Our local gyms are struggling. If you want them around when the Governor lifts his lock down order, you need to support them now.

The Port Townsend Athletic Club has been closed since March. It is in such dire straits the owner has established a Go Fund Me campaign. She needs to raise $200,000 not just to reopen the doors, but to keep the building. All the work, the huge investment poured into repurposing a structure that in its first life had been a brewery will be lost the community if the PTAC fails. This will be a huge blow to the attractiveness of PT for young and old. All of its classes, its weigh room, the cardio room, the hot tub, the exercise courts will be gone and we will have a very large building sitting empty in the heart of our downtown.

Port Townsend Athletic Club

The Go Fund Me page for the Port Townsend Athletic Club is at this link right here. Show them some love by helping to keep this wonderful gym from going under.

I was a member of PTAC when I first moved to Port Townsend. I really liked the place and all the classes. But Evergreen Fitness was so much closer to my home, and I had become friends with its owner, Michelle West. I was in the quiet, darkened, spacious and cold building yesterday helping Michele modify signs advertising her tanning facilities. Governor Inslee has not again closed tanning rooms. Senselessly, he closed them in the Spring even though they are a model of social distancing–you’re in there all by your lonesome. Besides, we now know that UV kills COVID. Evergreen can still make some money from its tanning rooms. Its massage services are also still open, an odd but welcome wrinkle in the Governor’s guidelines. You can make a reservation for either service by calling or texting Evergreen at 360-302-1132.

Michelle says while anyone’s there, she’d love to make them a smoothie and show them her lines of vitamins, supplements, protein powders, and yoga supplies.

Evergreen reopened when Jefferson County went into Phase 2. Michelle consulted our county commissioners and health officer, and took extraordinary measures to ensure a safe facility. She carefully regulated guest numbers to stay within the reduced capacity ceiling. Staff rigorously cleaned the machines and equipment. Guests did a terrific job, as well, wiping down what they used. The place really is huge. (see featured photo). There is enough room to spread out on the main gym floor. If someone was on free weights, you could move to the far side of the room where the weight racks took a right turn along the wall, or try the machines, or move to the sprawling upstairs, or into one of the two big exercise studios.

Michelle doesn’t talk much about hard she’s been hit, but she’s been hit hard.  Evergreen’s membership is down around 50% through cancellations and those who did not renew memberships.

Business is dead for these fitness centers, and taxes are eating them alive. Evergreen got hit with a huge and much higher reassessment, maybe PTAC, as well. And the County Commissioners have raised everyone’s taxes 1%. Insurance and other fixed costs have not gone away, either. And mortgages must still be paid.

Staying healthy is critical for our aged population. It is a lot harder to get back into shape at 70 after months away from the gym than it is at 25. Some folks may never fully recover their strength and stamina as their physical conditioning has deteriorated during these months of closed gyms. Walking is not enough, far from it. That is a delusion into which too many old people fall because walking is easy. All those classes that helped with core strength and balance prevented the kind of falls that mean a life taking a sad, irreversible turn for the worse. Lock down blues and depression need the antidote of physical stimulation. It’s necessary for mental health. We know that vigorous exercise, and particularly weight training, help stave off mental decline and dementia.

When we come out of this we will need our gyms more than we did earlier this year. Make sure there are gyms to reopen. Don’t cancel your monthly membership payments. Steve Crosby of Port Townsend has even better idea. He’s paid his entire 2021 membership at Evergreen up front. I’m going to do the same.

And help PTAC in their desperate need. Once again, their Go Fund Me page is here. 

You’re going to be around after this over. Consider this an investment in a healthy future for you and your family.

[Received from Michelle West after publication:  “Thank you Jim. I appreciate your support of Evergreen fitness. As soon as the governor gave guidelines for fitness centers to open, I was in contact with the county commissioners office making sure I was following the reopening guidelines as strictly as possible. My front desk staff and I worked hard to get the place open five days later which was Monday, June 1, 2020. I’m very grateful to all the members that continue to show their support, and my front desk staff for following all of the rigid guidelines. We were open and doing ok (yes, just ok, financially) for the last 5 1/2 months, and it’s frustrating to be closed  down again… it is a very hard financial hit, and a struggle as indeed you said, difficult for me to talk about. I love Evergreen fitness and I truly believe in it. Yes, support is needed from the community so when all of these restrictions are lifted we still have an Evergreen Fitness to go back to. Thanks again for your support. Michelle west, owner, Evergreen fitness Center“]

Jim Scarantino

Jim Scarantino was the editor and founder of Port Townsend Free Press. He is happy in his new role as just a contributor writing on topics of concern to him. He spent the first 25 years of his professional life as a trial attorney, then launched an online investigative news website that broke several national stories. He is also the author of three crime novels. He resides in Jefferson County. See our “About” page for more information.