On Wednesday, June 20, GMC welcomed Kalli Simon as the leader of our new Fitness Group! Kalli’s high energy and enthusiasm is so infectious. On the first day, the mood our participants quickly changed from hesitant and reluctant to excited and joyful. The next week, one of the participants from the week before came to GMC just to participate in the group!
Not only is Kalli a superstar workout leader, but she also took the initiative and contacted Whole Foods to see if they would donate some reusable water bottles for participating members. Whole Foods agreed and was very supportive! Thank you, Whole Foods, and thank you to Kalli for reaching out to them!
Read on to learn more about Kalli, why she wanted to come and volunteer at GMC, and how to get in contact with her!
I first got involved with personal training my sophomore year at the George Washington University when I signed up for a PT prep class. Learning about the value of physical movement to affect both the body and the mind motivated me to become a certified personal trainer. Currently I train at GW as well as private clients in the DC area. I focus on guiding clients to be more aware of their bodies while improving total-body strength, flexibility, core stability/mobility, and cardiovascular function. To me the physical components of fitness—losing weight, gaining muscle, improving the metabolism etc.— are bonuses to what exercise really does: nurture the mind.
This summer I’m leading a weekly fitness class at GMC to help the Center’s guests enjoy the benefits of physical movement. For the first session, a small group of GMC guests and I cranked up some music in the common room area, moved the furniture aside and started moving. Most the participants were in their fifties but their energy challenged any conventional concept of age.
I was introduced to GMC back in high school when my classmates and I made sandwiches for the Center, walked the circuit of where regular GMC guests lived, and learned about the issue of homelessness in DC. It is wonderful to return to the Center today and share my passion for health and well-being.
Contact Information: Kalli Simon