Julia Sanders

Giving back to members of local youth can have a ripple effect on the future of society. For example, encouraging younger people to stay healthy and work out can create a future full of healthy individuals and impact future generations. Flynn Group helped three different groups of youth in very diverse ways.

First, the franchise group helped kids at the Garfield School in Revere, Massachusetts, stay hydrated during their annual field day by donating a pallet of PF^®-branded waters. Additionally, the franchise hosted its first Field Day event on June 28 at the Warren Boys & Girls Club in Atlanta, Georgia. There were 17 Planet Fitness^® staff members who spent five hours playing games with over 120 Boys & Girls Club members. Some of the games included ring toss, tug of war, relay races, limbo and hula hoop contest and sack races, as well as a kickball game.

Lastly, Flynn’s Dorchester, Massachusetts, team helped promote PF’s High School Summer Pass program by welcoming teens from the Dorchester Boys & Girls Club to workout at its club on July 17. Planet Fitness trainer Leonard Brown led 20 teens in a group workout and discussed with them the importance of fitness. The teens got the full member experience, with a tour of the location and the opportunity to relax in the Black Card Spa. After the workout, the teens were fueled with snacks and given a PF swag bag to represent Planet Fitness.

“The Boys & Girls Club is better than ever, hosting a bright and promising youth that’s packed with young leaders. It was a privilege to meet them and get a good workout along the way. Thank you to them and the organization,” said Brown.

Back to school time can be an exciting time for kids, but a financially stressful time for parents. The cost of school supplies quickly adds up, especially when a parent is trying to afford school supplies for multiple children. A survey conducted by Credit Karma in July found that 31% of parents are unable to afford back-to-school shopping for their family.

Several Planet Fitness^® franchise groups partnered to help parents afford school supplies for their children this fall. EPIC Fitness, Impact Fitness, Pinnacle Fitness and Red Mountain Management Services all participated in the school supply drive, in which they collected school supplies for local Boys & Girls Clubs. In total, Impact Fitness had 52 clubs participate in the drive, while EPIC Fitness had 64 clubs; Pinnacle had 57 clubs; and Red Mountain Management Services had 10 clubs participate. The franchise groups collected donations from July 29 to Aug. 9.

On top of the school supplies drive, EPIC Fitness made a $20,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Clubs at the yearly Strike Out Bullying Day with the Detroit Tigers. This generous donation helped fund anti-bullying programs, and further strengthened PF^®’s efforts to remain a Judgement Free Zone.^®

“It blows my mind every year to see how deep our members’ hearts are for their continued support of the BGCA initiative. The overwhelming love we have for our youth is inspiring, and to donate such large quantities of school supplies/items yearly shows the positive generational impact the BGCA has on our community. It is a blessing to witness,” said General Manager at Pinnacle’s Byram, Mississippi, PF location Cedric Crowell.

Each new Planet Fitness^® club opening is exciting for not only the staff members, but also for local community members. Eclipse Fitness opened a new PF^® location Sept. 17 in Kennesaw, Georgia, about 40 minutes north of Atlanta. The group celebrated the grand opening on Oct. 18 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. As part of the celebration, Eclipse Fitness donated $1,500 to Team Red, White and Blue, a veteran service organization.

The franchise group didn’t stop there – Eclipse Fitness has also teamed up with Team Red, White and Blue to allow all veterans to exercise for free in its Planet Fitness^® clubs in Georgia on the first Friday of each month. During the month of November, the franchise group held a fundraiser in its clubs for Team Red, White and Blue to raise as much money as possible for the organization.

The new club is located close to Town Center Mall and Kennesaw State University. Nearby competitors to the club include LA Fitness and Crunch Fitness. The 20,000-square-foot club features a Vicki vending machine, massage chairs, tanning beds and more. With the new club opening, local community members, including local veterans, will be able to stay fit.