The Omni Fitness Club in Muskegon, Michigan isn’t afraid to try something new. Their open-minded approach, along with their desire to work with the community, has allowed Omni Fitness to touch people’s lives while growing their business in a way they never imagined. Photos by Mary Amy Bajt.
It all started when Omni’s owner/manager, Lana Carson, was approached by Nicole Knights, Division Manager of the MOKA organization, which is a non-profit group that works with adults with disabilities. MOKA helps participants develop work skills that enable them to become more integrated into the community, and also teaches life skills to help them live as independently as possible. As anyone who is involved in the health and fitness industry realizes, an important component to skill building and independent living is personal health – which is where Omni Fitness comes in.
Knight was referred to Omni Fitness by a MOKA mentor who was a member of the club and spoke very highly of his experiences there. Carson learned that MOKA was interested in relocating their fitness program from another club in the area, which would involve the purchase of eight family memberships. The decision to move to a new club resulted from difficulties experienced by MOKA participants at the other club. The difficulties stemmed from a lack of education, communication and understanding between the club’s staff and MOKA. Instead of giving up on the idea of physical activity programming, MOKA looked into other options and, after carful consideration and extensive communication between MOKA directors and club staff, decided on Omni Fitness.
“I believe anyone who works in our industry does so out of a true desire to help people,” says Carson, adding “We believe in the power of exercise, and we understand the health and economic ramifications of an unfit society.” These core values are, in part, what has led to the success of the partnership between Omni Fitness and MOKA. Since October of 2007, MOKA participants have been attending regular workouts at the facility, and according to Carson the reaction from Omni’s other members has been gracious. Some have even commented that they are proud to belong to a health club that works with the needs of the community, and others have gone out of their way to voice their approval.
Carson acknowledges that reaching out to disabled adults may be difficult for some club owners, and admits that she had fears about everything from accessibility, to how other members would perceive the program, to proper use of equipment. She was also determined not to repeat the negative experiences that the MOKA participants had endured at the previous club. To effectively integrate a program like MOKA, Carson stresses the importance of open communication and extra staff meetings prior to the start date. This gives everyone the tools they need to take the lead in front of other members and to meet, greet and interact with MOKA participants – just as they would with any other club member.
According to Carson, the rewards that have come from the program greatly outweigh any perceived risks. In addition to the new memberships, they have gained a positive impression throughout the community, “In the 18 years that I have been in this industry, I have never felt more proud of our staff, our members and our business,” she says. As for the MOKA program participants, they have made enormous gains in their health, fitness, independence, confidence and self esteem – everything, as Carson points out, that we know exercise accomplishes for the rest of us!
If you are interested in reaching out to adults with disabilities at your club, Sarah Aiken, Program Manager for MOKA, suggests contacting your local mental health services office to discover what programs are available in your area.
If you want to learn more about Omni Fitness and their partnership with MOKA, contact Lana Carson at 231.739.3391 or visitwww.omnifitnessclub.com
