This past year, PFHQ held a nationwide contest to see which locations could sell the most memberships while raising money for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. For the month of October, Sunshine Fitness Management’s Palm Bay, Florida, location was one of the top two sellers in their region, and PFHQ awarded the group $5,000 to donate to its local Boys & Girls Clubs.

Together, all participating clubs raised over $1 million dollars for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, which helped to support the Judgement Free Generation^® program. Since launching the initiative in 2016, Planet Fitness^® has contributed nearly $3 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and has awarded $50,000 in scholarships to eligible youth.

“This donation from our esteemed partner, Planet Fitness, allows us to continue to enhance and promote our culture of good character and citizenship, as well as healthy lifestyles,” said Nic Freeman, volunteer resources manager for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida in an interview with the Palm Bay Daily.

On Jan. 17, Sunshine Fitness Management’s Palm Bay, Florida, Planet Fitness presented the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida with a $5,000 check as well as equipment, giveaways and even a pizza party. Four Planet Fitness employees – Sunshine Fitness Management’s Marketing Manager Anthony Roberts Jr., two regional managers Tim Caylor and Jason Lucas; and the Palm Bay, Florida, club manager, Nick Atkins – went to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida and took with them pizza, Capri Suns and cupcakes.

“It was an honor helping out the Boys & Girls Clubs,” said Caylor. “It’s the greatest feeling seeing the kids’ eyes light up when we were donating equipment to them. It was also great that the kids felt comfortable enough with us that they even performed a song that they wrote. It is truly an honor and a privilege to be able to help out the Boys & Girls Clubs, and it creates a special feeling inside that I can’t explain.”

In addition to the pizza party, Sunshine Fitness Management donated a foosball table, a basketball goal, kickballs, basketballs, footballs, four square balls, volleyballs, two equipment bags and scoreboards.

“We are putting to great use all the equipment that was donated to us. In regard to the $5,000 dollars – we have great plans for it! For the past 2-3 weeks we have been doing research on different field trips and activities that we can participate in,” said Angel Montilla, service director for the Boys & Girls Club of Temple Terrace. “Since the majority of our members don’t have the funds necessary to be able to go on field trips during the summer, we are working to use some of the money to help us get the kids to field trips with the hopes of having them or their parents not have to pay for it. We are looking at going to the bowling alley, Zoo, Aquatica, Escape the Room for the teens, Andretti’s, Fun Town, Kennedy Space Center and, hopefully, make either Universal or Fun Spot possible.”

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida hopes to make this coming summer the best one yet. With the equipment Sunshine Fitness Management donated, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida now have more options for outside activities and can host foosball tournaments for the youth.

“Our partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs has been a fulfilling way to reach out to the youth across the country,” said Roberts Jr. in an interview with the Palm Bay Daily. “Instilling anti-bullying principles and attitudes of inclusiveness in the future men and women of our country is a passion Planet Fitness continues to stand behind.”