PA R K 9
One day, Yousuf stopped by the office after the tragic incident- we were concerned about him and how he was holding up, although he helped many people escape he, he also lost many friends. We asked him what his plans were since he was no longer going to be able to work at the club, Yousuf was a bouncer there. He started telling us that he wanted to start fitness classes at different locations in the area and hoped that he could start some classes at Park 9. He talked about fitness and healing; many people use fitness to relieve stress and heal from issues or life changing incidents that occur in life. We asked how Venterra/ Park 9 could help and he asked if he could use the outdoor area at Park 9 to hold classes for people who where interested. YES, yes,yes…… and beyond that Yousuf did not have any fitness equipment to start the classes. So the Park 9 team decided it would be a great idea to purchase some fitness equipment for him to use for his classes. We went online and purchased yoga balls, weights, jump ropes, floor mats, and other equipment needed to start his fitness classes. In September 2016, we started the first session at Park 9. It was so great to see him in action doing what he loves and motivating people to hope and change their lives through fitness. We could not stop there, we wanted to do something nice for Yousuf and his family and in October we offered to send him, his brother, and parents to Orange Lake Resort for a two day relaxing weekend to just enjoy the comfort of family.
It’s an an awesome feeling to be able to help people, to make them smile and to make a difference simply by caring enough to jump into action. Although what we did for him can not compare to his selfless actions, this WOW opportunity helped us connect with and show humility and compassion to those we serve. JUANA SANTOS EXPERIENCE LEADER, COMMUNITY MANAGER RECOGNIZED EMPLOYEES: IVELIS RODRIGUEZ JUANA SANTOS AMANDA NIEVES ANGIE CAREY CEAIRA NIXON LAUREN MOSELEY TAMMIE WILDER;
131 WOW
Orlando, Florida lost many lives this past summer and we were very fortunate not to loose one of our own in the Orlando Pulse Shooting. Park 9 is home to Inram Yousuf, one of Orlando’s strong heroes. Yousuf, as we call him, is a Marine Veteran, who loves to work out and is currently taking classes to become a personal trainer. How could we “WOW” someone who was so selfless and did not hesitate to save over 60 lives? Before the shooting,Yousuf frequently stopped by the leasing office to speak to the ladies and often had long conversations with Ivy about his goals and what he planned to do after he finished his personal training courses. Yousuf has plans of opening a fitness gym- he enjoys motivational speaking; his passion is motivating people.
THE VENTERRA EXPERIENCE: WOW MATTERS
Restoring Hope and Changing Lives Through Fitness