Ribbon-cutting at
Anytime Fitness
PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER
Katie Niethammer is the manager of the newly-opened Anytime Fitness health club located in Orange Grove Plaza.
PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER
In addition to the newly-opened Lake Wales facility, Heidi and Ricky Hayes own another two Anytime Fitness clubs. One is in Frostproof, the other in Avon Park.
PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER
The ribbon is cut and Anytime Fitness, in the Orange Grove Plaza on State Road 60 in Lake Wales, is now officially open. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place Jan. 24.
PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER
Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Betty Wojcik (center) converses with Chamber members Dee Hinshaw (of Chalet Suzanne) and Jim Loveman (Ameri-Life and Health Services of Polk County) at the Chamber's Jan. 24 grand opening-ribbon cutting reception of Anytime Fitness.
PHOTO BY STEVE STEINER
Jessicak Wilkett (second from left), who manages the Frostproof Anytime Fitness facility, and Tammy Needham (fourth from right), who manages the Avon Park facility, were on hand with owner Heidi Hayes (third from right) and Katie Niethammer (right), Lake Wales manager, as they listen to co-owner Ricky Hayes (not pictured) welcome everyone.
The Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting grand opening ceremony for Anytime Fitness on Jan. 24. It is the third such facility for husband-and-wife co-owners Heidi and Ricky Hayes; their other two facilities are in Avon Park and Frostproof.
The facility is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Members have passkeys that allow them access during non-business hours and days.
“We do get a lot of people from midnight to 6 a.m.,” said Ricky Hayes. A number of those who work out at those hours often are people just finishing work. Many of them are nurses and police. The proximity to Lake Wales Regional Medical Center, as well as the police station, was a factor in determining where to open the latest facility, said Hayes.
One guest at the grand opening reception said he favored the 24/7 format, and pondered possibly becoming a member.
“The fact it’s open 24 hours a day makes it attractive,” said Raymond Adam, who is with the IT department at Citrosuco.
Both of the Hayes have been involved with physical fitness prior to their becoming Anytime Fitness franchisees. At one time he was a phys ed teacher in the Washington, D.C., area, while Heidi Hayes was a gymnast throughout her college career. While the couple could have gone into other areas, they chose fitness for a particular reason: helping people improve their health, which often leads to improvements in other areas.
“That’s the coolest thing, changing people’s lives,” said Heidi Hayes.
Want to learn more?
Anytime Fitness is at 1318 State Road 60 in the Orange Grove Plaza. Call (863) 678-9999.