Aiken YMCA
Hitchcock Healthcare partners with Family Y
Date January 25, 2008
By ROB NOVIT
Senior writer
Hitchcock Healthcare wanted to focus more on its core mission of therapy services. The Family Y was looking for a prominent, temporary presence in Aiken prior to the opening of a permanent building in three to four years.
Now they've found each other. By a scheduled date of March 31, the Augusta-based Family Y will take over a portion of Hitchcock's facility on Medical Park Drive.
Family Y will assume operations for Health Solutions, Hitchcock's fitness program, said Hitchcock director Karen Bowles. The Family Y also will move toward re-opening the child care program that Hitchcock closed in 2004.
"This is the best of both worlds for us," said Bowles. "We wanted to grow our rehabilitation program and let the Y do the fitness program. We don't have the resources to run it, and they can do it better and treat our members like we do."
The Family YMCA is an association of six branches, two licensed child care centers and an 88-acre campsite in Lincoln County, Ga. The organization has had a presence in Aiken County for several years through its after-school programs.
A permanent facility, to be named Wyatt Family Y in honor of businessman Weldon Wyatt, will be built on 20 acres in the new Trolley Run Station development, donated by the FineDeering Development Group. A three- to four-year time frame to complete construction is realistic, said Family Y CEO Danny McConnell.
"This kind of arrangement for an express facility that leads toward a full facility is fairly typical for us," he said. "What we're really excited about is that the two mission statements of both groups support each other so well."
When the Family Y begins full operations in a new building, Hitchcock will be provided with space in that facility for a satellite office to provide additional therapy services.
Hitchcock currently has 800 members for its Health Solutions fitness center. All have been notified of the change of management and can transfer the memberships to Family Y.
Hitchcock Board Chairman Clarke McCants welcomed the chance to participate in a collaborative arrangement with Family Y.
"It's an institution that has been around for so long and has such a worthy mission," said McCants. "As we work within the competitive health care and health services market, you don't want to spread out too large and lose focus of what you're there for."
Hitchcock's rehabilitation clients and the fitness center members have been sharing the same gym space. With Family Y providing its own exercise equipment, Hitchcock can expand its rehabilitation program now, said administrative coordinator Nicole Simmons.
Jerry Schumpert, an Aiken resident, chairs the Family Y's Aiken board.
"We just felt like we needed to develop a presence in Aiken for the Y to educate people on what it's all about," he said. "The Hitchcock membership is available to use to turn those members into Y members. When people start feeling the effect of the Family Y, it kindles a fire in the community."
Family Y will occupy about 10,000 square feet of the Hitchcock facility's 35,000 square feet. The existing lobby area mostly will house Family Y's own fitness equipment.
McConnell said the Y will have two different child care programs. A typical child-watch stay for Family Y is two hours for those parents who want to work out.
"We'll renovate and re-license two classrooms and open them for all-day services," McConnell said. "Perhaps we'll even have two shifts if needed to accommodate hospital staffers (at Aiken Regional Medical Centers)."
Opened in 1951, Hitchcock provides adult outpatient rehabilitation, children's therapy services and occupational health. The agency has a satellite office in Barnwell, where the staff of four sees about 50 patients weekly.
In addition to space in the permanent Family Y building, Bowles wants to extend Hitchcock's services through satellite programs in nearby rural areas, such as Saluda and Edgefield Counties.
"I'm so proud of Karen for coming in and looking to the future," said McCants. "With the ever-changing nature of the business, she is interested in getting into the areas of need from a geographical standpoint. We want to come to them and create these opportunities through satellite facilities for children who have needs and are not able to get to us."
The upcoming collaboration may be the future for non-profits as those with similar goals work together and share expenses, said McConnell.
"It's a great way for both of them to thrive," he said. "Naturally, the Y is seeing this in a lot of partnerships. Here, Hitchcock has rehabilitation services and the Y will be there to support them by promoting healthy lifestyles."
The Healthy Solutions members will see little or no difference in their fees, said Bowles and McConnell. In some cases, the rates will be lower and also will be less than those of the permanent Family Y facility, which will have more programming opportunities.
Contact Rob Novit at rnovit@aikenstandard.com.
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