Community

It's all about community.

Over the last few months, concerned people have pulled me aside: "Are you sure you want to invest any more in Rutland? There's nothing here! People are leaving left and right, the economy is bad, and there are already some great fitness options in Rutland. The downtown area is crumbling. Why don't you do this somewhere else, like Burlington?"

I appreciate these concerns more than I can say. Believe me, I've thought about them over and over. I've crunched the numbers, I've done research about the current wellness of Vermont and Rutland County, and I've looked at how many people are actually using these fitness options. I know the economy is not as good as any of us would like, and people are having to make very careful choices about what and how they spend. There is no question--this is a challenging time to open a fitness center--or anything--in Rutland.

But those of you who know the Pyramid team members know that we are not doing what we are doing because it is easy, or because we are just interested in making money. We are here in Rutland because we feel a strong desire to help where it is needed. If Rutland is going to become the amazing place I am told it once was, we need to be part of the positive change. We cannot leave because it is challenging. We cannot ignore that Rutlanders now more than ever need MORE healthy options, not less.

We want to create a place where people of all walks of life can come and feel safe and comfortable to improve the quality of their lives. We have worked hard over the last (almost) four years to do that with the Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center and Salt Cave. We've all put our professional and personal lives on the line to create this place. Now, we are again putting our professional and personal lives on the line to create another place...Pyramid Fitness and Oxygen Bar.

While I have lots of great reasons for wanting to open this new facility, the main reason, to be perfectly honest, is that I long for another place where I can work on my wellness supported by a community of like-minded people who also want to work on their wellness. I know--it's purely selfish, I admit.

I want to walk into a place where I immediately feel welcome and at ease. I want to be greeted and feel like I've just come home. I want to know that for the time I am here, I do not have to worry about anything. I can just focus on myself and getting stronger and healthier. And I know that for this time, I will be surrounded by other people who feel the same. It's not a competition or a show...just a place of support and growth. I want to feel like my presence means something, and that my business is appreciated. I want to see smiling faces all around as people set and reach their goals.

And that is what Pyramid Fitness is all about. Do we have 200,000 square feet? No. Do we have 400 treadmills? No. Do we have 500 pieces of fitness equipment? No. What we do have, though, is a very powerful combination of what you really need in a health club in a healthy environment, supported by an amazing customer service and fitness staff.

We've designed Pyramid Fitness to have just enough space and equipment so you get a very efficient workout. We've got the classes that will keep you interested and motivated, and where you will really see results. We've got a customer service staff that is going to work very hard to get to know you, and help you stay focused on your goals. Our fitness team is going to be there when you work out to make sure you are staying on task and that you don't hurt yourself. And of course, although we do not have warehouses full of it, we have top of the line equipment that is always well-maintained. There is nothing like the Nautilus Nitro line of equipment.

Add to that our very unique offerings for Vermont--the far infrared sauna and the oxygen bar, as well as some creatively-packaged memberships, very affordable prices, and convenient hours, and I think we are on the way to creating something very special. There are definitely benefits to being a member of a well-established fitness center, but there are also benefits to being on the ground floor of a new venture; among these, our charter members will have the ability to shape the atmosphere of the club and have input in ways that you just do not have in established businesses. It is definitely an exciting time to join Pyramid Fitness!

To add to the excitement, Dr. Margaret Smiechowski, North America's foremost expert on Himalayan salt and the creator of salt caves around the US, has just announced that she will be introducing a brand new technology to North America called halotherapy, and she will be taking a break from building salt caves to build the first and only halotherapy treatment center in North America--where? Right at Pyramid Fitness!

So good things are happening, and although I have been cautioned, I am willing to move ahead with a focus on the hopes of building a new community of wellness. I do not believe that Rutland is dying...and I believe now more than ever is a great time to provide people with another option for improving the quality of their lives.

Hope to see you at Pyramid Fitness!

William Kelley, Ph.D.
Pyramid Holistic Wellness Center
120 Merchants Row
Rutland, VT 05701
802-775-8080
www.pyramidvt.com
www.massageschoolvt.com
kelleyw@pyramidvt.com
Memberships on sale now!