Welcoming Week

The Greater Providence YMCA is on a mission next week to welcome people from around the world and across the state. That’s the reason for wall-size global maps at the Y’s six branches as the organization celebrates Welcome Week, Sept. 13-22.

Karen Santilli, CEO of the Greater Providence YMCA, is looking for first time visitors as well as members to place dots or pins on the maps as part of introducing themselves to the community. And, by all means even if you’re not a recent Rhode Island resident or an Ocean State native, you’re welcome.

“If you’re not a current member, stop in and check it out,” said Santilli. To boot, the Y offers incentives to both members welcoming new members and to prospective members.

During the week current members can earn one month of free membership for each person they refer who signs up to be a member at any GPYMCA branch, while new members will benefit from a waived joining fee ($97 for a family and $66 for a single membership). To take advantage of the promotion new members must sign up in person at the branch they want to join.

Naturally, the Y is seeking to build membership that took a hard hit during the pandemic when it closed many programs at its branches and laid off more than 400 employees.

Santilli says the membership “is slowly but surely” building. The Y’s six branches have a combined membership of 32,153. Kent with 117 acres off Centerville Road in Warwick is the largest of branches with 9,302 members. Cranston has 5,104 members.

But there’s more to Welcoming Week than building membership.

“It’s a meaningful way to express our gratitude to our current members for their ongoing support,” said Santilli. In addition she said the celebration, “Allows us to welcome new individuals and families into our community and invite them to experience the wide range of programs and services the GPYMCA provides. Our goal is to foster a supportive and inclusive environment where everyone can benefit from a healthy lifestyle and a strong community connection.”

So what can newcomers expect to find at the Kent branch?

Branch director Scott Medeiros said there would be activities planned for group exercise classes, child care, voter registration on Sept. 16, cultural food tasting on Sept. 18 from 4 to 6 p.m.; field trips, cultural displays and, of course, the map.

While summer weather lingers, the Kent Y spray park is closed for the season. The park was a welcome attraction to newcomers this summer. Asked what he thought would be of interest to families new to the Y, Medeiros focused on child care while parents work out.

“There is something for everybody,” he said. The Y also offers financial aid for its programs and memberships.

The Cranston YMCA located at 1225 Park Ave. likewise has a range of activities to celebrate Welcome Week. The Cranston Y is widely known as the Ocean State’s first adaptive fitness facility with a range of adaptive equipment. The Y was a competitive-size indoor swimming poll and offers cardio and strength training circuits, group exercise classes and indoor basketball courts.

As for the global map, Medeiros said, the intention is to illustrate the diversity of the Y and its inclusiveness.

“Join our community in placing a pin in the country that signifies your ethnicity, or a county that signifies nationality.” Medeiros urged.