ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Ayden Larson takes a break from dancing at the preschool dance party at the Lynn YMCA.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — While schools and businesses were battening down the hatches to weather Thursday’s winter storm, the Lynn YMCA was welcoming people in to warm up.
“We try to never close the Y so that anybody who needs access knows they will have it,” said Audrey Jimenez, executive director of the Lynn branch of YMCA of Metro North. “We want to be one of the places in the city where, if people need to get in and get warm, they can. We would probably let anyone in today.”
Preschool and the after-school child care program closed at noon. On a typical day, preschool runs from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday and after-school services from 2 to 6 p.m. with transportation to the Y from local schools.
“If there’s a snow day, the after school program opens at 7:30,” said Jimenez. “They get a whole day of childcare.”
More than 75 children are enrolled in preschool and dozens arrive for childcare in the afternoon, but because of the threat of the size of the storm, only half a dozen after-school students were dropped off and all were picked up before noon.
The Y’s other facilities remained open until 10 p.m., which are the regular hours. A few people trickled in and out throughout the day.
“How busy we are depends on the type of snowstorm,” Jimenez said. “But this is the only snow day we’ve had this year so a lot of people probably decided to take their day. I think it depends on the predictions of weather, and a lot of forecasts have stressed the dangerousness of (traveling in) this storm.”
Travel warnings issued by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation strongly advised people not to drive and to work from home if possible.
“If that is not an option, travelers are encouraged to make informed and safe decisions before they head out onto the roadways,” according to a statement by MassDOT.
By Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Charlie Baker directed that non-emergency state employees working in executive branch agencies should not report to work Thursday.
“Commutes and travel will be significantly impacted with snow covered roads, low visibility and possible white-out conditions. Motorists should stay off the roads and use public transit when possible. If you must drive, please exercise caution, ‘don’t crowd the plow’ and stay behind snow removal equipment on the roadways,” said a statement from Baker’s office.
Those who did show up enjoyed special snow day activities such as art projects and a dance party.
Kyle Griffin, 7, is a student at Drewicz Elementary School who was happy to be out of class for a snow day.
“It feels good and I like to make snowmen and snow angels,” he said. “Last year (during a snow day) I went to my family’s house and we went snowboarding.”
But Thursday he planned to stay warm inside and play video games.
Three-year-old Avianna Runner was picked up by her grandmother Denise Mailloux of Lynn. The pair planned to make cookies and hot chocolate but Runner quickly added she would be making a snowman Friday.
“Snow makes everybody happy,” she said.
https://newitemlive.wpengine.com/news/abramsons-ready-for-amazing-spelling-bee/
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte.
