YMCA
Reviews and Complaints

The experience that my family and I have had with the YMCA in Wilkes County, North Carolina, is something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. From a false accusation to my children being escorted off the property by police officers, to my whole family being banned and an ongoing legal battle, that was the 'Thank You' I received from them for giving back to the community by using their gym to offer complimentary basketball practice to local kids during Christmas break. The executive director, Caroline Whitson, and her superior, Mr. Darryl Head, are two of the most disgusting people I have ever encountered. Director Whitson fabricated a false accusation and literally has tried to destroy my life. If it happened to my family, yours might be next.

My YMCA Membership was recently terminated. No reason was given except something concerning a police report was mentioned. The Director requested a meeting, which I attended. I was asked about a particular incident involving another member who accused me of trimming his beard without his permission. For no apparent reason, the member accuser was not invited to the meeting. I asked the Director why, and his answer was not appropriate. The Director interrogated me to the point in which I felt very uncomfortable with his questions and I chose to end the discussion...Before I left the meeting, I was informed by the Director I was no longer welcome at his facility, and my membership had been terminated.

So let me get this straight. I'm order for my kids to be active in the winter at the new bremen oh ymca.. I need to pay for and sign them up for programs because that's the only was to utilize the facility from after school hours until 745 8 at night? So a membership payment of 73 dollars a month is only enough to take my kids to enjoy the ymca experience on the weekend. This is not okay and I will be canceling my membership.

This evening I experienced a violation of the code of ethics, discrimination, and lack of efficient communication from the manager. English is not my first language, so I am so lost for English words now that I am having a hard time thinking over the trauma I had experienced with communication. However, I was told by the manager that a representative from their leadership will be contacting me via email. I will be waiting to hear from the Downtown corporation office in the meantime.

On January 4,2024 I went to the Hammond Family Ymca on 7322 southeastern Ave Hammond Indiana to play some basketball with my niece. I have a membership and so does she but I left my card at home so the lady looked up my account but my niece account was not paid up. The lady informed me that the account needed to be paid up in order for her to be admitted to play ball. I asked the lady if I can get an guest pass for her. The lady told me that they don't have any guest passes at first then after I said no guest passes she changed it to I have to be the parent in order to get a pass. Why lie about the guest passes to begin with? I will be cancelling my membership on Feb 1,2024 because I don't like being lied to I guess she nor her co-workers read the Ymca rules or what the Ymca standards for. They could have said guest passes are for 18 years and older but to say they don't have any was a flat out lie.

After going to Monica McKinley about the violated dress code of staff member in charge of Fitness and Marketing Director - Thomas E. Hannah Family YMCA Mary-Ladd Watts Yonkman explaining that all her private areas would show thru workout panty hose like outfit (gross and appearing to be soliciting) I was told this was not proper dress code for any member or employee of the YMCA. This Fitness and Marketing Director was not suspended or fired for a year. Monica McKinley Branch Executive Director - Thomas E. Hannah Family YMCA favors the opposite sex regarding following the policy of giving a verbal or written warning. In fact over the past year Mary-Ladd Watts Yonkman has dressed this way in front of Monica McKinley and members with no action taken, When i MENTIONED THAT IT WAS GROSS. I was suspended for a year from the YMCA with no warning or no warning letter. I have not heard from Rick Callebs yet regarding this matter.

I said something inappropriate to a Moody YMCA lifeguard during Covid lock-down. We were all isolated, and for members with mental illness, it was an especially hard time. I am not even sure that what I said was wrong, but the Director, Nick, called me on the telephone while Mica listened in and said very little. He did not request a private meeting but threatened to end my membership. We "made up" and I continued to swim. I ended my membership to join a country club. I have decided to return to rejoin, but to our shock, we have been banned. Nick has ghosted me (recently discussed in a NY Times article of this cruel practice) and has not responded to my request for my husband and me to return.

11/8/2023 10am Monica Mckinnly branch director called Theodore Koppe to come into her office today. I was told while she was gone that there were complaints about conversations with other members.

I was never told by anyone about the subject was a problem. Personal or other than personal. I have many members tell me about their lives and I do not complain. I even ask if the topic is ok and am told yes.

I sense that this is a racial issue due to the fact that when I turn in a complaint on an individual 5 times that is breaking the ymca rules in the presence of staff as well as on video in the pool area that do not act and the person is of another race. The person is given a warning after 5 times.. This is because the person is not white. There are other signs of the racial problem of topics this race discusses. My identity is given and theirs is not.

I would like to report Miss Nikki, who works at the Townley Elementary school after school program. In addition to being inattentive, she is rude and out of place with her comments. I was on my cell phone, in my car, talking to a friend whose granddaughter had JUST died in a very tragic auto accident. Miss Nikki saw me on my phone and told my grandson that he needs to tell his grandma that the Y is not a babysitting service and she is to come get him as soon as she gets there. To stay off her phone. Also, to pick up my grandson I knock on the door and the worker opens it and hands me the check out device. Instead of holding the door open Miss Nikki lets go of it and it hits me and almost knocks me down. This has happened on more than one occasion. She is not friendly nor outgoing. She is rude, impatient, and inattentive to the kids.

First off, I can tell how useless this complaint of mine will be handled since the YMCA has resolved a paltry 39 complaints and hasn't resolved 296!

For years my grandchildren have enjoyed the YMCA open swim times and the 2 playrooms at Westside YMCA as well as the large climbing room at the Pittsford YMCA. Young children having fun with others, what could be wrong in promoting that healthy, family style activity. Found out this morning that YMCA has changed their policy to program based only activites in those play/swim areas. See desire for more money$ via programs and paid memberships at that exclusion of others that cannot afford an entire membership.

Shame on you YMCA, your previous wonderful history of including all people in a healthy family environment has been replaced by greed. Shame on you!

9/5/2023

I have been going to the Yfor over 10 years, then covid came, now I have been back since March. I have paid for the Les Mills, which I love.
The problems is I am paying for these classes and half the time the vitual class is not working so home I go.
I just went to take my class and there is a board meeting, so home I go.
Our classes have been stopped for machine not working, meetings, school pictures, and whatever the room is needed for but not for paying memebers, If it wasn't for Les MIlls I would go to the two gyms down the street. As much as I was happy I would never refere anyone to the Y classes.
Why should we have to pay if we don't get what we can for?

Mel Korum YMCA in Puyallup, WA, Poor Christian deportment!

Front desk associate berated my Mother, a 70 year old woman, who said she could not hear her, as the associate is leaning down speaking to the floor instead of to her. Now we have a block on our account, unable to utilize the YMCA that we are paying for. unable to remove the block until we talk to the Senior Customer Service Agent, who is on vacation. Very poor service!

3 showers... 1 dollar tree shower curtain, and 1 handle for the showers. You take the handle off and go shower to shower with the handle turning on the water so you can find which shower has the hot water. Ceiling panels missing. MOLD AND MILDEW all over walls and ceiling as you can see in the pictures. Also have video that was sent to health department. When I asked about the bathroom getting clean 3 months ago I was told to be patient. Fast forward 3 months this is what are YMCA bathrooms and showers look like. 💩

The place is so nasty and unhealthy.