For those who are not know the YMCA gives each member three passes per year and they go away if you don't use them. You get three new ones but still seems like a waste to me so that is what this email is about.
Dear Jan,
I have been a member of the Rockford YMCA for a couple years. It's just myself and my two sons on it. My question to you is this.. Are the guest passes a gift from the Y or are they something that is included in the price of my membership. Either way, they are mine and shouldn't I as the member have more control over them.
The reason why I ask that is for two rules that the Y has about the passes that I wasn't aware of before recently. First rule that the passes are only to be used by the person who the pass is given to. I wasn't aware of this and I don't agree with it. I think since I am the Mom and pay for the membership that I should be able to use the passes when I choose to. They even went as far as saying that the children could be in daycare and still should be present to allow a guest in from their passes. I don't have little kids anymore but I think that is a little silly. Honestly, with the busy school hours and home work my children are lucky if they make it to the Y twice a month. So, it just doesn't work to make my children come so I can let a friend in to use the Y.
The second rule is that I am only allowed to bring in the same person three times in one year. Between my sons and myself we were given nine passes and I believe about 3 of them were not used. It wasn't because I didn't have people willing to go but it was more about the fact that I couldn't bring that person back into the Y. I admit that I really just don't have too many people that are interested in going to the YMCA. However, I do have a couple that would love to come with me but then they got restricted by the amount of times they had already came with me. I can imagine you want the person who uses the pass to get their own membership and then the Y makes more money but one of my friend's/family just can't afford to do that so that's not going to help her. My other friend enjoys the YMCA but just make the time for the membership to make paying for it worth her money. Again, I know that the YMCA wants people to join but why can't I use the passes on who I choose and enjoy my friend's or family's company?
On to the gift membership, I had inquired about the price of the gift membership to give a family member a free month to the YMCA at my cost. I was told that I would have to buy the month and the joining fee for them. I couldn't afford to do that and basically I wasn't willing to pay a joining fee for a membership when I wouldn't know if that person would keep the membership. It would seem like a waste of money if they choose to just use the free month. I would think a lot more people would buy the free month if it was more reasonable. Also, maybe the YMCA could get more members if you offered them a trial membership of a month or two before they commit to paying a joining fee. I am sorry that this was long but I feel very strongly about wasting money and to me to not use a guest pass is wasting something that I consider valuable.
P.S. My husband said why can't the guest passes be given out to friends and family that can show up and use them when I am not there. Sometimes, peoples jobs and stuff just doesn't match up. He says they could be a gift. Just a thought.
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