When Healthplex Associates began to spread its wings back in the late 1990’s, we realized pretty quickly that it would be hard to create the kind of team spirit and creative sharing that Mark Nadel and I were used to. When we were working in traditional hospital administration, we’d go into the office, and often make rounds to get to know the staff. There was an important personal, face-to-face element that is often lost in today’s remote work environments
Being a national company with nearly 500 employees spread over 10 states makes it hard for the leadership group to get to know one another and to interact. We work hard to overcome this with Microsoft TEAMS meetings of our leadership group on a regular basis but nothing can replace the kind of “group think” that occurs when our fitness directors, membership services directors and general managers can sit together for a few days and explore ways to deal with this challenging environment
For more than 20 years a staple of that effort has been our annual fall conference With the exception of the “Covid Years”, that conference has been a highlight of our efforts to provide continuing education and to push the envelope of innovative ideas. Thankfully 2022 was a return to this effort which didn’t disappoint. There were a lot of new faces (and plenty of old ones) but the underlying premise was still the same Thanks to people like Logan Stogner, Renee McDonald, Don Doyle, John Douthitt and Ryan Barr (among others) there was a clear sense that this group is poised to continue to lead; not just HPA but the industry itself The feedback was strong from all the attendees that we have some of the best and brightest on this team and that the best sources of new ideas are right here at HPA.
Thanks to everyone for their support and passion for excellence. We can all take pride in being a part of
STEVEROBBINS,CO-FOUNDEROF HEALTHPLEXASSOCIATES
Britany Thomas has just been appointed as the new Fitness Director of HealthWorks Fitness Center. Britany has been with the center since 2021, joining the Share Foundation family as a Certified Personal Trainer at HealthWorks. Prior to joining HealthWorks, she was a teacher in Union County.
Britany was a high school and college tennis player and her love for fitness and wellness has evolved over the years. She enjoys running, cycling, weight training, and watching her two sons as they pursue their athletic ambitions.
Britany says that she loves seeing others accomplish their goals. Personal training has given her the opportunity to give others the knowledge and encouragement they need to achieve their fitness goals. We are excited that she has the opportunity to continue to grow with our HPA family as the Fitness Director at HealthWorks.
Faculty and staff at South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado, Arkansas conducted their annual professional development days on campus in August. HealthWorks facilitated a highly requested session about stress management and exercises for sitting all day. As with many careers, college faculty and staff members tend to engage in large amounts of occupational sitting. This is especially true since the number of online courses offered have increased over the last decade. During this interactive session, Fitness Director Britany Thomas went through a curriculum that could aid with work related stress and fatigue.
Participants were shown a variety of stretches, eye strain tips, and breathing techniques. Britany educated the staff about the many issues associated with sitting for long periods of time, such as obesity, poor posture, and fatigue. She encouraged them to move every 15-20 minutes, informing them how movement has a dramatic effect on these things as well as overall productivity.Member Services Director Janie Ward spoke about the college’s membership plan with HealthWorks. Seven staff members and their families joined directly after the session ended. This session at SouthArk is an example of partnerships HealthWorks continues to make within Union County. Holly Wood, HFC General Manager, states, “We continually look for opportunities to foster these relationships and build rapport within the community to increase awareness about what HealthWorks has to offer. Supporting our local schools and area businesses is part of our mission to build a healthier community.”
THE DONALD W. REYNOLDS INSTITUTE ON AGING IS A PROGRAM OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS MEDICAL SCIENCES CENTER. THE MISSION OF THE INSTITUTE IS TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCOMES OF OLDER ARKANSANS THROUGH MULTIPLE INNOVATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS GEARED TOWARD OUR SENIOR ADULT POPULATION AS WELL AS EMPLOYING CLINICAL PROFESSIONALS PROVIDING CARE TO OUR SENIORS.
