REID STRAND
Reid Strand signed up for a YMCA membership in September of 2018. He had wanted to improve his physical health again for quite some time, and was touched by how friendly and accommodating the staff was. Reid enrolled in a Smart Start Fitness Center Orientation with YMCA trainer Ben Wheeler, and began exploring the different Smart Start offerings. He met one on one with his trainer for a body scan, a training consultation, and the packaged Personal Training sessions offered to members.
Reid then began the journey into using free form weight exercise for the first time! Through hard work and training his strength, stamina and flexibility improved dramatically. By the end of January 2019, Reid had lost over 70 pounds in training. He has also incorporated swimming into his exercise regime. Reid signed up for Lap Swim Foundations, and the sessions helped build his swimming ability by improving his free style, crawl, and cleaning up his breast stroke in pool lanes.
Reid also enjoys our Aquatic Group Fitness classes. His favorite is WATER-IN-MOTION. He loves jumping through the water to music by the Pointer Sisters, Stevie Wonder and Whitney Houston! Reid was floored by how much gusto the instructors had to teach such fun and worthwhile classes and he has made many friends and acquaintances along the way in the pool!
Reid ‘s journey with the YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties began many years ago. He remembers his dad taking him to play basketball in the Fercho Y courts at the age of nine. Reid and his father would always beat the friendly competition! The kids’ youth gym was also an enjoyable area that Reid grew up playing in as a child, any birthday parties were hosted there. One time the staff of the YMCA ushered everyone into the kids’ gym during a summer tornado watch. Reid couldn’t have picked a place that was more fun than the YMCA to wait out hazardous weather!
In addition to being active in our YMCA community, Reid is very active in the Fargo-Moorhead community. He has participated in the performing arts all of his adult life, including performing with Funny Fargo People, a local physical improvisational comedy troupe for two years. In his spare time he also volunteers and works at the Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre (FMCT) located at The Stage at Island Park. FMCT will be celebrating their 73rd season starting this summer of 2019. The theatre gives volunteers great opportunity to experience hearty physical activities that includes dance, stage combat, and more. Reid hopes to be involved in a production again very soon to test his new-found physical strength from his Smart Start Orientation plans he started way back last Fall.
Reid has been able to encourage so many of his friends and family members to partake in going to the Y as well. His mother even bought a membership of her own! Reid has this to say about his Y experience: “The YMCA is a shining standard in our community. It has a vast number of tools, programs and opportunities for so many people in our FM Community. I feel like 2019 is going be a great year for my personal health, and The Y will be the beacon that keeps me going!!”