Helping Veterans Stay Active & Changing Lives

As you guys know, I’m not exactly the biggest fan of Facebook, but I do enjoy a good flow-of-consciousness writing session. So, here we go again—until it stops being fun.

I’m really excited about something that happened last week. While the morning crew was working out, Rachel dropped in for a visit. She was approaching gyms to try to get people to help veterans over the age of 55 get and stay active but wasn’t having much luck. She’d already contacted nearly every gym in Memphis and couldn’t find anyone willing or able to help her cause. That was a shocker to me.

As we talked, it quickly became clear that we share the same passion—getting people involved in fun, physical, and social activities. She explained that they wanted to add a lifting exhibition this year to give these veterans a chance to try weightlifting and see if it’s something they’d enjoy. What really got me hyped was when she showed me a video from last year’s event in Salt Lake City.

The clip showed a 55+ woman riding a bicycle, clearly having a blast. She laughed and said, “Don’t get too close, I’m doing something I’ve never done before!”

How awesome is that?!

This woman took a chance on something new, and that moment could change the rest of her life. This single activity might keep her physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally healthy for years to come. It could extend her life—not just in years, but in quality of life. And who knows how many others might go from sedentary, unhealthy, and unhappy to active, thriving, and independent just because they had an opportunity to try?

Anyway, on June 1st, we’re going to loan our benches, several squat racks, many bars, and pretty much all of our bumper plates to the National Veterans Golden Age Games, which is coming to town for about a week. We may have to curtail our workouts for half a day, but just think of the impact we can have if we can get even one person active! I’m going to try to swap some time off so I can help with the event on June 1st, and maybe set up a little booth on May 31st to help spread the word and answer questions about Fit 901 | CrossFit 901.

When Rachel offered us the opportunity to help with something that can make such a profound change in so many people’s lives, I got so excited! I’m grateful she stopped by and gave us the chance to be involved. Thanks, Rachel!

If you’re interested in helping, spectating, or just spreading the word, check out the link above or just visit: https://department.va.gov/veteran-sports/national-veterans-golden-age-games/.

And hey—if you’ve been thinking about getting healthier, stronger, or just feeling better, maybe now’s the time to take your own first step. You never know what that one decision could do for your future.

Thanks for reading. Hope it brought you at least a quick smile.