HEALTHWORKS AND UAMS SOUTH ARKANSAS CENTER ON AGING (SACOA) HAVE PARTNERED TO OFFER FREE COMMUNITY EDUCATION AND EXERCISE PROGRAMS TO SENIOR ADULTS IN SOUTH ARKANSAS. THESE PROGRAMS ARE A WAY FOR SENIORS TO SOCIALIZE AND STAY ACTIVE OUTSIDE OF THE HOME.
HEALTHWORKS REGULARLY SPONSORS EDUCATIONAL CLASSES DESIGNED TO ASSIST AGING ADULTS WITH DIABETES CARE, BETTER NUTRITION, AND HEALTHY EATING. THESE CLASSES INCLUDE HEALTHY EATING AND TASTING (HEAT) AND DIABETES EMPOWERMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM (DEEP).
Penn Highlands Mon Valley Center for Fitness and Health recently held a member social filled with exercise, food and drums! Twenty of CFH's members gathered on a Thursday Morning in October to participate in the first member social and fitness drumming class. Group exercise instructor Kristy Fabean and member Bob Biskup led the class utilizing chairs, weights, exercise balls and drumsticks.
CFH’s fitness drumming class was member Bob Biskup's idea after seeing a video of someone using an exercise ball and drumsticks to play music. His passion for music and fitness led him to bring the idea to CFH staff. Bob is a talented music artist himself. He said, "CFH is such a wonderful facility, and they were extremely helpful in combining my fitness with my love of music."
Bob chose four songs he enjoyed, and with help from Kristy, the fitness drumming class was born. Bob and Kristy met three times leading up to the inaugural class. After the class was over, members stuck around to enjoy coffee and biscotti while discussing what songs they would like for the next fitness drumming class. Bob noted, "I cannot believe the response and heartwarming comments provided by the members. I took notes of songs, and I am going to start preparing for the next drumming class!"
The Center for Fitness and Health recently added Angela Elliot to the fitness staff. Angela, who goes by the nickname Angel, is a Corrective Exercise Specialist. She specializes in balance, coordination, and chronic conditions. Angel said, "I love helping see that fitness is not work, but a benefit to improve their life."
Although Angel is new to our staff, she is not new to the Center for Fitness and Health facility. On March 5, 2022, Angel came to CFH to compete in the annual indoor sprint triathlon. She immediately knew she wanted to be on staff at the facility for personal and professional growth.
Angel has helped to compliment the staff with her background and skill set. She has been able to teach warm water arthritis classes, Parkinson's Wellness Recovery class, and a large group of personal training clients. Angel commented, "The Center for Fitness and Health has provided me with a new beginning and a new opportunity to help others. Every employee here at CFH is on top of their game, and they have helped me to learn and develop."
The Center for Fitness and Health proactively reached out to its membership and asked them to participate in the Share Your Success campaign Management often hears from members about their experiences and achievements, so they decided to ask members to share their stories on the Center for Fitness and Health social media outlets The request was well received The numerous responses ranged from small to overwhelming accomplishments Here are a few responses:
“The exercise program that a Personal Trainer helped me create allowed me to reduce weight and lower blood pressure, and in turn I am no longer on blood pressure medication The savings in copays for the drugs pays for my membership!” (Neil)
“My husband has been attending the Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery Exercise class 3 times per week for a full year Not only has this helped him physically, but it gave him a huge sense of accomplishment ” (Wanda)
Singing River Healthplex has made major progress in its efforts to simplify the Wellness Center referral process for Singing River Health System providers.
With the help of the Singing River Health Systems (SRHS) IT team and several Clinical Directors, Singing River Healthplex has set up a Best Practice Advisory (BPA) alert in the Singing River Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system to remind providers that they have several comprehensive wellness programs they can refer patients to with the click of a button.
The BPA is designed to remind them about the SRHS programs available to their patients with a BMI >30; as well as to encourage the provider to begin conversations with the patient regarding their elevated BMI. Our aim is to open the door to discussions regarding the patient's obesity. The BPA will also create a more seamless referral process for the provider to SRHS programs.
