An Industry Forgotten.

An Industry Forgotten.
Through the COVID-19 pandemic, the fitness industry has been left behind through government mandates and inconsistent strict rulings.
 
My name is Brittany Mitchell and, along with my husband Matt and business partner Scot James, we own the Orangetheory Fitness in Fayetteville, North Carolina. As small business owners, we find ourselves in uncertain times where fluidity has become the tone for an entire state.
 
We have been faced with an everest of obstacles and it is important to note that the governors' mandates have been inconsistent across the board moving into Phase 2 of our North Carolina government reopening plan. Group Fitness studios like Orangetheory Fitness, and many others, are one of the most controlled environments where we have stepped up our sanitizing and cleaning efforts to account for the current pandemic. We can control our outcomes by taking strict precautions to maintain the safety of our members and staff.
 
-Phase 2 included the reopening of restaurants, salons, tattoo parlors, and public pools at limited capacities. What Phase 2 failed to include was an entire fitness industry left behind while the world around us slowly resumes a state of normalcy.
 
We have fought heart and soul to provide a safe environment for our communities and give back to this world around us. We have fought for our country by serving in our military. We have selflessly served those around us to ensure they can live a healthier more vibrant life through our passion for fitness.

We are depleted of funds and with many unable to qualify for government Small Business Loans and now with our Paycheck Protection Plan Loans in jeopardy due to our failure to reopen, who will stand up for us?

I ask you, help us fight for our natural born rights as Americans in the greatest country in the world.  
 
As a small business owner in the fitness industry, we need someone to fight for us. We are among many of the small businesses that contribute to this economy. The fitness industry in North Carolina alone contributes over 660 million dollars annually. If we stand for the unjust rulings of our government, the fitness industry as we know it will cease to exist.
 
Help us fight for what is right. Health and fitness is not a luxury but a way to physically and mentally combat this pandemic and keep our communities safe and healthy.
 
Please sign my petition to ask our North Carolina Government to reopen an industry forgotten so that we, as a community, can continue to live More Life.