Appleton YMCA

As a single mother, I have taken my daughter to YMCA locations all over the Fox Valley and Green Bay for swimming lessons and dance lessons since 2009. Today is the first day she was denied entry for having a small balance on our account. Unfortunately, I’m working late and wasn’t able to run over there to pay. The young woman working said to me, “I’m just doing my job,” and spoke over me as I tried to explain I would be able to make a payment tomorrow, then she hung up the phone. I’m so disappointed in the degradation and even judgement that our once strong community organizations appear to be succumbing to. I didn’t receive a phone call or a text or email or anything as a reminder to make payments or cancel. YMCA is a nonprofit organization which means even though you and I pay taxes, they do not. They receive state and federal grant money plus private donations to fund operations. There’s no reason they should be turning away a young member of our community wishing to spend a hour caring for her personal fitness over a petty balance due. I’m pretty sure Jesus would not have done that.

The Downtown Appleton YMCA is very nice. We are just getting back into going to the Y since Covid. Pre-Covid, my son loved the homeschool phy Ed classes. Now he likes playing basketball at the Y. It is a safe environment and clean. I gave it 4 stars because it is expensive unless you qualify for a discount. There is a parking garage across the street.

Time to grow up and make this a 24 hour ymca. I’ll give you 5 stars when you do. Also quit dodging my emails l know you’re getting them Update: So these cowards let me know they have 3 locations that are 24 hours but I don’t care about those locations. I want the downtown location to be 24 hours so l can get a workout/sauna in after my shift and l live downtown. They also responded to my email and said they don’t want the downtown location to be 24 hours because they’re afraid the homeless will take it over at night.

If I could give 0 stars I would. I got a 2 week membership to test out the pool. I went 4 times. Of the 4 times, once I was not able to Swim because there were 6 elder ladies taking the entire pool for an aquatic yoga class and another time, they had 2 open lanes blocks with ropes while rest of pool was occupied by kids swim lessons. I fully promote kids and aquatic classes, but having such a strict policy when few people are in the pool, not allowing others to use it, is disgusting on all fronts.