The two referral options within this BPA include 1) Singing River Weight Loss Center (medical/surgical weight management) and 2) The Singing River Healthplex Healthy Transitions program, a 4 or 8 week exercise-based program run by a team of degreed and certified Personal Trainers whose purpose is to assist patients with transitioning to a healthier lifestyle while removing the intimidating and/or overwhelming feeling that is commonly perceived in the health and fitness journey. Healthy Transitions includes customized exercise routines along with professional instruction in the areas of form, technique, lifestyle modification, frequency, intensity, and goal setting, along with a “Nutrition 101“ class via Zoom that is taught by the Singing River Weight Loss Registered Dieticians. Upon graduating from the program, the patient is then eligible for a discounted Healthplex membership to continue their efforts and progress.
These two referrals have the same end-goal: behavior/lifestyle modifications resulting in BMI reduction and ultimately prevention/resolution of obesity related co-morbid conditions.
The Singing River Healthplex is continuing to play a major role in health education for our community. Recently, we hosted Dr. Patrick “Rad” McGuire a member of the Singing River Health System medical staff who has over 20 years’ experience as an internal medicine physician, pediatric specialist, medical weight loss champion, and urgent care physician Dr Rad recently spoke to the Singing River Healthplex members about his approach to weight loss and the thermic effect of food. He focused specifically on how fats, carbohydrates, and proteins differ on the thermic effect of food (TEF) scale. He also talked about the importance of reading and understanding nutrition food labels and resting metabolic rate.
In 2006, The Wellness Center opened with the vision of providing a supportive, safe, and welcoming environment for our community. The Wellness Center of URMC isn’t just a gym, we are Upson County’s premier fitness club, focused on helping our members live their fullest life. In October, The Wellness Center of URMC happily celebrated its 16th anniversary with an Open House/Member Appreciation party. Members enjoyed refreshments, free chair massages, shopped local vendors, and posed for pictures with photo props. We look forward to many more years of helping our community achieve optimal health through the power of exercise, wellness, and rehabilitation.
PWR! Moves is a Parkinson-specific exercise class that ‘makes functional exercise’ to keep members moving and doing more of what they want to do. The class challenges the participant physically and cognitively while working on fitness goals such as strength, balance, aerobics, and flexibility. Exercises are designed to improve fitness, counteract PD symptoms and increase daily activity.
Community, family and relationships are what make what make the Indianapolis Healthplex special. Our facility will be celebrating its 25th year of operation in October ’24. The membership base has over 4430 members that have been with us for over 20 years as well as the new members who have joined us in the past year. One thing that we consistently hear is that we feel at home, and the staff and other members are family. We take pride in creating a culture of giving back to the members and one area that our members participate in is giving back to the community.
This past October we had our 2nd Annual Halloween party for our members and guests but also for the outlying neighborhoods around the facility.
We scheduled our party on Friday October 28th .Pumpkin carving, face painting, ghoulish games and a haunted house were some of the activities we offered. A local pet shop partner brought some animals for the kids to pet. Staff dressed up, candy stations were set and the doors were to open at 6pm, but by 5:30 we had over 100 children, parents and neighbors at the entrance to the facility.
This year we added a scavenger hunt for the little ones as they navigated the candy stations. Little did we know we would have to go out for another candy run in the middle of the event, so we could provide treats for all of the kids that came. The café handed out string cheese that looked like ghosts and tangerines that looked like jack-olanterns. We snuck in a few healthy snacks among all that sugar.
Once the 2-hour event came to a close, the staff, members and community partners came together for a debriefing and clean-up. No one was surprised that we surpassed last year’s attendance by over 100. We had over 500 community members attend our event in a 2-hour time frame. The night was fun and enjoyed by so many of the neighborhood’s families. Next year, look for an even bigger crowd!
