The PA Fitness Alliance is dedicated to the growth and prosperity of the fitness industry in our state and in our nation. To that end the Alliance creates and distributes messaging that underlines the message that exercise is medicine, essential and safe. Fitness and a healthy lifestyle have been proven to protect humans from most chronic disease as well as enhancing mental and spiritual well being.
Below you will find articles, op-eds, press releases, media alerts and more that the Alliance and its members have shared with the media as well as local, state and federal government.
If you have any questions about these items, please reach out to PA Fitness Alliance Director, Linda Mitchell at [email protected].
PRESS
9/3/21 – Letter from Representative Quigley and 50 other legislators to Washington DC leadership in support of the Gyms ACT “We thank you for your decisive leadership to advance the Build Back Better Act. This is a once in-a-generation opportunity to invest in our country, improve the health of Americans, meet the needs of working families, and rebuild from the devastation caused by the pandemic. As you prepare the Build Back Better Act and reaffirm the Majority’s commitment to protecting Americans’ health and fitness, we write to urge you to prioritize the inclusion of H.R. 890, the
Gym Mitigation and Survival Act (GYMS Act).”
Click here to read the full letter.
Click here to read the article in 
promoting this letter.
7/17/21 – Amanda Cylc: PA Legislature can save the fitness industry. Like so many others, the fitness industry has been devastated by the covid-19 pandemic. Leaders on both sides of the aisle in Harrisburg introduced legislation to help, but no action was taken before they adjourned for the summer, leaving gyms and health clubs waiting for assistance.
Click here for the full oped
7/08/21 Health & Fitness Organizations Send Letter to Congressional Leadership
What you need to know about the letter health and fitness organizations sent to congressional leadership asking them to pass the GYMS Act.
Click here for full article and letter
7/5/21 Lockdowns were a gift to Big Business designed to kill small biz – New York Post Lockdown proponents across the media are smugly patting themselves on the back, proclaiming that stay-at-home policies didn’t harm the economy. Try telling that to the millions of small-business owners who were irreparably damaged by prolonged and irrational restrictions.
Click here for full article
6/1/21 Local Gyms pushing for passage of “Gyms Act” to help offset pandemic losses
CAMP HILL, Pa. (WHTM) — The financial impact of the pandemic will linger for many. Local gyms say they’ve been especially weakened by the coronavirus.
The owners of Gold’s Gym in Camp Hill and Linglestown are emailing their members to petition their congressmen and women to help local gyms stay afloat by supporting the GYMS Act. It would create a $30 billion fund to provide grants to businesses in the health and fitness industry.
Click here for full article and video
5/28/21 US GYMS ACT would provide sector with US $30bn in grants
The US fitness industry is mobilising to support the Gym Mitigation and Survival (GYMs) Act, which could provide up to US$30bn in grants to health clubs and studios at risk of closing their doors permanently.
The GYMs Act was tabled on May 13 by senators Tammy Duckworth (Democrat, Illinois) and Jerry Moran (Republican, Kansas) in the US Senate.
Click here for full article
5/26/21 GYMS ACT introduced in U.S. Senate The Gym Mitigation and Survival (GYMs) Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate on May 13. This follows the Feb. 5 introduction of a companion GYMS Act bill in the U.S. House of Representatives where it now has more than 138 sponsors.
Click here for full article
4/19/21 Study Finds Inactivity a Key Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19
New research out of Kaiser Permanente, led by IHRSA Medical, Science, and Health Advisory Council member Dr. Robert Sallis, finds that physical inactivity is a top predictor of severe COVID-19 outcomes.
4/6/21 – Gym Owners Take on New Role as Washington Lobbyists – WSJ
Click here for full article
3/3/21 – Alliance OP-ED in support of HB 453 (see description of bill in below entry).
Click here for full OP-ED
3/3/21 – Alliance letter in support of HB 453 a bill in the PA Assembly which provides a waiver to the fitness industry, in the event of another COVID shutdown, providing a gym or health club is limited to 50% maximum occupancy, has a documented plan for safely reopening and is adhering to all the mitigation measures.
Click here for the letter
2/22/21 – ALLIANCE MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – CITY FITNESS
In 2007, Ken Davies, opened the first City Fitness at Second St. and Spring Garden Ave. in Northern Liberties.
Ken wanted to build the kind of gym he would work out in, something he believed was missing in the Philadelphia area. He envisioned a gym that felt like a second home to its members. He built the club around three core values: clean facilities, a welcoming environment, and cutting-edge equipment and programming.
The path for Ken and City Fitness hasn’t always been an easy one, indeed early on it was unclear whether Ken’s dream would ever become a reality.
Ken wanted to build the kind of gym he would work out in, something he believed was missing in the Philadelphia area. He envisioned a gym that felt like a second home to its members. He built the club around three core values: clean facilities, a welcoming environment, and cutting-edge equipment and programming.
The path for Ken and City Fitness hasn’t always been an easy one, indeed early on it was unclear whether Ken’s dream would ever become a reality.
2/4/2021 – PENNSYLVANIA FITNESS ALLIANCE STATEMENT ON NOMINATION OF ALISON BEAM TO LEAD HEALTH DEPARTMENT
“We congratulate Alison on her nomination and look forward to working with her and her staff to help keep the people of Pennsylvania healthy.” – Jim Worthington, Alliance Founder
“It is our hope that the new Health Secretary will rely on the empirical evidence available in shaping policy, particularly as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Berks Gyms battling restrictions, negative perception in age of COVID – Jan 18, 2021 featuring PA Fitness Alliance Board member Lynn Krieder of LJ’s Fitness, Wolmesdorf, PA
Health and Fitness Recovery ACT 2020 as mentioned in Politico
Click here
PA Fitness Alliance urges governors to follow the science and keep gyms open – 12/11/2020
Science doesn’t support PA gym Closures – Courier Times 12/16/2020