Community Corner
Local Fitness Trainer Gives Back to Military
Natalie Freund offers free personal training to immediate family members of active military forces.
When Natalie Freund, a Canonsburg resident and personal trainer at Fitness Fanatics in Bridgeville, and her husband, a Navy veteran, wanted to take a trip to Ocean City, they asked the hotel if they
would be eligible for a military discount.
“We were told that the hotel did not offer discounts during peak season,” said Freund, who is certified by the American Council on Exercise. “My first thought was that the military never has downtime. It is always peak season for them.”
That is when she made the choice to take part in Joining Forces, a national initiative supported by ACE that gives back to military service members and their families.
Find out what's happening in Chartiers Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Joining Forces is an initiative endorsed by First Lady Michelle Obama that provides ways for every American to reconnect with and give back to military service members and their families.
Through its participation in the initiative, ACE is providing a way for fitness professionals, businesses and organizations across the country to pledge 1 million fitness service hours to actively deployed military reservists, members of the National Guard and their immediate families. The goal is to enrich their quality of life through safe and effective exercise and physical activity.
Find out what's happening in Chartiers Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“I am pledging 100 hours of fitness training, distributed in an equal way,” Freund said. “For example, if I can find 10 people who met the
ACE-specified criteria for participation, I will offer them 10 hours each of personal training.”
Freund said that at first, she will meet with the individuals who express interest, discuss their fitness goals, and determine the best
course of action. She is hoping to get started training immediately.
“I am hoping to gain a feeling of satisfaction by knowing that I will be able to help families of the military get through a difficult time period in their lives,” Freund explained.
For more information about Joining Forces, or if you are interested in participating in the program, email Freund at butthigh@hotmail.com or visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces/about.
This story originally appeared on Canon-Mac Patch