Santa Claus came to Indianapolis Healthplex by way of our members. Every year we provide an opportunity for the members to show their generosity by purchasing toys and clothing for the underprivileged children in our area. Our members are so generous that we constantly need to request more gift tags and lists of what the children need to make their holiday a little happier and brighter.
Our mission of providing for the community has been another success this past year, We are proud of such a giving and generous group of members. Our members and staff step up to help and provideprograms and gifts regularly. We look forward to these activities and all of the engagement and fun we have while participating in the events
Continuing with the theme of giving, the Healthplex partnered with a local firm, Summers Heating and Air for a food drive. Every year we ask our members and guest to participate in this food drive but this year we added that for every 5 nonperishables that are donated, the member would receive a guest pass. After counting the nonperishables, Summers agreed to match the total number and donate all of the products to the Wheeler Mission, a local charity. This year’s food drive has been a great success and has continued our tradition of providing for our community.
Alyssa Whitford is HPA’s new General Manager at EQT REC Center in Waynesburg, PA. Originally from Savannah, Georgia, Alyssa moved to Morgantown, WV with her fiancé who is pursuing a doctorate in neuroscience at WVU. Alyssa double majored in both neuroscience and psychology at Wesleyan College in Macon, GA. She received her MA in Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Alyssa previously held the position of General Manager of a sports and fitness retail store and has played collegiate sports including soccer, basketball, volleyball, and tennis. Alyssa has an extensive background in athletics and a passion for the fitness industry. Alyssa is eager to join the EQT REC team and brings value and determination in her role as the General Manager.
The REC Center hosted BREAK THE CHAINS wrestling tournament on October 28-30 for the LARGEST event held by the Center! We had over 45 teams from around the nation come compete. The tournament had a great turnout of over 2,000 people cheering for their favorite wrestler! We do look forward to hosting events such as this in the future and we already have another event scheduled for 2023! This was a great boost to help our sales for concession and we look forward to many more partnerships in the future
EQT REC Center showcased a cheerleading competition on November 19th with 10 teams competing. We foresee this becoming a staple tournament in the years to come for the cheer community around the area..
EQT’s Annual Fall Vendor Show at the REC Center was held this year on Saturday, November 12th with over 75 vendors. It was a great weekend event to gather the community together. There were goods sold that ranged from custom cutting boards, to baked goods and candies, personalized tumblers, t-shirts, and businesses from around the around the area came to be involved such as Senior Life. We had a great turnout, between 500-600 people came out to be involved and to shop!
Anderson Health and Fitness Center is happy to announce the addition of its new General Manager, Morgan Craven. Morgan is a graduate of the PTA program at Meridian Community College and just recently finished his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration focusing on Healthcare Management. Morgan is an experienced Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant of 14 years who has spent time working in multiple areas of the healthcare continuum including home health, skilled nursing and outpatient physical therapy. Morgan’s motivation has always been the well being of his patients and assisting them in achieving their goals. After spending time in other administrative roles including as a Rehab Director and culture ambassador for a previous employer, Morgan realized he also had a passion for leadership and the professional development of others. He understands the importance of creating a culture and the elements required. In his current role, Morgan hopes to bridge the gap between fitness and healthcare and continue to make a positive impact on his community at Anderson Health and Fitness Center. Morgan and his wife Brittany are the proud parents of two boys, Cohen (7) and Chanan (3).
At Anderson Health and Fitness Center, we know our members are incredible people. This point is even more evident when you see them rise up in the face of adversity. AHFC member Doug Hawkins is a great example that movement is medicine. He has utilized the programs provided by AHFC to take his diagnosis head on, enjoy the thrill of competition as an athlete and become an inspiration to us all.
We asked Doug a few questions to know more about what AHFC and its programs like Rock Steady Boxing (a program for Parkinson’s patients) and CrossFit mean to him.
Pre-Covid, Rock steady was growing and thriving. I felt like I was getting enough exercise with that three days a week. When the shutdown, happen, I had to find ways to keep moving such as weekly workouts online. When the fitness center reopened, I started going several days a week working out on my own until Rock Steady started back. One day, I was trying some pull-ups on the rig when Adam and Rob commented “we need to get Doug into CrossFit one day.” A few weeks later, I tried it and was hooked!!
