Workout Anytime Commemorates 9/11 Anniversary with Cross-Franchise Memorial Stair Climb Fundraiser

For three years now, Workout Anytime — a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week fitness franchise — has been working with their franchisees to host a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb fundraiser across their locations. This year, dozens of franchisees remembered the 19th anniversary of the attacks with the event by raising money for their local first responders. Workout Anytime locations opened its doors to participants to use their stair climbing machines and walk up 110 flights of stairs, the number of steps completed by first responders at the World Trade Center.

Workout Anytime continues to stand out in the fitness industry by offering incredible value for both its franchise owners and members. The fitness franchise has more than 167 locations across 21 states. Since its founding in 1999, Workout Anytime’s franchisees have been doing their part involving themselves in their communities.

Cedric Bridges, owner of the Calera, Alabama Workout Anytime location, was proud to participate in the memorial climb in the inaugural year of his gym’s opening. Calera’s local fire departments participated in the climb from Calera to Birmingham, and so far they’ve calculated $1,700 in donations for first responders in the area. Bridges and his team also sold t-shirts at the event to raise money, and they are still tallying up the funds raised from that effort.

“Given that this is the first year our location was open, it was our first time participating in the event,” said Bridges. “In my opinion it was pretty successful. We had a really great response rate on Facebook and Instagram. We decided last minute to participate in the event, and I’m really pleased with the outcome. With this experience behind us, I know next year will be even more successful.”

Rachel Smith, general manager of the Workout Anytime location in Leeds, Alabama, said her location’s event was equally successful. The rough estimate of donations raised so far is $1,000, and they are still counting funds raised through Leeds’ local Chick-fil-A and Alabama-based popsicle chain, Steel City Pops.

“Honestly, it went great and we couldn’t be happier with the turnout,” said Smith. “People recruited their friends who weren’t even members to participate, and we saw a really positive outcome from our members’ network. We had firefighters from our local Leeds station and a few from Birmingham join as well. In a time like this, we’re happy to do something positive for the community.”

Workout Anytime CEO Steve Strickland says the event is something that will continue for years to come. As long as franchisees are willing to participate, corporate is thrilled to help coordinate efforts across the franchise to memorialize such a critical moment in our nation’s history.

“Everyone was affected in some way by 9/11, and the way people came together on that day and thereafter is something we want to commemorate,” said Strickland. “We are really proud of the response we get from our franchisees every year and the response they get from their own communities. Participation is one thing, but garnering such a positive result each year is another. We plan to continue the event next year, and can’t wait to see what the Workout Anytime family can do next.”