Orangetheory Fitness studios throughout North Texas (along with the rest of the Lone Star State) helped raise over $55,000 for Special Olympics, along with hosting several athletes for exclusive 90-minute classes.
The classes are part of an initiative that was started by Maverick Fitness Holdings, the Frisco-headquartered owner of 35 Orangetheory Fitness studios in North Texas. Maverick Fitness established the initiative back in 2020 in an effort to keep Special Olympics athletes in North Texas active during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, the initiative has grown into an inclusion movement with Orangetheory Fitness statewide in Texas and Louisiana hosting Special Olympics athletes each year as honorary members for a day.
In total, 107 Orangetheory Fitness studios throughout both states participated in this year’s event, with 95 Special Olympic athletes taking part in workouts.
Through the initiative, Maverick Fitness-owned studios in North Texas were able to raise a total of $34,045 for Special Olympics, helping the total to reach more than $55,000.
“We take immense pride in our renewed collaboration with Special Olympics Texas this summer,” said Shane Adams, CEO of Maverick Fitness Holdings. “The presence of local athletes in our studios throughout the donation weekend added an extra layer of significance to this event. It’s a powerful testament to the promotion of health, wellness, and community inclusion.”
Since the beginning of 2020, Orangetheory Fitness has continued to expand its partnership and support of Special Olympics Texas and its athletes. What began as a way for Orangetheory employees to get involved in their local community by volunteering transformed once the pandemic hit.
During an extremely difficult time for everyone, Orangetheory Fitness staff made an effort to keep Special Olympics athletes across the state engaged in social activities and focused on health and wellness.
As more in-person classes began to take place again in 2021, Orangetheory expanded their partnership with Special Olympics Texas by doing more for the athletes and getting Orangetheory members across the entire Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex involved in the initiative, which continues to this day.
"Every year now we are more and more excited about the partnership with Orangetheory Fitness as it expands to more studios, more communities and more athletes across the state,” said Tim Martin, CEO/president, Special Olympics Texas. "This is the inclusion revolution that we hope for in our movement and Orangetheory gets it, starting with Maverick Fitness in DFW."
