ROCKPORT — The Penobscot Bay YMCA announces the Y’s #StayWithUS campaign as the Y remains closed pursuant to Governor Mills’ order and CDC community health and safety guidelines. 

The Y recently released a video produced voluntarily by David Berez, owner of Post Office Editorial, in Camden.

“Being temporarily closed is the Y’s socially responsible action to take in the wake of this public health crisis, but we depend upon community donations and membership dollars to still be your Y in the future,” said CEO Melissa Bellew, in a news release. “We’re asking our members to stay with us by continuing to pay their membership dues until we can reopen in service to our community. This closure is unprecedented for our Y.”

The video includes CEO Melissa Bellew, YMCA Chief Volunteer Officer Andy Clement, and Y staff Theo Berez, Sarah Whytock, Marcia Roberts, Caitlin Harrington, David Sheain, Meredith Gutheinz, and Debbie Tyler.

The Y continues to serve the community during this crisis through its Essential Providers Childcare, acting as a Red Cross blood donation site, accepting food donations for area food pantries, and distributing workout kits and wellness checks for senior members and members in need. While performing these services, the Y remains compliant with all CDC, state, and local guidelines, according to the Y.

Founded in 1915, the Penobscot Bay YMCA started as the Camden Area YMCA, remaining to this day one of the country’s oldest, continuing, small community YMCAs. From 1916 until 2002, the Y operated from a center village site in Camden.  In November, 2002, the YMCA moved to a new facility on Union Street in Rockport, allowing expansion of membership, programming, and offering to the Midcoast region. 

Today, the Penobscot Bay YMCA serves more than 5,300 members, ranging from children in the Early Learning childcare programs to seniors. Currently, the Y is the largest childcare provider in Knox County, serving about 325 children on a weekly basis through its early learning programs, drop-in care, and before/after-school programs. The Y also offers one of the largest youth sports programs in Knox County, with more than 1,200 children participating in swimming, gymnastics, basketball, and recreation programs.

In addition, the Y serves a large senior population, offering its popular Healthy Seniors fitness and wellness programs, senior aquatics programs, a therapy pool for rehabilitation services, and luncheons for seniors.

In addition to year-round offerings, the Penobscot Bay YMCA also operates the largest summer camp program in Knox County. In 2019, more than 1,400 individual children participated in one or more weeks of summer camp.

For more information, please contact Melissa Bellew at mbellew@penbayymca.org.

At the Y, we are for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.