Dear Governor Ige, Hawaii State Department of Health and Hawaii State Representatives:
We are writing to you on behalf of Hawaii Gymnastics Programs representing a vital community throughout the state. We are asking for help to properly recognize the business differences between youth gymnastics training facilities and adult gym/fitness training facilities. Gymnastics centers are unique and our operations comply with COVID-19 recommendations such as:
1.    Gymnastics is an individual activity with no physical contact between participants.
2.    Gymnastics facilities are large warehouse type structures with high ceilings which allows for ample air flow and plenty of space to physically distance our participants.
3.    Within our large training facilities, skills, activities and participants are traditionally spaced 6’ apart or farther.
4.    When following established protocols inclusive of everyone wearing a mask, it has been evident that gymnastics can be done with minimal incidents of COVID-19.
5.    Gymnastics facilities keep records for attendance and contact information of all participants
Under current mandates, many of our businesses have been entirely closed or are operating significantly below capacity. By some counts, close to 90 gymnastics centers have permanently closed throughout the country and many others are on the verge of bankruptcy. For Hawaii gymnastics centers, 6 months is entirely too long to be in forced closure with no end or support in sight.
Recognizing that gymnastics centers are a distinctive part of our economy, it is our belief that less restrictive guidelines can be developed by the State of Hawaii which would allow us to restart operations in a manner that maintains the safety of our participants, coaches, parents and community at large. We respectfully request that gymnastics centers be reclassified independent of gym/fitness centers giving our industry the opportunity it deserves to restart successfully and safely again.
Thank you for your consideration on this important matter.
Sincerely,
Hawaii Gymnastics Programs