CWA Blog Archive-Member Appreciation In The Time Of COVID

Member Appreciation In The Time Of COVID

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This article explores how gyms showed member appreciation during the pandemic when traditional in-person gatherings were impossible, profiling Boulders Climbing Gym in Madison, Wisconsin. It sets the constraint: indoor in-person gatherings, particularly those with communal food or beverages, were on hold nationwide, ruling out classic bouldering-comp-plus-beer events and many others. This was tough because facilities everywhere were more grateful than ever for members, many of whom chose not to freeze or cancel their memberships despite prolonged closures. That gratitude was certainly true for Brad Werntz, president of Boulders Climbing Gym, which has two Madison locations, and who with his team was working hard to show up for their community despite the difficulty of traditional appreciation. The article details Boulders' COVID response. The two facilities reopened in mid-June after around three months of closure. Notably, they were legally allowed to open a bit sooner but chose to do timely upgrades plus an extra deep clean first, prioritizing readiness and safety over speed. After reopening, they chose to operate at reduced capacity (15%), accepting lower revenue to protect members. The throughline is that genuine member appreciation during the pandemic meant prioritizing members' health and safety, even at real financial cost, rather than staging events that were no longer possible or safe.

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This piece profiles Boulders Climbing Gym in Madison showing member appreciation during COVID when gatherings were impossible. President Brad Werntz delayed reopening for safety upgrades and operated at just 15% capacity, accepting lower revenue to protect members. It reframes appreciation from events to prioritizing members' health, the most meaningful gratitude in the circumstances.