First A Little Song From
Greenwich Roundup
And Then A Letter From
One Of Our Readers
YMCA
Young man, there's no need to feel down.
I said, young man, pick yourself off the ground.
I said, young man, 'cause you use a wheelchair in town
There's no need to be unhappy.
Young man, there's a place you can go.
I said, young man, It's in a another town though.
You can use a ramp there, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to have a good time.
It's fun to discriminate at the Greenwich Y-M-C-A
It's fun to discriminate at the Greenwich Y-M-C-A.
They have a new 40 Million Dollar Pool to enjoy,
All you have to do is walk inside the door ...
It's fun to discriminate at the Greenwich Y-M-C-A
It's fun to discriminate at the Greenwich Y-M-C-A.
Get someone to carry you in, and you can have a good swim,
The Greenwich YMCA Board doesn't Care how you feel ...
Young man, are you listening to me?
I said, young man, what do you want to be?
I said, young man, you can make real your dreams.
But you got to know this one thing!
No man does it all by himself.
I said, young man, put your pride on the shelf,
And let them carry you into to the Greenwich Y-M-C-A.
I'm sorry they can't help you today.
June 2009 Is Not Too Far Away.
It's fun to discriminate at the Greenwich Y-M-C-A
It's fun to discriminate at the Greenwich Y-M-C-A.
And Now A Letter From One Of Our Readers:To the editor:
I saw some great posts under Topix re; the Greenwich YMCA.
However, the facts are not clearly presented and I want the Greenwich residents to understand them, as they are.
The Greenwich YMCA has never been handicapped accessible, and out of all the other YMCAs in Darien, Stamford, New Canaan, and beyond-that is the only facility who somehow avoided THE LAW requiring it. And FYI, both Darien and New Canaan did a similar renovations just recently. And both of these YMCA;s bend over backwards for the handicapped/elderly, and those unable to use stairs. They even have their own locker room, located at the front of the building..w/ special showers,lower sinks, wider doors,etc.
See, Darien and New Canaan town officials do their job. The YMCA staff and board made it a priority. YMCA, represents more than just four letters in these 2 towns. Christian is the operative word.
This temporary $17, 000 ramp doesn't need to create excuses either.. In Darien, we have a portable, adjustable, temporary aluminum ramp which allows paddle tennis players at Weed Beach access to the courts. I play paddle all the time, and we do not have one current player who uses the ramp...and haven't in 4 years. But there it is, not being used.
If Greenwich wants to borrow it, it may be a possibility eliminating the "cost issue" in court. I have many friends at town hall, and I do not see any reason the Town of Darien would hesitate to help out this man who is training for a triathlon.
See, the need to prove being right should never be at the expense of an innocent person. The YMCA is pissed at the negative publicity THEY CREATED....not about the man who needs the ramp. It is the SOS w/the Same Ole Assholes who just DON"T GET IT.
Ms. Fretty-if you are ever on crutches, you see how stairs are actually dangerous. You will have lawsuits up your kazoo. How you can walk in the Greenwich YMCA and expect any respect is beyond me. My guess is the Town of Greenwich is on to your shallow, and equally inept skills in running any public facility.
Mrs. Sullivan, who wrote in Greenwich accepts the handicapped just like they are regular people???? Even the churches welcome them????? The schools????? Your email proves my point. Greenwich residents DO ACCEPT all the different people, including the handicapped. The YMCA and you, do not. Your statement reflects you have no idea how to prove a basic point, and you accomplished the opposite. Don't even bother trying...you just make yourself look like an idiot.
Helping someone is good just because it is good, and it is right. When you help, you feel like you did something with the right intention. That's all. The reward is going to be the look on the faces of the many people finally able to see PROOF they were viewed as equal by their peers. And that can make a persons day...on both sides.
I expect the judge will see it this way...and the Greenwich YMCA can pick up all the legal fees on this one.
Darien Resident.
