November 10, 2007
Curves for Women is re-shaping the local rural community. These Eastern Ontario women’s fitness centres are helping women improve their health and stay fit, while creating employment opportunities and assisting local charities and food banks.
With the help of the Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations (OACFDC), Doug and Kim Blackburn opened their first Curves for Women franchise in Prescott, in August 2002. The overwhelming response from the community – and a close family connection -- led the entrepreneurs to open four more franchises by the end of 2004. They were inspired after witnessing a close family member recover from a heart attack, after joining Curves.
“We wanted to be able to help other women live a longer and healthier lifestyle,” says Blackburn. “Curves saved my mom’s life and we wanted to be able to give back to the world what Curves gave us, a life.”
Curves for Women takes pride in giving back to their community. Since opening their first facility, Curves have donated toys for Christmas Toy Drives, raised over $10,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, donated more than 5,000 pounds of food to local food banks and has recently hosted a fund raiser for the Canadian Diabetes Association. Curves for Women now employs seven full-time and 24 part-time employees, to serve their approximately 2,000 members.
Curves for Women is a fitness centre designed especially for women, and features 30-minute workouts that provides a fitness program designed to raise women’s metabolism and protect lean muscle. Curves also focuses on health and weight loss. These facilities are having a positive impact on women’s lives, while benefiting their local rural community. Along with improved health, members may be able to reduce their visits to doctors’ offices and possibly even hospitals which is an obvious benefit, especially in rural areas where medical staff and facilities can be strained.
Ingrid Clark, a member of the Kemptville Curves location, believes that joining Curves for Women has changed her life. “I have a lot of my old self back,” says Clark. “My energy level is improving day by day and my family is so proud of me, I’m proud of myself, too.”
The combined entrepreneurial spirit of both Doug and Kim Blackburn are revolutionising the lives of women, while at the same time sharing their success with groups in their local rural community.