For May, In the Spotlight visits a different kind of club facility – CCM Wellness Center, a brand-new community fitness facility that’s bringing the latest in fitness concepts to small town Minnesota. We checked in with Leah Lehtola, CCM Wellness Center + Community Health Director to hear more.
So, Leah, CCM Wellness Center is a new center, correct?
Yes! Very new. In fact, we completed our custom remodel of a former grocery store and were all set to open our doors to the community in April 2020. Then the pandemic hit. We missed our grand opening party but welcomed our first guests in June of last year – and so far the reception has been incredible from all kinds of members, ages, fitness levels and abilities. CCM Wellness center is also an interesting concept – we’re an off-shoot of our local hospital and even have one of their departments housed in our building, but we’re also a stand-alone center for all kinds of fitness and overall wellness.
Sounds like you’re ideally placed for integrating health, wellness and fitness?
Absolutely. We have all kinds of facilities and health support services very close to us, but our goal is to get people in the community active and stay proactively healthy by working out. Our facility offers members the opportunity to exercise or take a class while connecting with other community members. Our center also has an indoor playground for children under 12 to get them active and entertained in all kinds of weather, and we have a program teaching healthy cooking and nutrition.
What role is FitnessOnDemand playing in your center?
It’s been huge for both our business/management team and also for our members. It can be difficult for rural communities like ours – hours outside of major metropolitan areas – to attract top talent in terms of certified instructors for specific types of classes. But we’re committed to offering members every workout and fitness opportunity we can. FOD’s on-demand classes have really helped us create a more rounded offering of types of classes, workouts, and activities without the intensive and expensive process of trying to find more instructors. And because we have members who are at all kinds of fitness levels, it’s also been a great way for us to help individuals choose classes and workouts at their own pace that matches their fitness goals. Our FOD studio is on a first come, first serve basis but has been really popular, especially during down times when we don’t have a live class scheduled.
What’s next for CCM?
As restrictions continue to be rolled back, we’re excited to put our facility to full use. FOD classes and content will continue to be a big part of our member experience.
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