HAC: A Community on the Grow

Letter from Staff Member Milinda Atallian

Have you ever taken a moment to look around the HAC on your way to a class, in between sets, while you work out, or as you are walking around the club and noticed familiar faces that you always see together?

It is so nice to see the friendships that are clearly evident in every space at the HAC.

Whether it’s in the weight room, the pool, the group exercise studios, hot yoga studios, or even in the café, there always seems to be a couple of friends or a group of members who are meeting up intentionally.

I often wonder if they were friends before they became members or if they met at the HAC and now enjoy spending time together as they motivate one another to achieve great things.

Either way, it is nice to see – so I thought I would delve a little deeper.

Ever step into the weight room between 7:30 and 9:30 am? If so, you have surely seen this group. Four or five gentlemen who clearly “lift” each other to new heights as they pick heavy things up and put them back down. So I asked them – “how did you all meet”… and this is what they said:

Bob, or “Mayor Bob,” as other members like to call him, told me that they all met at the HAC. They continued to see each other on a daily basis and quickly realized that they all enjoyed motivating each other to get through their workouts. Whether it’s a leg day or an upper body session, they seem to be on the same page as they make their way through the circuits and weights.

Turning my attention to the indoor pool deck – have you ever seen the wonderfully kind group of ladies that hang out poolside before and after the aqua classes? These ladies get together outside of the HAC once a month to enjoy lunch together – and they always come back with fun stories to share. Aqua classes are no-joke, but these ladies manage to laugh and smile their way through the various classes that they take together.

Heading up the stairs to the group fitness and hot yoga studios, have you ever noticed when members set their things up next to each other every single time?

They chat about their families or various daily happenings as they get ready to start their workouts.

If the class is crowded and I see new faces, I often ask the members to turn to their left and right and introduce themselves. I did this recently, and one of the ladies came up to me after class to tell me that “I’ve been next to Ann for over 5 years – we always banter when we are setting up our things about families, holidays, etc., but in all of those years I never knew her name – so thank you for helping me learn that today”.

Let’s not forget the small group participants – do they sign up as “groups,” or is it happenstance? When we see them walking in and out or see the various posts on HAC’s socials…. did they sign up knowing that their friends would be there? Or did they meet along the way? No matter what the circumstance, they surely form “groups” that raise each other to new heights. If you haven’t tried a small group class yet at the HAC, make it a point to do it soon – the first one is always free!

And lastly, have you ever seen the various couples that come to the HAC to work out together, or at the very least, that work out at the same time? It does the heart good to see that their passions extend to taking care of themselves at the HAC. I asked one pair, “What do you like about working out together?” Here is what they said:

“We are so busy in our daily lives. Working out together is the only time that we get to spend when it’s just the two of us, focusing on each other and our health”.

From couples’ massages to cold water plunges to heated yoga sessions to steamy group ex classes… from sharing a bite to watching kids perform in the dance and martial arts studios – there are so many places and spaces to connect.

Whether you come into the HAC as friends or you meet along the way – it is so fun to see relationships growing around our wonderful facility. Maybe knowing some of the stories above will motivate you to introduce yourself to someone new today. You never know just how far your introduction will go – and it’s never too late to make new friends.