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GREENSBORO - The financially struggling Greensboro YWCA has suspended its fitness and aquatics programs in an effort to continue cutting costs.

"The big picture is stopping those areas where we're losing money," said Jean Pudlo, the YWCA's interim executive director.

"The pool has not covered its own costs in several years," Pudlo said. "It has to cover its own cost and maintenance overhead in order to keep it open."

Fitness classes such as gymnastics and yoga will also be suspended indefinitely.

"We aren't able to run those programs competitively now," Pudlo said.

In January, the YWCA put together a team encompassing legal, financial, marketing and programming experts. The team met several times and came up with the recommendations that the YWCA board accepted on Thursday, Pudlo said.

YWCA officials learned last fall that the 105-year-old organization owed more than $100,000.

The agency's problems came to light after the forced departure of Adrienne Witherspoon, who served as executive director from November 2007 to Oct. 21, 2008 .

Witherspoon said in an e-mail in mid-November that she would respond "at the right time, in the right venue and under the right circumstances."

An audit completed in January turned up no evidence of malfeasance, Pudlo said.

Pudlo said the agency needs an estimated $500,000 over the next two years to continue and improve existing programs, which include serving 330 teen and adult mothers and their babies.

The organization has reduced its debt to about $90,000 and is paying its current bills.

An annual fundraising campaign has brought in $19,000; the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro provided a gift of $10,000; and, earlier this month, the Weaver Foundation gave $10,000 to help pay for leadership and planning, Pudlo said.

"Once our organization is on sounder footing, we'll be in a better position to grow these programs," Pudlo said.

Contact Sonja Elmquist at 373-7090 or sonja.elmquist@news-record.com