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WILKES-BARRE &mdash; After closing its facility on March 27th, the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA has reopened for child care, with additional reopening phases to follow in the coming weeks.
				&ldquo;The Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA has served our community for 157 years, during which we have made it through many challenging times together, none perhaps as impactful for our community and our Y as this COVID crisis,&rdquo; said Jim Thomas, executive director. &ldquo;We are thrilled to begin reopening our facilities, welcoming back our members and the community, and getting back to what we do best &mdash; helping everyone reach their full potential.&rdquo;
				In preparation for reopening, the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA has been following guidelines from health experts and local officials to ensure all components of facilities, including fitness equipment and areas, locker rooms, child care, visitor areas and office spaces, are cleaned and sanitized to meet the highest standards for hygiene and safety. 
				The Y has also modified policies and programs to facilitate safe social/physical distancing practices.
				&ldquo;When we closed our facility in March, we did so to protect the health and well-being of all our staff, volunteers, members and participants,&rdquo; Thomas said. &ldquo;As we now reopen our facility, we do so with that same commitment to keeping everyone who enters our doors safe.&rdquo;
				According to Thomas, the first phase of reopening included child care on Monday, June 1. Additional stages of reopening will include the pool and outdoor group exercise on June 8 and summer day camp at YMCA Camp Kresge on June 15. This summer, the Y will also still run the Power Scholars Academy and Food and Fun at the Park programs.
				Power Scholars Academy will operate this summer, combining the Hanover and Wilkes-Barre Area School District sites at a location to be announced. The program is projected to run from June 29 through Aug. 7 and will operate with attention to COVID-19 guidelines for child care facility operation provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the CDC.
				The program is free for Wilkes-Barre and Hanover Area School District youth in targeted grades and is entirely funded through grants. Power Scholars Academy is a six-week summer learning program designed to advance students&rsquo; academic achievement through a full-day of challenging math and reading instruction; fun arts, science, technology, and engineering enrichment activities; community and career exploration; and a healthy breakfast, snack and lunch.
				Food and Fun at the Park will be distributing meals &ldquo;grab and go&rdquo; style at four locations throughout the city, as well as the Y, beginning June 22 (locations include the Coal Street Park, Iron Triangle Playground, Huber Park Stanton and Parsons Park, with additional locations pending). The Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA is committed to feeding children this summer, now more than ever, as our community needs support. This year, there will be no facilitated programming, however the Y will try to provide grab and go activities. All children in grades K-12 are welcome and registration is not required.
				For more information on outdoor group exercise, which will be held at the Riverfront Commons and Kirby Park and limited to 12 participants per class, contact Lauranel Banks, Wellness Director, at lauranel.banks@wbymca.org.
				For more information on the pool, including safety protocols and lane reservations, contact Andrea Butchko, Aquatics Director, at andrea.butchko@wbymca.org.
				For more information on summer day camp at YMCA Camp Kresge (spots are still open), including safety protocols and registration information, contact Mike McElhinney, Senior Director of Camping Services, at mike.mcelhinney@wbymca.org.
				For more information on child care (spots are still available in the infant and toddler daycare programs and the preschool summer scholars program at the Wilkes-Barre Family YMCA), Power Scholars Academy and the Food and Fun at the Park Program, contact Jennifer Brennan, Director of Education and Child Care Services, at jennifer.brennan@wbymca.org.
				&ldquo;We are so excited to reopen our facilities to our community,&rdquo; Thomas said. &ldquo;More importantly, however, our Y has always been more than a building. Our Y is about people &mdash; people from all backgrounds and walks of life who come together to improve their lives, nurture their families and strengthen their community. We are so incredibly grateful to the people who have stood by us throughout these challenging times. You were here for your community when it needed it most, and we remain here for you.&rdquo;
				For more information about reopening, membership renewal and reactivation and program registration, visit www.wbymca.org.

Wilkes-Barre YMCA reopening facilities