By Jennifer Calhoun
Staff writer
At first glance, the John D. Fuller Sr. Recreational/Athletic Complex looks like any other health club in town.
Sweating patrons lift weights, jog on treadmills and whir away on elliptical machines, while a 24-hour news channel drones from a flat-screen TV mounted on the wall.
But as normal as it looks, there’s something radically different about this gym: The price.
The recreational complex, which is owned and operated by Lewis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, is one of several church-affiliated health clubs in the city that offers the community a way to get fit for a fraction of the cost of some commercial gyms.
For $1 and a picture ID, an adult can lift weights, ride an exercise bike or walk the Fuller Center’s indoor track, regardless of church membership.
Compare that with some local fitness facilities with monthly memberships around $60 or more, and sign-on costs upwards of $250.
Linda Bryant, director of the Fuller complex, said the church opened the facility in March 2005 as a way for the community and its members to get fit in a Christian environment for a reasonable price.
But it’s not a place for preaching or proselytizing, Bryant said. It’s just a way to get fit.
Michelle Patterson said she’s been coming to the center since last year because of its friendly atmosphere.
“It’s quiet,” she said, after finishing a sit-up in the equipment room. “It’s laid back, and it’s only a dollar.”
And while the center is probably the best church-related fitness bargain in town, it’s not the only one.
John Velandra, who runs Highland Presbyterian Church’s recreation center, said the church decided to open its own workout facility about six years ago as a way to benefit its members and reach out to the community.
Velandra said members love the quiet atmosphere of the equipment rooms, which carry gym-standard weight machines, cardio equipment and accessories. The center also has an indoor walking track and access to a personal trainer for an extra fee.
A yoga program will begin in February, said Velandra, who offers one-on-one and group fitness training at the gym through his company, Designs in Fitness & CrossFit Cape Fear.
The Highland gym is free for church members, with the exception of a $15 magnetic membership card. Nonmembers can get a membership for $30 for a single, $40 for a couple and $50 for a family. Memberships are on a month-to-month basis and do not require a contract.
Velandra said it’s one reason the Highland gym is so well-liked by its members.
“A lot of people don’t like the environment (of commercial gyms),” he said. “They don’t like that they have to have a contract for two years, and just all the negativity that comes with it.”
About 25 to 30 people visit the Highland facility in a 14-hour day, giving it the feel of a private gym, he said.
“This is a little hidden gem,” he said. “No one really knows it’s here.”
Doors to fitness rooms are enabled by magnetic card swipes, and each room has security cameras, he said.
A lively option in the north part of town is Northwood Temple’s Family Life Center on Ramsey Street.
Jim Jackson, director of the facility, said it offers a safe and inexpensive place for families to walk indoors and use weight-training equipment.
Church members can access the gym for about $60 a year, while other memberships run from $75 to $200 a year.
The gym includes various types of aerobic and weight-training equipment and offers discounts for groups.
Jackson, who is retired and works part-time at the facility, said he’s proud of the gym and what it brings to the church members and the community. All of the money they receive, he said, goes right back into the gym.
“The only thing we don’t have is a pool,” he said. “We can’t compete with (commercial gyms). But then again, we’re not trying to.”
Staff writer Jennifer Calhoun can be reached at calhounj@fayobserver.com or 486-3595.
