind of inappropriate behavior. The member’s membership is suspended until a determination is made. The individual is interviewed and then a decision is made resulting in an appropriate outcome. Responses can include a verbal reprimand, a suspension, or termination of membership. Unless there has been a criminal charge, we handle these matters internally.
I want to assure you that the safety of our children, families, and program participants is our utmost concern.
Please contact me directly (802-862-9622) if you have any questions.
Mary Burns
President/CEO
You mean the Y is not a bath house? :P
Posted by: Jay Vos | July 30, 2009 at 03:09 PM
I just got this email from the Vermont GOP:
"It's fun to (WHAT!) at the Y...M...C...A..! Chittenden County Democrat Senator and candidate for Lieutenant Governor, Ed Flanagan, stands accused of... how to put this delicately... publicly self-satisfying...... Just go to the link here where WPTZ and Seven Days explain all. Suffice to say, Flanagan will not be returning to the Burlington Y any time soon. (But he is going to want to shake your hand as he campaigns for Vermont's second highest office!)"
Posted by: Robbie Roeper | July 30, 2009 at 06:56 PM