The Fuerte Friends Fundraiser: Help Nicaraguans Get Fit & Live their Best Life!
The Fuerte Friends Fundraiser
Nicaragua is a beautiful country, with beautiful people, that has a lot of barriers that face the underdeveloped: poverty. Most people here are just trying to survive day to day in one of the poorest countries in Central America. The average monthly income is $141 USD per month, and even poorer on the volcanic island of Ometepe (closer to $60 / month!).
I've been coming to Ometepe, Nicaragua for over 10 years, and this island has given me so much to me: peace, perspective, hope in people's goodwill, and humility on the value of community in an ever-selfish & self-indulgent world. These people have nothing but would give you the shirt off their back with a warm smile at any point. They deserve the same generosity they so graciously offer visitors of their country.
For the first time in 10 years, Ometepe, Nicaragua has opened it's first ever gym, and it's looking to finally bring fitness. and the value of it, to it's local community. For an island, and place of peace that has given me so much, I want to find a way to give back to it in a way that aligns with my passions & my values.
Behold, the "Fuerte Friends Fundraiser!" Partnering Gym Lessans with Best Life Gym, in Balgue, Ometepe, Nicaragua, our goal is to fund year-long memberships of 27 local residents ($3,000) total, while updating and renovating all the equipment here to make it more modern, up-to-date & capable of serving the local community (Another $4,000).
What is the mission? (English)
Gyms are beyond luxury for many people who are just trying to survive day to day. Some only pay for the day when they can afford it, and many suffer for this barrier due to issues ranging from poor bone density, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, diabetes, etc. And forget even knowing HOW to utilize a gym that most can't even imagine affording. Beyond health, so many youth sports leagues on the island can be served by having a gym to better develop at, and give themselves a better shot at making it big, now that Nicaragua is coming more into the fold worldwide.
Let's help the locals overcome the financial barrier to live their Best Life.
How will we accomplish this? There are three ways to donate:
1.) Sponsor a Local ($115):
For a $115 donation, you would pay for a local's entire gym membership for a whole year straight when most can barely afford a day.
2.) Sponsor a Local's Training Session (Valid through May 7th):
For the following amounts, if donated to the charity, I will provide the equivalent value of a complimentary training session to help instruct locals on how to utilize the gym.
$45 Donation = 30 minute Session for a local
$85 Donation = 60 minute Session for a local
All funds from charity sessions will go exclusively to the Equipment fund to help purchase new equipment for the gym.
* Only Valid until May 7th when I leave the Island, after that, only options 1 & 3 remain.
* Note: The actual cost of a training session in Nicaragua is much lower, as is everything on the island compared to the US or in more developed places abroad. The reason that a $45 or $80 donation is required for me to train someone is that I will be providing it on my own time as a reward to the local and in an effort to generate more funds to the actual gym, while working full time myself. These rates are closer to my virtual training rate in South Dakota in the United States. If I were charging a local, I would not be charging a rate similar to 1 or 2 thirds of the yearly membership. The rewards are incentives to generate funds for equipment and I will not be taking a cordoba or dollar of it.
3.) Direct Donations to the Equipment Fund (any amount):
Any amount can be donated to the equipment fund to help locals update, modernize and provide safe, stable and durable equipment that they cannot get on the island. Most equipment comes from the mainland and is not easily accessible or affordable to any locals.
Simply specify the amount, and the purpose of the donation under "Your Message", and we'll take care of the rest. We will provide weekly updates on the status of the project in terms of memberships sponsored, sessions provided and equipment purchased.
Nicaragua is a beautiful country, with beautiful people, that has a lot of barriers that face the underdeveloped: poverty. Most people here are just trying to survive day to day in one of the poorest countries in Central America. The average monthly income is $141 USD per month, and even poorer on the volcanic island of Ometepe (closer to $60 / month!).
I've been coming to Ometepe, Nicaragua for over 10 years, and this island has given me so much to me: peace, perspective, hope in people's goodwill, and humility on the value of community in an ever-selfish & self-indulgent world. These people have nothing but would give you the shirt off their back with a warm smile at any point. They deserve the same generosity they so graciously offer visitors of their country.
For the first time in 10 years, Ometepe, Nicaragua has opened it's first ever gym, and it's looking to finally bring fitness. and the value of it, to it's local community. For an island, and place of peace that has given me so much, I want to find a way to give back to it in a way that aligns with my passions & my values.
