The health and fitness industry does plenty of good on a daily basis by helping every person who walks through the door onto a path for a healthy and happy life.

You would think it would be enough for a club knowing that they are there to witness an overweight person get off the couch and get the heart pumping and blood flowing on one of their treadmills, or maybe seeing the smile on the face of a mentally handicapped individual who is becoming more comfortable with themselves with the assistance of a personal trainer or occupational therapist.

Many clubs, however, are going one step further by taking the community within their walls and are becoming a bigger part of the area they are in. Whether it is a fundraiser for a local cause, volunteering for a community event or helping with a certain issue, club from coast to coast and all over the world are quick to be involved.

IHRSA has reported on many over the years. Most recently we have shared the many Ice Bucket Challenge videos from member clubs. A little further back we reported on the Finnish club Liikuntakeskus Hukka that donates old squash balls that are sewn into blankets that are used to calm autistic and hyperactive children.

Ray Algar has taken it one step further with his website Gymtopia.org. Ray Algar, an industry business analyst and founder of Oxygen Consulting, has created a place where these stories can be told.

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