If you've ever thought about taking a class or two at the Boothbay Region YMCA, there's a free pass waiting for you now through October 6. Pick up your individual pass at the front desk and ask for a tour. Or get right down to business and take a look at the Y's program booklet and find what interests you and/or your family.

The Y offers 40 wellness/fitness programs every week. Get your heart rate up and pounds down with aerobics (including low-impact); combine dance moves and exercise with Zumba, find flexibility and inner peace through yoga, work out in the fitness center using state-of-the-art equipment; try water walking and aqua arthritis therapy in the 25-yard swimming pool.

And as always, the Y offers swim classes for ages toddler through adult, including a parent-child class. If your child is already a swimmer and enjoys competition, there is always a place for him or her on the Dolphin swim team

Children's programs, including after school hours, include basketball field hockey, lacrosse, soccer, indoor floor hockey, gymnastics and traditional Tae Kwon Do. Kids with a flair for the dramatic can join the Y-Arts group for singing, dancing and acting and theater games. And, there are ballet, jazz, tap and contemporary dance classes.

Both adults and youth can pick up the racquet of their choice and sign up for tennis, racquetball or walleyball.

If you’ve wanted to glide across the dance floor like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers ballroom dancing is for you. Or for something a bit more exotic there is belly dancing.

“Once people get involved in a program, they get into a groove,” Membership, Marketing and Child Enrichment Director Meagan Hamblett said.

Community and relationship building is part of the Y's mission. Currently 699 youth have Y memberships, either as an individual own or as a member of a family. This 2-week period is an opportunity for kids to come to the Y after school and see what the programming is like.

“We are a member based org, but when you talk about those four areas – if we don't reach you we are not reaching our mission,” Executive Director Andy Hamblett said.

“The classes for most people are what motivates them. And for procrastinators like myself, once you get into it, part of the experience is the reinforcement you get from everyone around you.”

One primary age group the Y would like to reach are the young adults aged 18-25.

“They are the kids who grew up here, went to college or right into the workforce and we are not reaching as many of them as we want to making some healthy choices. Looking into having dodge ball or walleyball nights,” Andy Hamblett said.

“We hope to partner with local employers to find creative ways to reach out to this age group. We'd also like to hear from the young adults; find out what they would like to see here – programming and what times of the day work best for them,” he said.

Membership opportunities

This is the third year the Y has offered Try the Y for Free, but the first time in the fall. This is for non-members and former members. The 2-week period began on September 24.

Anyone purchasing a Y membership through October 6 will not have to pay the $40 activation fee and their name will be entered into a drawing for one of three prizes: an annual Y membership; a free 7-week program session; and a 2-hour pool party.

If you miss the 2-week free period, but you purchase a membership by Tuesday, Oct. 9, you can still have your name entered for a chance to win one of the three prizes. The drawing will be on Wednesday, Oct. 10.

Membership for all

The Y is a charitable organization that offers financial assistance through their Membership For All program. The program removes financial barriers via a sliding-scale, monthly payment program. Payments are made through automatic withdrawals.

Rachel Wallace, the Y's membership services and front desk director, how much a family will pay based only on one line item on the previous year's tax return.

To create the sliding scale, Meagan Hamblett sought out the median household income in the Boothbay region, which is $44,000 per year. Based on that amount anyone earning $44,001 and up pays the Y's regular annual membership fee. Reduced rates are broken down into four tiers: $44,000 to $34,001; $34,000 to $24,001; $24,000 to $14,001; and $14,000 and under. Once the income bracket is known, monthly payment is further based on whether the membership is for an individual or for a couple or a family.

For example, a family with a total income of between $24,001 and $34,000 would pay $35 per month; a senior couple, $33; a youth, $11; an adult, $38; young adult, $20;and senior (65 and over), $34.

Since the program's inception, there have been 48 new registrations and 22 existing members renewing memberships from full pay to Membership For All. Also, 12 memberships that had been using scholarships have converted to Membership For All. And there is still financial assistance through scholarships available for those who need it.

In addition to financial barriers, the Y has reached out by installing an elevator to make the entire facility accessible to all, added a universal locker room, and the facility is wheelchair accessible. Even in the pool as an aquatic wheelchair, which was acquired through partnership with Lincoln County Healthcare.

Field trips (Red Claw games), events like Freaky Friday, are upcoming and brainstorming is ongoing to develop new ways to meet the community's needs. Many new ideas being discussed will be realized November through December of this year.

Try the Y for free! Get your pass and more information at the Y at 261 Townsend Ave., across the street from Boothbay Region High School, in Boothbay Harbor. For more information, call 633-2855.

A complete listing of activities at the Boothbay Region YMCA can be viewed on www.brymca.org.