Behold, the "Fuerte Friends Fundraiser!" Partnering Gym Lessans with Best Life Gym, in Balgue, Ometepe, Nicaragua, our goal is to fund year-long memberships of 27 local residents ($3,000) total, while updating and renovating all the equipment here to make it more modern, up-to-date & capable of serving the local community (Another $4,000).
What is the mission? (English)
Gyms are beyond luxury for many people who are just trying to survive day to day. Some only pay for the day when they can afford it, and many suffer for this barrier due to issues ranging from poor bone density, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, diabetes, etc. And forget even knowing HOW to utilize a gym that most can't even imagine affording. Beyond health, so many youth sports leagues on the island can be served by having a gym to better develop at, and give themselves a better shot at making it big, now that Nicaragua is coming more into the fold worldwide.
Let's help the locals overcome the financial barrier to live their Best Life.
How will we accomplish this? There are three ways to donate:
1.) Sponsor a Local ($115):
For a $115 donation, you would pay for a local's entire gym membership for a whole year straight when most can barely afford a day.
2.) Sponsor a Local's Training Session (Valid through May 7th):
For the following amounts, if donated to the charity, I will provide the equivalent value of a complimentary training session to help instruct locals on how to utilize the gym.
$45 Donation = 30 minute Session for a local
$85 Donation = 60 minute Session for a local
All funds from charity sessions will go exclusively to the Equipment fund to help purchase new equipment for the gym.
* Only Valid until May 7th when I leave the Island, after that, only options 1 & 3 remain.
* Note: The actual cost of a training session in Nicaragua is much lower, as is everything on the island compared to the US or in more developed places abroad. The reason that a $45 or $80 donation is required for me to train someone is that I will be providing it on my own time as a reward to the local and in an effort to generate more funds to the actual gym, while working full time myself. These rates are closer to my virtual training rate in South Dakota in the United States. If I were charging a local, I would not be charging a rate similar to 1 or 2 thirds of the yearly membership. The rewards are incentives to generate funds for equipment and I will not be taking a cordoba or dollar of it.
3.) Direct Donations to the Equipment Fund (any amount):
Any amount can be donated to the equipment fund to help locals update, modernize and provide safe, stable and durable equipment that they cannot get on the island. Most equipment comes from the mainland and is not easily accessible or affordable to any locals.
Simply specify the amount, and the purpose of the donation under "Your Message", and we'll take care of the rest. We will provide weekly updates on the status of the project in terms of memberships sponsored, sessions provided and equipment purchased.
Current Equipment Priority
List:
Source: Deportes Ramsil (Managua, Nicaragua)
1.) 20 Sq Meters of High Impact Rubber Tiles ($1,100)
2.) 1x Plate Rack (to hold plates for barbells) ($350)
3.) 1x Dumbell Rack (they have no storage) ($375)
4.) 2x Olympic Barbells (only 1 for the gym) ($155 each)
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Our GOAL is $7,000 over the course of the year
- and what will that provide the community?
1.) 22x fully paid Gym Memberships for local members ( $2,500)
2.) Full Gym Overhead Bills Coverage for A Whole Year ( $4,800)
3.) Updated Floors, Barbells & Racks in the Actual Gym ( $2,100)
The money from the gym memberships & the overall overhead will go into
the gym's overhead and equipment fund, leaving the total at $7,000.
Where will existing funds come from if the majority of memberships are fully paid?
Most locals can only afford the daily rate, when they have the money, and they've never been what keeps the lights on. Backpackers, travellers and ex-pats whom utilize the facility provide the bulk of income at the gym and will continue to do so over the next year. This fundraiser allows the gym to cover overhead, fund local memberships and get updated equipment to attract more customers and help fulfill their mission of providing affordable fitness to the Ometepe community.
Where will funds over the donation target go to?
As the gym surpasses it's initial fund-raiser goal, new equipment targets in the form of:
1.) Heavier Dumbbells (currently go up to 35 lb max)
2.) Kettlebells (never been used on the island prior)
3.) Medicine Balls (none currently at Best Life at all)
are on the radar, but we'll cross this bridge as the fundraiser goal gets this far.
What do we get when we donate?
For local's sponsored, a video message of the local patron thanking you will be published both on social media and directly to the donator (privacy being respected on both ends of course). Just be sure to acknowledge on the donation that $115 being donated and your name.
If you are on Ometepe Island and donate, you will receive a complimentary shirt from Best Life Gym for every local sponsored, as well.
