Dear BTC Members,
After thoughtful deliberation concerning the feasibility of club-organized sessions during the current pandemic, the BTC Board has decided to not hold open water swim training at Warner Lake in 2020. Throughout the spring and early summer, the board continually reviewed New York State and federal guidelines, including reopening protocols and recommended practices, to mitigate the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In the end, it was determined that as a recreational club we are not equipped with the capability at Warner Lake to ensure the safety of our club members, lifeguards, and our training hosts, the residents of Warner Lake.
During the deliberation process, the board began looking for an alternative open water training site and opened a line of communication with staff at Lawson’s Lake, an Albany County park and recreation facility. Although the county is not able to accommodate group activities in the park at this time, they are open to working with the board for the 2021 season. Further information regarding this potential new training site will be forthcoming as we gather more details.
At this time, it is too soon to know if winter training sessions can be held due to current restrictions on gym facilities, indoor group activities, and the overall dynamics of the pandemic. While individuals who were members in 2019 will still have access to the club’s Facebook page it is important to note 2020 membership has, and will continue to be, closed until further notice. Since BTC does not have a 2020 roster, individuals will not be able to use the reciprocal training benefits established with other clubs due to liability reasons.
While this decision has been a very difficult one to make, the BTC Board holds the safety of our members in the highest regard, and felt this was the best solution available to us at this time. We would like to hold an open forum on Thursday July 30th at 6:30pm via Zoom to discuss this decision in detail. We welcome any feedback and suggestions for this season as well as winter training. We will also be discussing the upcoming term limits for all board members as well as elections for all board positions.
We look forward to seeing everyone virtually on Thursday, July 30th at 6:30pm! Please use the following link to access the Zoom meeting: BTC Open Forum Zoom Link
All our best,
Your BTC Board
Steve Vnuk, President Jeff Andritz, Vice President Jim Daley, Treasurer
Erin Dolen, Secretary Katie McNamara, Membership Lea Warden, PR/Marketing