I enjoy Rock Steady because we perform stretching, the big movements, balance exercises, and voice exercises. Some people don’t realize how Parkinson’s Disease affects each person differently. In Rock Steady, we cover all of that.
CrossFit also presents a variety of aspects to my exercise regime such as cardio, strength, skill, muscle memory. While I’m not able to master the skill aspect nor perform some of the lifting, I feel I get a lot out of the strength, core, and cardio. There is also the dopamine release that comes from exercise and that is one thing that Parkinson’s takes away from us. The camaraderie, encouragement, and friendships are just a few things that I am very thankful and blessed to receive from both classes.
I tried the Open as a kind of self-test to see how I measured up after a little over a year in CrossFit. There were all ages and different adaptive competitors. I think my final rank was 48th out of 150 in my division. They are making some positive changes for 2023 in the Open, and the grouping for the adaptive divisions will be different. I am excited to see how it turns out and compete in the 2023 Open.
For the viewers of this post that have Parkinson’s or know someone that does, my piece of advice is get moving. Exercise is the one thing that is proven to slow, stop, and even diminish Parkinson’s symptoms. While it is not a cure, it can help improve your quality of life. For others, exercise will improve your quality of life as well in the physical and mental aspects. AHFC has an incredible staff and a wide variety of programs/classes to choose so there is no excuse for not checking it out. You may even get to see our Rock Steady boxing athletes work while you walk or jog the track.
You competed in the CrossFit Open 2022 Adaptive athlete division for neuromuscular disorders(Parkinson’s Disease). How did that feel? How did you rank? Are you ready for the 2023 Open?
What is your favorite aspect of both classes?
What are some words of advice that you may have for the viewers of this post?
AAHFC receives many testimonials from our members that tell us about their experiences at our center and how our staff has helped them to improve their lives The following are excerpts from a letter we received from one of our members. It highlights the difference that can be made when individuals make their health a priority and have fitness professionals work alongside them to achieve their goals:
“I started at Anderson’s the day I dropped my kiddos off to their first day of school in August of 2021. I had made my mind up that I wanted to get healthy and with my youngest starting Kindergarten…I had no excuses! I chose Anderson’s specifically because my husband is a healthcare professional, and we would get a discount I also knew they had a lot to offer their members so it was a win-win such as classes, support, trainers, a variety of equipment, good hours for flexibility, etc
My progress has felt quick and slow, up and down, and really everything in between I’m working hard to give myself grace as I continue on this journey I understand changes don’t happen overnight, but there are often times the scale doesn’t change Thankfully, my inches still do! I’ve slowly realized it’s so much more about my lifestyle and the joy in the journey rather than fast results or day to day changes
If I could choose one word for my fitness journey, it would be DISCIPLINE It has been over a year now that I have made my physical and mental health a priority In making it a priority, I structured my days to start with my morning workout, and I’ve made it my non-negotiable me time. I’ve never been so dedicated and consistent in something so I’m very proud of myself. Of course, I have days I would rather turn the car around, but I’m always glad I completed my work out when I leave. It makes it SO much easier to show up to a workout knowing I have amazing fitness instructors who will build me up and encourage me on hard days. I can honestly say I could not have done it without them!
Being a busy mama is what I feel got me into this mess When I had finally had enough and wanted to prioritize my health, I made a way Finding a gym that offered childcare was a huge perk, especially for extended holidays and summer breaks I also had to shake off the guilt of putting myself before my children at times I had it backwards thinking my kids would suffer if I brought them to the gym Boy was I wrong! They have grown to love the staff and my older boys have enjoyed learning how to stay physically fit and have even excelled in gym class at school because of what they’ve learned at Andersons! In all this, I’ve learned that kids adapt so well and EVERYONE benefits from a healthy-minded and physically strong and healthy mama And honestly, I think our kids need to see us taking care of ourselves I’m a much better wife and mother for taking care of myself in this way and you can be too!
