| Last Rep |
The IHRSA Joining Forces Network
One of the questions I’m frequently asked by IHRSA club operators is: “What can I do to give back to my community?” Here’s a unique and excellent answer: Log on to
healthclubs.com right now and enroll your club(s) in the IHRSA Joining Forces Network.
O
n the afternoon of May 9, my good friend, Scott Goudeseune, the CEO of the American Council on Exercise (ACE), and I had the privilege of sharing the stage with First Lady Michelle Obama on the South Lawn of the White House as she introduced two exciting new programs, both designed to support the nation’s military families. The first, administered by our own association,
is the IHRSA Joining Forces Network (IJFN). “The International Health, Racquet and Sports Club
Association has agreed to offer free memberships to immediate family members of actively deployed National Guard and Reserve members,” Mrs. Obama explained. “They’re aiming to offer more than 100,000 free memberships— the equivalent of more than 18 million free days of access to gyms and health clubs across the country….” Starting last month, on
Joe Moore IHRSA President & CEO
June 1, IHRSA facilities nationwide began offering free six-month memberships to the immediate family mem- bers of actively deployed reservists and National Guard
members (certain restrictions apply). Full program details are available at
www.healthclubs.com. ACE, for its part, has agreed to encourage
personal trainers to provide at least 1 million hours of free instruction to the same group of families. Both programs are aligned with Mrs. Obama’s
Let’s Move! and Joining Forces initiatives. Many clubs across the country have already
answered the call, but, if you haven’t enrolled, let me assure you: Uncle Sam does want you! Now, given the fact that I’ve had the opportunity to meet both Barack and Michelle Obama, people
104 Club Business Internat ional | JULY 2011 | www.
ihrsa.org
are asking me, “What are the president and first lady like?” I’m pleased to report that both of them work out
regularly and are sincere about their commitment to active lifestyles. I met the president a few days after Seal Team 6 had completed its mission at the compound of Osama bin Laden, so he had a lot on his mind, but his personal trainer, Cornell McClel- lan, told me that, no matter how busy Obama is, and no matter how difficult the challenges he faces, he makes time for exercise. The president is the same man you see on
television—smart, warm, and engaging, and, most definitely, a sports and fitness person. He’s been a member of several IHRSA facilities, and told me he’s very pleased that we’ve aligned our clubs with the first lady’s Let’s Move! and Joining Forces campaigns. And, yes, Mrs. Obama is the same woman you
see on television—smart, warm, and engaging, and just as committed to exercise as her husband. She’s well informed about our industry, appreciates the work that clubs do, and understands the role that IHRSA plays in uniting the industry. During the presentation announcing the new
IHRSA and ACE initiatives, she told her audience, composed largely of members of military families: “You might not be in uniform, but we all know that all of you make the same—if not more of—the sac- rifice. We know that, when our troops serve, you all serve. And I think that it’s time that we started serving you in return. It’s time we started doing everything as a country that we can do to show our gratitude for your contributions to this nation.” How can you do your part in giving back to these
military families? Log on to
www.healthclubs.com right now to
enroll in the IHRSA Joining Forces Network! —| – Joe Moore,
jmoore@ihrsa.org
Tracy Powell
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