Schenectady JCC Weekly Update

A MESSAGE FROM CAMPUS DIRECTOR, ANDREW KATZ

Happy 2024 to all our Schenectady JCC members, staff, kids and friends! I hope you were able to ring in the new year with family, friends and fun and that you are looking forward to an exciting year at the SJCC. Here are a few quick notes to help you start the year off right:

We have some great new fitness opportunities for individuals whose new year’s resolution is to be more active. For those who enjoy swimming, the fun of being on a swim team is no longer just for kids, as we are now offering a U.S. Master Swim Program for SJCC members over the age of 18. This program is a great way to exercise, meet new people and have fun. Session one will run from January 9 to February 4. For more information, see the flyer below or email our aquatics director, Dan Furman, at [email protected].
If swimming isn’t enough, what about a chance to swim, bike and run? Triathlons are not just outdoor events and the SJCC is excited to offer an indoor triathlon, Journey Around the “J,” coming up in March. During the triathlon, participants will complete a 15-minute swim, 30-minute bike ride, and 20-minute run. Participants will also receive a free T-shirt and a chance to win prizes! We will also be offering six weeks of triathlon training leading up to the event, during which you can learn basic swimming skills, biking techniques, fitness and conditioning skills needed to participate in Journey Around the “J.” To learn more, check out the flyer below or email Sarah James at [email protected].
A friendly reminder that starting February 1, the SJCC will charge a 3% service fee on all credit card and debit card transactions for both one-time and recurring charges. This change is being implemented to offset fees that the credit card companies are charging the SJCC. To avoid this service fee, you can choose to change your payment method to using ACH transactions, which will allow direct withdrawals from your bank account. To ensure any changes are implemented before our February 1 billing, please contact the SJCC front desk either in person or by calling us at 518.377.8803 by the end of the business day on Friday, January 26.
As you clean up from your holiday and New Year’s festivities, if you have any deposit bottles and cans, please consider donating them to us for recycling via the blue bin in the back of the SJCC. In 2023, we recycled over 70,000 deposit bottles and cans, and we hope to surpass that in 2024!
When you’re dropping off those bottles and cans, please remember that we are still collecting goods for the Schenectady Street Soldiers, a local grassroots group helping those experiencing homelessness and others in need with essentials, meals, and more by collecting donations of shelf-stable pantry and hygiene items. The needs of our community don’t end when the holidays are over, and we should all strive to make a difference year round. Help the Schenectady Street Soldiers make a difference by donating to this important program.
If you have been watching the local news recently, you may have seen that there is a prediction for two different snow storms in the next week. Please visit our website at www.schenectadyjcc.org, as that is where we will post all our updates on any potential closings and/or delays.
Lastly, please mark your calendars to support the JCC’s Camp Chaverim at Panera Bread in Niskayuna on Tuesday, January 9 between 4-8 pm. 25% of sales will be donated to the JCC if you show the flyer (see below) at checkout for in-person orders or by using the code FUND4U for online orders.

Let’s all work together to make 2024 the best year ever at the SJCC! I hope to see you all at the SJCC this weekend (weather dependent)!