GoodLife has many a shining star when it comes to supporting Spin4Kids and GoodLife Kids Foundation, but under the right leadership and guidance, sometimes an entire Club—Associates and Members alike—can come together and really make an impact.
That’s what the team at GoodLife’s London Southdale Club does so well. Through innovative and creative fundraising ideas and a passion for helping others, London Southdale has continuously proven that they are fantastic ambassadors for GoodLife Kids Foundation.
Led by General Manager, Ryan Cook, Motivator, Anica Peter, and Senior Motivator, Rose Gervais, the team at London Southdale promotes an atmosphere that is fun and inclusive and encourages everyone to become a part of Spin4Kids.
To get the most participation out of their Members and Associates, Ryan, Anica, and Rose took an innovative approach to creating teams within the Club. While some Clubs fill two or three teams with Associates, London Southdale created over a dozen teams, each with two Associates. The two Associates on each team were then responsible for recruiting six Members to join them. The end result was an entire Club of Members and Associates that was fully invested in raising money and awareness for Spin4Kids.
The teams from Southdale were persistent, too, engaging Members and encouraging donations right up until the day of the Main Event. If Club-goers didn’t have cash on hand, the Club had nearby computers set to the online donation page so that everyone could contribute.
A common theme from all of our great ambassadors, Ryan, Anica, and Rose have shown a great deal of creativity in planning events to engage Spin4Kids participants throughout the year. In one instance, after losing a fundraising competition against his Assistant General Manager, Ryan took to a Friday afternoon Zumba class sporting white spandex and a pink tutu, surely garnering the attention of his Members.
Other events have included axe throwing, an Associate vs. Member trampoline dodgeball game, a paint night, t-shirt sales, and a silent auction. In another successful example, the London Southdale team held a yard sale outside of their Club. Rose wheeled one of the Club’s stationary bikes outside and spun for the entire duration of the yard sale—the better part of 6 hours!
Ryan, Anica, and Rose agree that their Club’s success is because of the tremendous passion from both their Associates and Members. As champions for GoodLife Kids Foundation, each member of the Southdale team understands the importance of giving back to the community and supporting children with special needs.
“It’s great to see the impact that you can have on these children,” said Ryan. “We’re showing that we’re not just a fitness club for adults, but that we can help children make active choices early on and create habits for their lives ahead.”
“Even if we only helped one child—that would be worth it,” said Rose. “We’re helping to create opportunities that they deserve to have, and it’s great to have a community—a family—to work with and to make these things happen.”
“I love seeing how the money is used,” said Anica. “I’ve had a few opportunities to get into the community and spend time with groups that receive funding from GoodLife Kids Foundation, and it’s fantastic. The kids light up—they’re so excited, and they feel like they can do anything. That’s why this is so important, and that’s why we pour ourselves into this work.”
GoodLife Kids Foundation ambassadors like Ryan, Anica, and Rose are incredibly important to the success of events like Spin4Kids and made major contributions to the $920,000 raised through Spin4Kids in 2018. If you or someone you know is committed to breaking down barriers and helping kids with special needs get active, share your story for a chance to be featured!