Gym numbers are down, Wooster's Fall into Fitness raffles hopes to change that
Bryce Buyakie
As the pandemic drags on, some health and wellness centers are feeling the pinch as many people still don't feel comfortable working out in public.
This is especially true for Jeremy Branter, the health and wellness supervisor at Wooster Community Hospital. He oversees the hospital's gym at HealthPoint, 3727 Friendsville Road, Wooster.
"Numbers are down across the board and we want to find some way to bring people back out," Branter said at a Wooster Healthy Living meeting in September.
Pandemic:COVID relief: How $2.4M is helping Wayne, Holmes & Ashland food businesses survive downturn
Branter's facility is one of three workout centers that have teamed for the city's first Fall into Fitness event.
Working out will have some perks in November-December
Kicking off on Nov. 1 at the Wooster Community Center, it lasts two months and spans four locations.
"The goal is for participants to check-in at each location and mark down how many times they've visited a place," said Jeff Battig, the Recreation and Community Center manager. "At the end, they turn in their cards."
At the end of December, participants can turn in their cards at any location to be entered into a raffle. Four prizes will be provided by each facility.
Battig said the prizes will be free passes to a specific gym up to $75 in value.
"We're hopefully coming out of the pandemic and numbers are down," Battig said. "We want to provide a service."
Battig runs the city's senior hiking and walking programs. He said turnout for those programs has been higher than in previous years.
"People feel more comfortable outdoors than in," he said.
But he hopes the two-month event will bring more people indoors.
Here are the place to check in and check out
Participants must have a valid waiver at each location. Cards can be picked up at each gym and can only be used at the specified gyms during the designated dates.
Featured locations and dates:
- Wooster Community Center: Nov. 1-14.
- YMCA: Nov. 15-28.
- Gault Recreation Center: Nov. 29-Dec. 12.
- HealthPoint: Dec. 1326.
- All locations: Dec. 27-30.
Reach Bryce by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com
On Twitter: @Bryce_Buyakie