“Not only the staff, but even the members of HealthFit, an independent health club in Needham, struggled to make sure the gym did not go under without a fight. Members rallied to the club, gathering more than $80,000 in pledges and donations to help save the business. But now, the fight is over. On Wednesday, the health club's owners sent a mass e-mail to all 650 members, announcing that night would be its last. The message brought to a sad end a whirlwind three weeks, during which members became front-desk volunteers, consoling confidantes, and potential investors, trying to bail out husband and wife co-owners John Atwood and Beth Wald as they struggled to pay off the gym's debt in a tumultuous economy. The way the gym's membership banded together exemplified the loyalty people feel for their health clubs, places they view as key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and where they are comfortable, according to Rosemary Lavery, spokeswoman for the Boston-based International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association. ‘There's a natural affection and loyalty and gratitude to them for making such a difference in people's lives in the here and now,’ Lavery said of health clubs.”
www.boston.com/news
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