Modifications to Club Activities

Modifications to Club Activities

08/18/2020

Upon detailed review of Washington States revised COVID-19 restrictions, Salle Auriol Seattle is modifying the activities allowed within the club.  

1. Group onsite classes will continue to be limited to 5 participants, but the class session is extended to 55 minutes and limited in-distance partner drills will now be allowed.  Alternate activities will be provided for class members who choose not to participate in the partner drills. Class participants need to arrive in sufficient fencing gear to eliminate the need to use the locker room or bathrooms to change.  Participants need to have their own equipment (blade, glove, mask, knickers, jacket, underarm protector, hard chest protector if needed).  As always, class participants will wear cloth face masks that cover their nose and mouth when in the club and class.  Participants must be able to put on their fencing mask without disturbing their cloth face mask. Masks with valves or vents are not allowed.  This will take effect Thursday August 20th.

2. Limited onsite sparring is now available for adults.   Sparring will be restricted to “pods” of 3 people.  Members of pods can only spar with other members of the pod and family/cohabitant members.  Pod members need to arrive in sufficient fencing gear to eliminate the need to use the locker room or bathrooms to change.  Pod members must have their own equipment (blade, wire, glove, mask, knickers, jacket, underarm protector, hard chest protector if needed). Pod members will wear cloth face masks continuously while in the club, including during sparring sessions with other pod members.  Pod members must be able to put on their fencing mask without disturbing their cloth face mask.  Masks with valves or vents are not allowed. This option is available for individuals age 21 and over.  Sparring sessions need to be scheduled in advance, are available once a week, and are of a one-hour duration. If you are interested in this activity, please contact Kundry with the names of your pod members to be scheduled.
   

3. Individual lessons continue to be available; in distance coaching is allowed if both the coach and student agree so.

All fencers attending the club are required to have a current USA Fencing membership for insurance purposes.  The minimum ‘non-competitive’ level is sufficient if you do not wish to purchase a competitive membership yet.  Be sure to renew before attending in person and claim Salle Auriol Seattle as your club. 

Marshall Hibnes

President, Salle Auriol Seattle

SAS Membership Update

Salle Auriol Seattle Membership Update

August 2020

Hello Salle family!  It is incredible to me that we are still in the midst of this pandemic.  August will mark the 5th month that we have been impacted by these extraordinary times, to the point where saying “extraordinary” no longer seems so.  Once again, the club sincerely thanks our members for their continued financial donations (dues and class fees are considered tax deductible donations at this time).

Even though the governor has issued a statewide pause on advancing to further opening stages, the stage we are currently in allows us to be open for limited service so long as we follow established Washington State and CDC guidelines.  This means members can reserve times to work out, including:

• Use the cross-training room for weight training, aerobic training and stretching

• Use fencing strips for working on footwork and technique

• Use fencing strips for household/co-habitant fencing time

• Wall target practice (we have installed many new wall targets that are socially distanced from one another)

• One on one fencing lessons with a coach, socially distanced

• Participate in small, coach led group classes of 5 or less people, socially distanced

• While mask use is required, members who have been using the club say that they have adjusted quite easily to working out with them on

We have an abundant amount of space with great ventilation that allows us to provide socially distanced space for members, please contact us if you want to come into the club.

The online Zoom classes will continue as scheduled until further notice.  If you would prefer not to come into the club, please don’t hesitate to take advantage of these online opportunities.

We also have Salle branded masks for purchase!  They have received great reviews for breath-ability from members who are using them, whether to work out or to represent the club when you are out and about.

We know that the summer has traditionally been a time when members take some time off from fencing training and classes, reducing their financial commitment to dues only.

The club has traditionally made up for this shortfall by running summer camps.  We are running summer camps again this year, but the revenue the club is receiving from them is a small fraction in comparison to previous camp seasons.

This makes your continuing generosity even more important.  Basic dues only covers about half of our monthly fixed costs (which are mostly rent and payroll) so all donations are extremely important to the continuance of the club.  We understand that your financial situation might have changed; please contact Kundry if you need to make adjustments to your account.

On the topic of donations, some organizations (such as Microsoft) offer matching donations; please consider investigating whether your organization has a program for that and use it to supplement your personal donations.

Be assured that we continue to do everything in our power to use your donations frugally and to secure funding from other sources, such as our successful use of the federal Payroll Protection Plan.

Our financial reserve fund, although shrinking at a small steady rate, is still healthy. The only way it will remain healthy and be used to supplement our monthly shortfalls will be because of your continuing generosity.

I appreciate your time and your commitment to the Salle and to everything that fencing has come to mean in all our lives.

Wear your mask and wash your hands!

Marshall Hibnes

President, Salle Auriol Seattle