Fitness fundraiser in Mt. Lebanon benefits cancer patient’s family
A family with a member who has cancer will benefit from a series of fundraisers at area fitness centers, the latest of which is scheduled for Feb. 9 at Mecka Fitness in Mt. Lebanon.
The “Power Through Cancer” series came about when Richard Butler, an instructor at Mecka, was talking with a friend from another gym.
“We both were thinking about how entire families suffer from cancer,” the Crafton Heights resident said. “It’s not just the person with cancer. And so we were trying to figure out: What can we do that’s impactful, and not just say we’re sorry?”
Union Fitness in the North Side and Arsenal Strength-CrossFit 1812 in Lawrenceville answered by conducting weightlifting seminars, at which donations were taken, along with Union’s “Sweat It Out Saturday” event on Jan. 18.
“Fitness truly is the fountain of youth. I tell people that every day.”
“I said, ‘Why don’t I do something like that, as well?'” Butler explained.
And so he will conduct his Box ‘n’ Beats class at Mecka in return for donations during two sessions, from 6 to 7 and 7 to 8 p.m. Friday. Featured will be a disc jockey, food donated by Girl Friday Cooking Co. in Finleyville – owner Gretchen McNary of Peters Township is a fitness enthusiast – and beverages by Mindful Brewing Co. in Castle Shannon.
Mecka owner Kevin Beamon came up with Box ‘n’ Beats as a total body workout.
“It’s the training that a boxer would do, but it’s a hybrid class. It’s boxing and martial arts,” Butler said. “The ‘beats’ part is about the music. We have really cool, fancy lights in the room that give you the mood that you’re in a nightclub, and we really crank up the music. And it’s just a fun time.
“We supply the gloves,” he added, “and you supply the sweat.”
ClassPass, a national company that connects people to their local fitness centers, has named Butler as Pittsburgh’s 2017 Instructor of the Year. He has been in the fitness industry for 36 years and – you wouldn’t believe it from his photo – will turn 60 this year.
“That’s what happens with fitness,” he said. “Fitness truly is the fountain of youth. I tell people that every day. When people ask me what’s one thing they can do to say healthy, I simply say, ‘Just move. Period.'”
To register for the Box ‘n’ Beats fundraiser at Mecka Fitness, 439 Washington Road, Mt. Lebanon, visit www.meckafitness.com.