Turning Tragedy into Togetherness

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

In the wake of the Palisades Fire, we made an effort to bring members together in the face of immense loss. Nearly half of our members were displaced, a third lost their homes to the flames, and another third suffered smoke damage to their homes. Through coordinated efforts, we reopened the Club in under five months – just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. While our members were immensely grateful to return “home,” it was our work during the closure that left the greatest impact.

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

We supported our members by facilitating Member to Member assistance, and partnering with other local clubs to host "Stronger Together" events, and to provide temporary reciprocal club access while the Club was closed after the Palisades Fire. We also kept members connected through Fitness with the off-site continuation of our Beach Body Burn classes (which were rebranded as Beach Body BUILD). Our Summer Camp staff volunteered at a city-wide community event. Lastly, on the one-year anniversary of the fire, we held an emotional tree planting ceremony, where participants wrote personal messages on plantable paper to be placed in the soil. A coastal oak was planted to signify the strength and resilience of our community. While many members are still displaced, we have not seen an increase in member attrition, and club usage is high. Members have expressed how much the Club, and especially the staff, have meant to them during this difficult time, and how much our efforts to reopen the Club, while still providing member support and services, have been appreciated.