BeaverFit supports Hurricane Ian recovery teams with mobile training
FORT MYERS BEACH, Florida – When an incident commander reached out to see if a portable gym could be provided for first responders assisting with recovery efforts in the town of Fort Myers Beach, BeaverFit answered the call. After Hurricane Ian ravaged the town in September 2022, incident management teams belonging to the Federal Emergency Management Agency were deployed and set up camp to begin the ongoing recovery process. Working long days and nights, many away from home and their families, firefighters and contractors had an additional obstacle to tackle – the hurricane destroyed the two local fire stations, leaving no place for physical training. “I saw a need for the first responders, the contractors, and the people who had been through a disaster,” said Scott D’Angelo, incident commander for the Hurricane Ian recovery process in Fort Myers Beach. “I saw a need to workout, because that helps with stress, fatigue and establishing a normal routine.” As a retired firefighter himself, D’Angelo said he viewed this as an opportunity to give back to the community of first responders. He knew about BeaverFit because of previous support to the firefighting community, but he was shocked when they actually approved his request. “The island is completely destroyed. We have a command post set up with local, state, federal and fire rescue personnel. Could BeaverFit donate a portable gym so some of the members living in our camp can get a workout in? We are working 12-18 hour days and this would help a lot of people out,” D’Angelo’s request read. When the request reached Nick Vay, vice president of commercial sales at BeaverFit, he was excited about the prospect of supporting the mission. In an effort to find the quickest and most efficient way to support the request, Vay proposed the Beyond Trailer 12′ – a “gym on wheels” that provides an innovative mobile training solution combining training rigs and equipment storage. One week later, BeaverFit shipped a trailer from Nevada to Florida for a 90-day lease at no cost. “When we received the original request, we immediately went into action to figure out how we could assist, and quickly, as time was of the essence,” Vay said. “We obviously do quite a bit of work in this community, so it was super important to our team to step up and support all the great things they’re doing down there.” Featuring two folding strength racks that can be set-up by a single user in a few minutes with no tools required, the 12-foot Beyond Trailer creates a fully mobile training center for up to 30 people. The Beyond Trailer unit was also fully stocked with Grey Man Gear equipment and accessories, providing barbells, bumper plates, medicine balls, kettlebells and more for the first responders to use during their group workouts. “The people who used it enjoyed it,” D’Angelo said of the trailer. “It’s a huge hit with this population. It’s like candy – everybody who sees it wants it.”
Building an environment for University of Health & Performance students to Think, Train, Lead, and Feel
Think, Train, Feel, and Lead. These are the four pillars of University of Health and Performance (UHP), an immersive educational experience for U.S. military veterans designed to create leaders in the health and wellness community. Founded by U.S. Army veteran Matt Hesse, UHP’s mission in part is to “provide hands-on education by training students in an environment that simulates working as a health and wellness coach. Our four-dimensional education produces the skills needed for our graduates to confidently start, or enhance, their careers as coaches”. To bring that vision to life, BeaverFit worked with University of Health and Performance and their charitable partner to construct a 15,000+ sqft BeaverDome facility on the UHP campus located on 500 acres of land in Northwest Arkansas. The process which took only four months from ground prep to the opening ceremony, included the fully enclosed structure, utilities such as electricity, plumbing, and HVAC systems, and outfitting the facility with turf, flooring, custom BeaverFit racks, Grey Man Gear accessories, and equipment from leading cardiovascular and strength training equipment partners, to create a world class training and education environment for UHP participants. “The solution the BeaverFit team brought forward for us was critical to our success,” said Hesse, speaking about the BeaverDome facility. “It allowed us in a very short period of time to put a facility on the ground, fill it with amazing equipment, and programmed for our specific purpose….it was a total solution, it happened really fast, and it helped us execute our mission really quickly.” Key stats on the BeaverDome facility at the University of Health & Performance campus: + 4-month process from ground prep to grand opening + 15,480 sqft facility + 11,160 sqft of performance space + ,000 sqft of classroom space + Dedicated office and storage space + HVAC, electricity, and plumbing utilities + Facility features 28 custom BeaverFit half racks, dedicated cardio space, and 40-yards of turf “As a veteran owned and operated company, it’s important for us to not only support our U.S. military members when they’re on active duty with the solutions to keep them strong and healthy, but also when they’re transitioning and looking for what’s next on their health and wellness journey, either as a new trainer or just for themselves individually,” said Mike Taylor/Alex Roodhouse, co-founder of BeaverFit USA and U.S. Navy veteran. “Working with UHP and FitOps to build a facility that could help hundreds and thousands of transitioning service members is something that was very meaningful to our team, and we’re excited for the impact it will have for so many veterans.” The BeaverDome serves as the centerpiece of the UHP campus, along with dorms and a dining area, creating a fully immersive environment for participants to have everything they need to fully dive in to the intensive 21-day program. “One of the things that makes the BeaverDome special, is the efficiency of the space,” said Ben Freakley, VP of performance and well being at UHP. “To have two classrooms that are part of the BeaverDome allows us to go from theory in the classroom to hands on work on the training floor within seconds. It really would be more complex if it was all spread out, but having it all in one place allows us to deliver our program more efficiently.” To learn more about University of Health & Performance and to apply for a future course seat, visit university-hp.com.