AS PART OF HENRY MAYO FITNESS AND HEALTH’S IN HOUSE SPORTS PERFORMANCE PROGRAMS THE CLUB STARTED OFFERING OUTREACH SERVICES TO THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS EARLIER THIS YEAR. HMFH STAFF CONDUCTED COUNSELING SESSIONS AND A CLINIC FOR A CHEER PROGRAM ON HOW TO LIFT WEIGHTS PROPERLY FOR THEIR SPORT. THE FITNESS STAFF ALSO RAN A ONE MONTH STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM FOR A FOOTBALL TEAM THAT INCLUDED EDUCATING THE COACHES ON WHAT A PROPER SPORT PERFORMANCE PROGRAM SHOULD LOOK LIKE. THIS SEPTEMBER HMFH RECEIVED ITS FIRST FULL COMMITMENT FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL'S BASEBALL PROGRAM AS THEY CONTRACTED THE CLUB TO PROVIDE ON-SITE SUPERVISION TO RUN THEIR ENTIRE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM. HMFH’S FITNESS STAFF IS ENJOYING WORKING WITH THESE ATHLETES AND TEACHING THEM PROPER BODY MECHANICS, PROPER REST AND RECOVERY WE LOOK FORWARD TO EXPANDING AND HELPING EVEN MORE YOUNG ATHLETES IN THE SANTA CLARITY VALLEY.
Henry Mayo Fitness and Health is pleased to welcome Robert Holmes to our staff. Robert was hired as a massage therapist and has been a huge addition to HMFH facility. Robert has over 9 years of experience working in both clinical and spa environments. After getting his license he worked at a physical therapy clinic where he trained with physical therapists. While there, he worked with people recovering from injuries and surgeries such as knee and hip replacements, torn muscles and torn ligaments. Robert also worked in a spa environment where he developed his relaxing touch. Robert specializes in sports massage and in his sessions he likes to use techniques that implement medium to deep pressure with stretching.
Please join us in welcoming Marilyn Alvarado. Marilyn is our new Wellness Center General Manager at Matagorda Regional Medical Center. She has specialized in fitness nutrition, weight management and behavior change. When not working, she enjoys staying active in her Bay City community events and festivals. As a Bay City native, her goal is to lead the members towards a healthier future, increase visibility of the MRMC Wellness Center and position it as the area's top-tier fitness facility.
Before falling in love with fitness she had started studying graphic design. In addition she accumulated 6 years of experience in commercial fitness environment as a personal trainer and manager, with some of those years spent as an independent personal trainer. During that time she developed her skills in sales and marketing. Although MRMC Wellness Center has been operating since 2014, the location has had a complicated start. From limited space to restrictions on marketing to the public, the “problems” have only presented themselves as opportunities for Marilyn to provide creative solutions.
This upcoming year, Marilyn plans to lead the MRMC Wellness Center in a new way. The mission is being strengthened with proper margins in place.
Our ZUMBA classes continue to be among our most highly attended at both facilities. These classes are loud and fun! In October the team took the classes outside for 2 special sessions. The first was on October 17th, a “Party in Pink” to raise awareness for breast cancer. Over 70 members participated in this event that included 2 hours of ZUMBA® and refreshments in our parking area in Marina. On October 30th our team hosted a Halloween ZUMBA® Bash. Over 60 members participated in this event, many who came in costume.
This year we again hosted our annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot. We would like to thank our members and guests that participated in this annual event that included over 120 registered runners/walkers. Participants ran a 5K course or walked a 1-mile course with the start/finish line at our facility in Marina. Refreshments were provided and everyone received a commemorative medal and t-shirts for their efforts. The top 3 finishers earned a free membership! Thank you for spending your Thanksgiving morning with our fitness center family.
