Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 11

167 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 11 exit gates. It gives a live reading, as somebody comes in or goes out. We worked with our web designers to create a meter on our website showing members our capacity. It’s such a great tool. It’s still useful today and will be useful two years from now.” Communication methods such as these allowed the club to remain a community. “We worked really hard to stay connected even though we weren’t seeing each other every day,” says Stille. “Our website and social media presence, especially, was important at a time when people needed each other the most.” The club’s dieticians, despite working from home, shared how to prepare healthy recipes and personal trainers performed workouts from home to inspire members. The Kids Club/Family Activities Director, Jodi Hass, even read books to the children during ‘story time’. Showing love through social media wasn’t the only way the Rochester Athletic Club helped the community during the pandemic. “We also provided daycare facilities for the children of Healthcare workers at the Mayo Clinic,” says Stille. “It was at least several weeks where they’d come and drop off their kids to have a fun socially-distanced eight-hour day. It was pretty cool.” Looking ahead three to five years, Remick admits, “I’m excited. People now have a much bigger appreciation for health and wellness. I want to be that second outlet for people, especially those working from home. Our audience now sees us as a beneficial addition to their life.” Frueh agrees and adds how almost 20 percent of the fitness industry shut down during COVID. The ones that survived, such as Rochester Athletic Club, had to adjust to lower numbers and the new normal. He concludes, “We’re the place to heal and for people to reflect. Society needs outlets and places to congregate. I think there’s tremendous potential for us in the short term. We just have to make the most of those opportunities.” ROCHESTER ATHLET I C CLUB