March 17, 2020
TIGAR Families,
Yesterday evening, Governor Polis mandated the temporary closure of many public establishments, including “gyms” for a 30-day period. We had already initiated a voluntary TIGAR closure this past weekend to allow us to deep clean, install high-technology air purification and sanitation devices and systems, and train our coaching and administrative staff on new policies and procedures we intend to activate for all participants going forward.
We intend to comply with the Governor’s mandatory closure. We are also investigating whether certain measures may be taken to comply with the 50-person grouping rule, as our gymnasium is over 18,000 square feet, and we have deployed many measures, including sanitation stations, mandatory wellness and temperature checking of all staff and participants, and anti-microbial disinfectant application throughout the training facility. We are working on a plan to stagger classes and training so that, when permitted, we will be able to adapt to recommended distancing and public protection measures.
This closure is challenging for all of us. Like many challenges, there are opportunities that dwell within. We are using the time we have wisely, conducting a thorough sanitation of all materials, equipment and structures in the facility, training coaching staff on curriculum implementation, and conducting clinics with highly qualified coaches to further prepare us for when we are able to reopen. We are also in contact with a live streaming video monitoring company that could permit distance viewing for spectators – from your mobile device – so we could keep you “in the know” while also limiting the bio-load on our newly installed air purification and sanitation systems.
For those of you who are active members of TIGAR, we are not planning to withdraw April tuition as normally scheduled on March 20th. We want to respect the burdens on your family that this humanitarian crisis is imposing. At the same time, we are doing all we can to respect the financial requirements of our staff, and therefore, we must look to what we can do to continue to compensate our coaching and administrative staff. We are reducing our staff schedule to essential personnel only, and rotating work schedules to allow for those who want to work the opportunity to continue to earn income. We offer PTO beginning on the first day of employment for most staff (those who meet a minimum part time threshold of weekly hours), so many of our employees have accrued and are able to benefit from our paid time off policy if they choose not to work when offered. Other staff will be given the opportunity to file unemployment under a temporary “lay off” plan that will allow them to begin collecting unemployment benefits. We are in regular contact with our employees, making sure they are supported financially, medically (we offer a generous company-sponsored medical plan) and emotionally (we have an employee assistance plan that includes free mental health benefits and COVID-19 testing) during this difficult time.
During the time that we are required to be closed, we are working diligently to deploy measures that will allow us to be fully prepared to meet any public health and safety requirements that may be enacted for public grouping facilities. While unexpected, our existing and newly enacted mitigation measures have given us a jumpstart on providing a sanitary, secure and evolving training facility for our members.
In order to keep you and your child engaged in the sport you love, we are preparing tools and resources that we will begin to email to you. We have already shared a virtual “team gymnastics camp” link for our team gymnasts. I also invite all of you to investigate the value of participating in a FREE 30-day fitness trial offered by Beach Body : http//openfit.com/friendsandfamily [CODE: FRIENDSFAM]. We are working to collect training videos for our Cheer, Ninja Development, Preschool Gymnastics and Recreational Gymnastics programs. We will begin emailing links to recommended training and fitness programs, as well as TIGAR created materials and video links to you based upon your most recent child enrollment.
We stand ready to serve you in any capacity we are able to. Please reach out to me or any member of your TIGAR leadership team if you have questions or suggestions.
Together, we are TIGAR Strong.