Helping Travis Manion Foundation create strong character in future generations
“If Not Me, Then Who…”™ is the simple but powerful statement that 1stLt Travis Manion, USMC, said to his family prior to returning to Iraq for his second combat deployment in 2007. That sentiment of duty is carried on today by the Travis Manion Foundation which honors the legacy of Travis Manion, who was killed in action on April 29, 2007, by empowering veterans and families of the fallen to develop character in future generations. To support that mission, BeaverFit donated a brand new Explorer Beyond Trailer to help Travis Manion Foundation in creating unique and engaging experiences with youth that challenge them physically, as well as mentally. “We are so thankful for this partnership,” said Ryan Manion, president of the Travis Manion Foundation, and sister of 1stLT Travis Manion. “We’ve already seen how these trailers have helped students discover strength they didn’t know they had.” For BeaverFit USA co-founder Mike Taylor, the relationship between BeaverFit and Travis Manion Foundation took on a deeper meaning, as Mike and Travis were classmates at the U.S. Naval Academy. “Travis was an exceptional classmate, friend, and Marine, and we’re truly excited to support the Travis Manion Foundation and all the great work they’re doing,” said Taylor. “The way they empower veterans to engage communities, and especially kids, with the ‘Character Does Matter’ program, and to now add a new element to further allow these kids to build character and leadership, all while working hard and sweating together, it truly couldn’t be a better program for us to support.” To learn more about the Travis Manion Foundation, support their programs, or to register as a veteran volunteer, visit travismanion.org. Also, check out the Travis Manion Foundation Explorer in action in this video highlighting Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his Project Rock foundation supporting Travis Manion Foundation.
The Warrior Soul Podcast – A Dam Strong Business: BeaverFit
BeaverFit USA co-founders Mike Taylor and Alex Roodhouse joined the Warrior Soul Podcast to discuss how BeaverFit started, their path from Navy Riverines to leading the largest fitness equipment supplier to the U.S. military.
Behind the Shield Podcast Episode 457 – Alex Roodhouse and Mike Taylor
BeaverFit USA co-founders Mike Taylor and Alex Roodhouse joined James Geering on his Behind the Shield podcast to discuss their journeys into the military, standing up an elite unit from scratch, training for the unknown, equipping the tactical athlete, training under stress and so much more. Behind The Shield · Mike Taylor and Alex Roodhouse – Episode 457
Tactical Fitness Report #173 – Mike Taylor, Co-founder, BeaverFit USA
Stew Smith interviews BeaverFit USA co-founder Mike Taylor about tactical fitness and tactical fitness equipment manufacturing in episode 173 of the Tactical Fitness Report. They explore the benefits of BeaverFit personalized fitness equipment, the new Army ACFT equipment (jump to 17:40), mobile facilities for military, police, fire departments as well as creating commercial outdoor locations for fitness facilities, campus rec programs, and corporate campus locations.