Bloomington gym owner gives members $40,000 worth of equipment so they could workout from home

Posted on April 15, 2020
Drew Whitted, Owner of Be Strong Gym in Bloomington. (Photo courtesy: Drew Whitted)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – One local gym owner is turning homes across the twin-cities into personal fitness centers, lending out more than $40,000 worth of gym equipment during the coronavirus pandemic free of charge.

“When we received the ‘shelter-in-place orders,’ gyms were listed as nonessential businesses, so we were forced to closed,” Drew Whitted, the Owner of Be Strong Gym, told WJBC’s Craig Collins. “Based on our mission statement and our core values, we didn’t want to let the members down; they still need to work out more now than ever.”

Whitted said he took to Facebook to offer members the opportunity to borrow gym equipment for at-home usage. Around 80 members took Whitted’s offer.

“We tried to let as many members know as we could, come in, pick up the equipment, take home you like, take home what you need, it’s yours for as long as the lockdown is going to take place. We want you to keep moving; we want you to stay happy, healthy, and strong.”

With the gym now empty, Be Strong Gym is now focusing on at-home live video training sessions.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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