Letter from Jane Kreischer

Support for FoxCare Fitness Is Strong

I’m sure this will not be your first, nor your last, letter imploring you to reconsider your decision to close FoxCare Fitness Center. Please understand that this letter is written with the utmost respect for both the Bassett system and the healthcare it offers. Most of us have been in the community for more than 50 years, and we have used every doctor, every facility, and every service it offers.

What started out as an attempt to regain health and physical fitness turned quickly and unexpectedly into something else. The facility became a lifeline for many of our seniors: bringing social, emotional, physical and mental health together in one place. We gained fitness, we gained friends, we were in an environment that was clean, safe, quiet, and tailored to each individual fitness level. I cannot stress enough how this facility stood out from all the others; many of us had already had memberships to other fitness centers and watched them close, as well. This was such a breath of fresh air that you felt better already simply walking in to it… Walking in to people who knew your name, cared about you, with dedicated fitness coaches and staff, and classes everyone could join. There was and is no comparison anywhere that rivals that. We grew stronger, we grew more fit, we grew happier and healthier. How can an institution which has done so much good for the community be cast aside? You have only to watch one frail, struggling senior come through that door with walker, wheelchair, and cane to know FoxCare is their very lifeline and I am frankly afraid to see their health on a downward turn as soon as it closes its doors.

We are all aware how businesses suffered financially in the years surrounding COVID. We are aware that membership went down, as our concerns grew about our own safety. But we have seen it slowly come back to life again, and if every business had closed that suffered in COVID, we’d have not one left. If raising the membership dues is one option you’ve looked at, you’ve only to take a poll of who would be willing to do this to save the facility, and you’d be astounded how many of us would. Although one could argue that this solution would be most of us on a fixed income helping out the billions-making institution. I hope you can see the level of dedication of your members to keeping our dear FoxCare open and thriving.

Thank you for your time. I hope you see, with each of these letters, how you have made a difference in our lives. We ask that you reconsider.

Jane Kreischer
Oneonta