Local gifts 10 gym memberships

Last week, Raymond Mallette donated $7,000 to the Kanehsatake Community Fitness center for 10 Kanehsata’kehró:non to get a 12-month gym membership and a one-on-one training session with a fitness coach.

This donation is especially helpful for Kanehsata’kehró:non because encouraging fitness will help combat preventable diseases that run in local families, said Samantha Wenniseriiostha Pepin, manager at the fitness center.

“We have family histories of diabetes and heart disease,” said Pepin. “I think a lot of us need to remember that if you don’t do anything about it, you’re just going to end up being part of that status.”

The donation will also help lower the barrier for those who want to join the gym community, said Pepin.

“I think one of the things that is so important to highlight about KCF is that coming here, you’re surrounded by like-minded people in the sense that you have a goal to be better and do better,” said Pepin.

“I think that’s the ultimate goal: to be 80 and not have to struggle getting up from the couch or being able to carry things over to your cupboard or bringing groceries from your car to your house and not struggling. Simple life stuff, right?”

A few weeks ago, Pepin and Mallette had been discussing ways of bringing more people from Kanesatake to the fitness center when he came up with the idea for the donation. A yearly membership costs $665, said Pepin, with members paying $50 a month after registration fees. It includes 24/7 open gym access, a keyfob, and access to the showers and lockers.

Pepin said the gym is grateful to Mallette for his generosity.

“Raymond is an angel, Raymond is one of a kind,” said Pepin. “Within the fitness industry, I think he just wants other people to see exercise - I feel the way he sees it for him - as it’s necessary and it’s important.”

Mallette, owner of Billy Ray’s Cigarette Shop, is a staunch supporter of being fit and has worked out at gyms for years. He joined the fitness center two years ago and has been so consistent that he has worked out even while going through health issues. He was unable to be reached for a formal interview.

After covering the 10 memberships, the money left over from the $7,000 donation will go towards individual, 30-minute sessions with Simon-Pier Dubois, a certified kinesiologist and fitness coach at the gym. Julie Anne David and Matthew Simon, owners of the fitness center, are donating funds to cover any remaining costs of these sessions.

The 10 winners of the memberships may not be familiar with how to work out at the gym and use the machines, so the individual sessions will help make them more comfortable. Also, it will create a work-out program based on their specific needs, said Pepin.

“We really wanted the beginning of these people’s journey with KCF to be smooth,” said Pepin.

“We want them to have a good start, with a plan, and not just come empty-handed or not know where to go.”

The Kanehsatake Community Fitness offers an open gym, coaching, and work-out classes. One of their hallmark classes is a functional fit class, a workout with body-weight movements, weightlifting, cardio, and mobility exercises.

A lot of youth are showing interest in the free memberships, said Pepin. The gym will begin selecting applicants after the July 24 application deadline.

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Hadassah Alencar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter