Good afternoon, It has come to my understanding that the City of Menlo Park is considering not reopening the Arillaga gymnastics program. The gym has been a safe space and escape from stress for two of my daughters. Now, more than ever, we need to support the youth in our community, especially since the city has the resources to do so. After reading multiple research articles, I understand the extreme benefits, not only in their current life but in accordance to their future leadership skills, resulting from children's constant exercise and ability to work as a team. We must uphold and safeguard the future of these children; I know that along with cutting off the gym the city is cutting off my daughters' access to being the best version of themselves. Gymnastics is my daughters' favorite and only sport, and they comes home every day raving about how much they love the gym, their friends, their coaches, and overall, their experiences there. I'm so glad that we found this gym in Menlo Park. Without it, they would not be abl e to compete in gymnastics because there are no other gyms close enough to our home. Furthermore, I am aware that the city must have reserved funds. I believe that preserving the gym would be a wise and proper use of these funds. On top of the reserved funds, the gym could also generate an income with small group classes during these unprecedented times. Lastly, there are so many wonderful and qualified staff members working at the gym that are genuinely irreplaceable. If these staff members are let go, I don't see a future for my daughters' gymnastics career. I hope the city seriously reconsiders their decisions regarding the continuation of the gym, a center point in the community. Sincerely, Maria Karsner Received on Tue Jun 16 2020 - 12:48:03 PDT
