Parents for Gymnastics NFP

Dear IK Friends and Families –

On behalf of IK Gymnastics, we would like to thank you for your ongoing support since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. Your kind words and your trust in IK to maintain a safe environment for your children have allowed Irina’s family, IK staff, and gymnasts to stay positive through these difficult times and this has meant more to them than can adequately put into words. In addition, your financial generosity through the first GoFundMe campaign has allowed IK Gymnastics to stay open and to provide classes and coaching to your children. It could not have been done without you!

When the first GoFundMe campaign for IK gymnastics was initiated in April, we had hoped that by this time, COVID-19 infection rates would have remained low, and that some semblance of normal life would be resuming. Unfortunately, we find ourselves back in Tier 3 with many signs that this stage could last through the end of the year.

The pandemic has hit the entire gymnastics industry hard. As of November 17, there have been 125 gyms across the country that are now permanently closed. Many more are in danger of shutting down.

Since June, IK had—through careful planning and safety protocols—resumed team training and classes but at a very limited capacity. Covid-19 has limited the ability to maintain business at a profitable (or even a break-even) level. Now, due to the setback to Tier 3, IK is facing even more challenges.

Recently, a 501c3, not-for-profit fundraising organization called Parents for Gymnastics has been revived. The organization is working on several fundraising endeavors to help cover IK’s operating expenses for the next few months as we don’t know when life will resume “as normal”. One of those endeavors is this new GoFundMe campaign. Different than the first, the contributed funding will this time go through the newly revived Parents for Gymnastics for the benefit of IK gymnastics. As a 501c3 Corporation this will allow your donation to be 100% tax deductible for you, as well as tax-free to IK gymnastics.

IK gymnastics is, of course, a business, but it is more than a business to Irina’s family and to its students—it is a dream, an endeavor, a commitment, a desire to work hard and reach one’s highest potential, a place where students make life-long bonds with their classmates and teammates, a place where one builds confidence.  On November 7, 2021 IK Gymnastics plans to celebrate their 10-year anniversary and 20 year anniversary of Irina's Team in the USA. Please help us keep this dream alive by contributing to this new GoFundMe campaign. We know this is a lot to ask, especially if you contributed to the first campaign, but we would not ask unless your help was critical – and it is.

All the best,

The Parents for Gymnastics Board of Directors