Planet Fitness Dewitt to Raise Money for Physical Education in Syracuse City Schools

 

DEWITT, N.Y. – Planet Fitness Dewitt will host a week-long charity event from May 1-7 in partnership with Project Fit America. PFxPFA Charity Week will raise money to sponsor PFA programming for a school in the Syracuse City School District. 

 

Project Fit America is a national agency that works at the grassroots level with schools and front-line educators to create new opportunities for kids to be active, fit and healthy. The organization works with communities to bring in funding, equipment, and the resources schools need to foster a love of movement.

 

PFA representative Sarah Brown is excited to make an impact on the Syracuse community. “I’ve seen firsthand the difference our program makes at the grassroots level,” she said. “I’m so excited to come to Syracuse and work with such a well-established corporation as Planet Fitness.” 

 

Among the programming for charity week, Planet Fitness will hold different daily group fitness classes that will be open to members and non-members. Planet Fitness will also offer members the opportunity to participate in daily competitions, such as the most miles run. Members can pay $5 to enter daily competitions and can also enter raffles to win a free year of membership, with all ticket sales benefitting Project Fit America.

 

According to the CDC, nearly half of people aged 12-21 are not vigorously active, so every effort should be made to encourage schools to require daily physical education in each grade to promote physical activities that can be enjoyed throughout life.

 

Evidence shows that long-term participation in physical activity improve cognitive performance and brain health. Children who participate in vigorous- or moderate-intensity physical activity benefit the most.

 

Planet Fitness Dewitt manager and Nottingham High School graduate Matt McDonnell is confident that enhanced physical education through Project Fit America will “improve the city for years to come.”

 

The Syracuse City School District is heavily under-funded and almost half of Syracuse’s children live in poverty. District Superintendent Jaime Alicea said,“charitable donations like this can make a world of difference in the everyday lives of our students, many of whom have really tough home situations.”

 

Planet Fitness members will receive continual information regarding the full extent of the programming of Charity Week until it kicks off in the first week in May. 

 

Planet Fitness is the “Judgement Free Zone" that caters to novice and casual gym users. In 2020 Planet Fitness awarded $225,000 in scholarships to youth charities that promote a kinder, more inclusive, and more active world.