WHO WE ARE FAITH IN ACTION
‘STRONGER, HEALTHIER,
&HAPPIER!’ by HUGO BRAVO
LJ’s Fitness is a beloved gym in Womelsdorf, Pa., run by a couple that knows the importance of both spiritual and physical health.
W
hen you walk up to the doors of LJ’s Fitness in Womelsdorf, Pa., a sign that reads “Stronger, Hea lt hier, Happier ” welcomes you. There are similar inspirational quotes and verses on the gym walls. Workout machines are marked with QR codes that show you how to properly operate them. A Salvation Army red kettle, borrowed from the nearby church in Lebanon, is sometimes seen at the front desk where passersby deposit donations for victims of natural disasters such as Hurricane Ida, which hit in 2021. Lynn Kreider, owner of LJ’s Fitness, and her husband Tim, have a genuine love for their clients and their health. The gym is their work, and their ministry. “We believe that, if your business is focused on doing the right things for others, not simply to make money off them, but to be truly intentional in serving them, then the world opens up to you,” says Tim. “Everything we do is intentional,
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from the inspirational words we put up, to the colors we paint the walls, to the charities we support and work with, such as The Salvation Army.”
A fitness fundraiser The partnership between The Salvation Army and LJ’s Fitness began in 2017, as the Kreiders prepared to launch an addition to the gym with a celebration and a ribbon cutting. At the same time, states such as Louisiana and Texas were being devastated by tropical storms. “We couldn’t throw a party like this knowing that there were so many people suffering,” says Lynn. “As our lives and business was going up, there were other lives in pain, and businesses being destroyed.” Two weeks before the ribbon cutting, the Kreiders changed the celebration to a donation event for hurricane victims. To raise money, local churches prepared and sold food, and gym members held a silent auction. Tim and Lynn also asked The
Salvation Army in Lebanon for a red kettle to collect money directly. “We’re very selective of the charities we choose to work with, and we asked The Salvation Army to be a part of this for a few reasons,” explains Lynn. “First, we wanted to have a strong visual representation of helping others. We also wanted to work with a group that had a direct connection to helping the people who were affected by storms. The Salvation Army has both of those things.” “We needed as much money as possible to go directly to the cause, and the Army is known for that too. Finally, we wanted people to be able to give whatever they felt comfortable giving; a red kettle would allow that,” says Lynn. Lynn and Tim said they would have felt happy to raise any small amount from the event. Instead, when they opened the kettle, they found checks written for hundreds of dollars. In total, the event brought in close to $8,000. “It was amazing. We were in tears to see that people trusted us and gave so much to help others, and so suddenly,” says Tim. Since then, the Kreiders have been involved in various ministries, such as the Angel Tree and overseas adoption programs. Lieutenant Marlon Rodriguez, pastor at Lebanon, is still taken aback by the Kreiders’ generosity.
Volume 8 Number 2, 2022
