Julia Sanders

Flynn Group Helps Students Hit the Books with Local School Supply Drive

During July and August, Flynn Group held its annual school supply drive to benefit local Boys & Girls Clubs around the Boston and Atlanta areas. Each of the franchise’s 40 club locations in Boston and Atlanta collected new school supplies from Planet Fitness® members.

Thanks to the hard work of Flynn Group, hundreds of school supplies were collected for students in both Georgia and Massachusetts. The school supplies collected included all the necessary items, such as backpacks, notebooks, pens, markers, folders and crayons. Flynn Group donated the school supplies to seven different Boys & Girls Clubs, including four in Georgia and three in Massachusetts.

“The Boys & Girls Club of Plymouth is thrilled to partner with Planet Fitness for this school supply drive. Together, we can equip our members in our after-school program with the tools they need to succeed and feel prepared for this school year. This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to supporting education and empowering the next generation,” said Director of Operations for Boys & Girls Club of Plymouth Christine Murray.

The school supply drive didn’t just benefit the kids in need at the Boys & Girls Clubs. Many of the team members working at the franchise’s clubs felt proud of being able to give back to a good cause. For club manager of Flynn’s Plymouth location, Nick Hopkins, the school supply drive hit home, as he often did not have the school supplies he needed growing up. He was happy the franchise had decided to do the drive.

“I genuinely appreciate that we do these school supply drives over the summer, as being able to supply younger students with the tools to succeed academically is a huge help in their day-to-day experience and in them succeeding long term,” said Hopkins. “Having our members and team members participate in programs that help to benefit kids in need of assistance leads to adults who will want to do the same. These programs are a net positive for our communities, and I take pride in knowing that each year, our club is given the opportunity to take a part in such a positive program.”

in Member News  by 27 Dec 2024

Taymax Group Promotes Digital Literacy Amongst Youth

Technology is everywhere, and in today’s world, it is nearly impossible to not use technology in some capacity in one’s day-to-day life. In schools, many students are expected to complete homework and classwork assignments online, so not having the necessary technology can be detrimental to their learning.

To bridge the gap of digital literacy amongst younger generations, Taymax Group partnered with Digitunity, an organization that connects businesses with local nonprofits who use the donated IT technology to provide digital literacy to marginalized communities. At the end of 2023, Digitunity started working with Taymax to find an organization close to the fitness brand’s office. After some research, Digitunity connected Taymax with iNERDE (New Education for Radical Development), a group that uses donated computer devices to introduce youth to STEM.

Taymax donated over 50 laptops, a few monitors and several desktops to iNERDE. The devices were from Taymax’s clubs in the United States and Canada. The retired devices no longer served Taymax’s business needs, but the group wanted the devices to be able to benefit those who did not have access to computers. Rather than sending the devices to a landfill where they would be wasted, the group collected them, cleaned them up and donated them to a worthy cause.

Elan Sablich, the IT director with Taymax Group, noted that it became apparent to him how common it is for households to lack the necessary technology for learning during the pandemic, when many students completed their schooling online.

Taymax donated more than 50 devices to iNERDE, an organization that uses donated computer devices to help introduce kids to STEM.

“One big takeaway from the height of the pandemic for me was the number of households that didn’t have access to a computer. We saw this in our local school, with public school IT teams rushing to supply every student with a Chromebook. For some households, one computer was being shared between multiple family members for Zoom calls, schools, job applications and more,” Sablich said. “Digitunity is doing the part of connecting organizations like Taymax with vetted local nonprofit organizations that are helping bridge this digital divide. In the same way that Planet Fitness® believes that health and wellness should be within reach for all, I believe that digital literacy should be available to everyone, and our donations help bridge the gap and unlock opportunities for these communities.”

Taymax’s generous donation changed the lives of many kids, forever impacting their future for the better. The franchise group wants to partner with Digitunity and iNERDE again next year to continue helping those in need.  

in Member News  by 27 Dec 2024

Flynn Group Celebrates Grand Opening of Newest Atlanta Location

Flynn Group celebrated the grand opening of its Midtown Atlanta location with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 24. The grand opening event featured guests such as radio host Jackie Paige of Majic 107.5, Atlanta Hawks mascot Harry the Hawk and members of the Atlanta Hawks Dance Team, along with representatives from the Boys & Girls Club of America.

During the grand-opening celebration, event participants had the chance to play cornhole, take photos with Harry the Hawk and the Atlanta Hawks dancers and enjoy refreshments and music. Guests also had the opportunity to spin a prize wheel for a chance to win Planet Fitness® swag and were able to enter a raffle drawing for a chance to win a 65-inch SMART TV, a $100 Visa gift card and more. Additionally, Flynn Group continued its support for a Judgement Free Generation® by presenting a $1,000 donation to the Warren Boys & Girls Club.

Flynn Group showed its commitment to a Judgement Free Generation by donating $1,000 to the Warren Boys & Girls Club, following its grand-opening event.

More than 75 people showed up to celebrate the grand opening of this PF® location. This new Midtown Atlanta club is the Flynn Group’s 31st location in Georgia. The new 17,000-square-foot club features state-of-the-art cardio machines and strength equipment; 30-Minute Express Circuit; numerous flat-screen televisions; and fully equipped granite and tile locker rooms with day lockers and showers. The Black Card Spa includes massage chairs, tanning, Wellness Pod and Total Body Enhancement.

in Member News  by 27 Dec 2024