Healthtrax hung this banner at its centers to help promote its nonprofit foundation, "Strong Americans for a Strong America."
United We Stand
What happened on Sept. 11, 2001 was horrific. But what has happened since then has been nothing short of amazing. Americans have banned together to give blood, donate items and money, and more. The fitness industry has been doing its part too, and Club Industry proudly salutes some of the many clubs that had a hand in helping out.
Chelsea Piers, New York
On the day of the tragedy, Chelsea Piers put up water stations to serve the thousands of people fleeing the attacks. Chelsea Piers also helped set up a 160-bed trauma hospital to aid the injured. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) organized thousands of volunteers at Chelsea Piers. In addition, the club collected truck loads of donations and supplies, and processed and directed hundreds of deliveries to the rescue site.
On the day after the attacks, 30,000 people came to Chelsea Piers to volunteer their services and offer support. Families of the missing gathered at the club and were consoled. Rescue personnel slept at the club and received hot meals. And the club's employees gave their time to outside relief efforts at the rescue site.
Club One, San Francisco
Club One is donating $25 from registration fees, paid by new members, to the Red Cross Relief Fund. The club is also selling special USA T-shirts online and at its clubs for $20, with all proceeds going to the relief fund.
Individually, many of Club One's facilities are holding fund-raising events, such as Free Massage Day, during which members and guests can get a free chair massage and leave any contribution they wish to the relief fund.
In addition, a six-person team of Club One staff and members are cycling from San Francisco to Long Beach within 48 hours, collecting donations from members and local companies along the way.
Crunch, New York
Crunch opened its doors to anyone who did not want to be alone. People could use the facilities to congregate in a time of need. Crunch also offered complete usage of its New York facilities — including showers and water and whatever else was needed — to all rescue workers and those without power. In addition, Crunch donated $100,000 to the families of firefighters, police officers and rescue workers who lost their lives.
The Fitness Company, New York
The Fitness Company, which lost its Three World Trade Center club during the Sept. 11 attack, sponsored the Relief Fund Workout on Oct. 20, benefiting the American Red Cross. The workout consisted of three parts: the Relief Fund Ride (12 hours of cycling), The Relief Fund Master Exercise Class (two hours of group exercise) and the Relief Fund Individual Workouts where members could dedicate their workout to the relief effort. Due to the somber nature of the benefit, the Fitness Company asked its members to donate whatever they felt comfortable during the various activities.
Healthtrax, Glastonbury, Conn.
In early October, Healthtrax organized and hosted a special seminar featuring speaker/author Joyce L. Gioia, co-author of Lean & Meaningful — New Culture for Corporate America. Healthtrax invited its corporate clients to attend the session, which offered advice on helping employees cope in the aftermath of the tragedy.
In addition, Healthtrax is forming a nonprofit foundation called “Strong Americans for a Strong America.” Its first initiative is to sell “Strong Americans for a Strong America” T-shirts and donate the proceeds, along with $10,000 from Healthtrax, to a college fund for a child of a victim of the World Trade Center disaster.
WOW! Work Out World, Brick, N.J.
WOW! is working to raise $50,000 for the American Red Cross relief effort. WOW! is leading the way in the fund-raising event by making an initial contribution of $10,000. The chain is asking their employees, members, friends and fellow businesses to support the effort by making a financial contribution.