member news
2016 Issue 2 | GearedUp
12
PFGP Shoots Hoops with Local Boys & Girls Club
P
lanet Fitness Growth Partners
(PFGP) hosted a “Planet Fitness®/
Boys & Girls Club Basketball Jamboree”
in coordination with the Boys & Girls
Club (BGC) of Cleveland, Tennessee,
March 16, at the Cleveland BGC facility.
Around 350 children from the four
Cleveland-area BGCs gathered in the
gymnasium with nine teams participating
in the tournament.
This jamboree was an effort to
support the newly established Judgement
Free Generation™ to combat bullying and judgement faced in
today’s teen culture.
“I am incredibly proud of our team. I expressed my desire to
have our Tennessee team be an early adopter of this charity effort
and to embrace it with wide open arms – and next thing I know,
they had this all put together! I am amazed and humbled by the
passion and selflessness of our team in wanting to make a positive
difference in the communities that Planet Fitness Growth Partners
calls home,” said Chris Cavolo, chief operating officer of TN/WA
Planet Fitness Growth Partners.
The festivities began as soon as the children ran through
the doors of the cafeteria to the BGC club, with the PF® team
greeting them with pizza, cookies and
drinks. The BGC staff ensured that the
children rarely get pizza, so this was a
huge treat to the young group. After the
deliciously cheesy snack, it was finally
game time!
“These kids had fun; they were
competitive and they were awesome at
basketball! This was a powerful experience for our volunteering managers from
PFGP Tennessee clubs. These children
were so appreciative and happy for us
doing something as small as a basketball tournament that it really
put things into perspective,” continued Holly Berens, Tennessee
Planet Fitness Growth Partners operations support coordinator.
“Having the kids approach our team and say ‘I wish this day
would never end!’ and ‘This is the best day ever!’ made this experience so rewarding.”
The children left that day with Planet Fitness T-shirts, medals
and full bellies, but more importantly, they left with smiles that
the PF team will never forget. PFGP plans to continue representing the Judgement Free Generation by co-hosting another
tournament in Jackson, Tennessee, April 1, and sending trainers
in to teach exercises once a month. G
PFGP partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland to provide the club kids with a day filled with pizza, fun and basketball.