For all sessions provided, they will be marked on the @gymlessans instagram page with shout outs available upon request.
Monthly Updates, or updates upon receiving new equipment and new memberships paid for will be provided every 30 days.
Let's help locals here live their Best Life, one curl, one rep and one step at a time!
Please contact Harrison Lessans at gymlessans@gmail.com or on Whats App at +1 443-415-5524
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Source: Deportes Ramsil (Managua, Nicaragua)
1.) 20 Sq Meters of High Impact Rubber Tiles ($1,100)
2.) 1x Plate Rack (to hold plates for barbells) ($350)
3.) 1x Dumbell Rack (they have no storage) ($375)
4.) 2x Olympic Barbells (only 1 for the gym) ($155 each)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our GOAL is $7,000 over the course of the year
- and what will that provide the community?
1.) 22x fully paid Gym Memberships for local members ( $2,500)
2.) Full Gym Overhead Bills Coverage for A Whole Year ( $4,800)
3.) Updated Floors, Barbells & Racks in the Actual Gym ( $2,100)
The money from the gym memberships & the overall overhead will go into
the gym's overhead and equipment fund, leaving the total at $7,000.
Where will existing funds come from if the majority of memberships are fully paid?
Most locals can only afford the daily rate, when they have the money, and they've never been what keeps the lights on. Backpackers, travellers and ex-pats whom utilize the facility provide the bulk of income at the gym and will continue to do so over the next year. This fundraiser allows the gym to cover overhead, fund local memberships and get updated equipment to attract more customers and help fulfill their mission of providing affordable fitness to the Ometepe community.
Where will funds over the donation target go to?
As the gym surpasses it's initial fund-raiser goal, new equipment targets in the form of:
1.) Heavier Dumbbells (currently go up to 35 lb max)
2.) Kettlebells (never been used on the island prior)
3.) Medicine Balls (none currently at Best Life at all)
are on the radar, but we'll cross this bridge as the fundraiser goal gets this far.
What do we get when we donate?
For local's sponsored, a video message of the local patron thanking you will be published both on social media and directly to the donator (privacy being respected on both ends of course). Just be sure to acknowledge on the donation that $115 being donated and your name.
If you are on Ometepe Island and donate, you will receive a complimentary shirt from Best Life Gym for every local sponsored, as well.
For all sessions provided, they will be marked on the @gymlessans instagram page with shout outs available upon request.
Monthly Updates, or updates upon receiving new equipment and new memberships paid for will be provided every 30 days.
Let's help locals here live their Best Life, one curl, one rep and one step at a time!
Please contact Harrison Lessans at gymlessans@gmail.com or on Whats App at +1 443-415-5524
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La recaudación de fondos de Fuerte Amigos Nicaragua es un país hermoso, con gente hermosa, que tiene muchas barreras que enfrentan los subdesarrollados: la
pobreza. La mayoría de las personas aquí solo intentan sobrevivir día a día en uno de los países más pobres de
América Central. El ingreso mensual promedio es de $ 141 USD por mes, y aún más bajo
en la isla volcánica de Ometepe (¡más cerca de $ 60 / mes!). He estado viniendo a Ometepe, Nicaragua por más de 10 años, y esta isla me ha dado mucho: paz, perspectiva,
esperanza en la buena voluntad de las personas y humildad en el valor de la comunidad en un mundo siempre egoísta y
autocomplaciente. mundo. Estas personas no tienen nada pero te quitarían la camiseta con una cálida
sonrisa en cualquier momento. Merecen la misma generosidad que tan gentilmente ofrecen a los visitantes de su país. Por primera vez en 10 años, Ometepe, Nicaragua, ha abierto su primer gimnasio, y busca finalmente llevar
el fitness. y el valor de la misma, a su comunidad local. Para una isla y un lugar de paz que me ha dado tanto,
quiero encontrar una manera de retribuirlo de una manera que se alinee con mis pasiones y mis valores. He aquí, "la recaudación de fondos de Fuerte Amigos!" Asociando Gym Lessans con Best Life Gym, en Balgue, Ometepe, Nicaragua, nuestro objetivo es financiar membresías de un año de 27 residentes locales ($3,000) en total,
mientras actualizamos y renovamos todo el equipo aquí para hacerlo más moderno, actualizado.
-fecha y capaz de servir a la comunidad local (Otros $4,000).
¿Cuál es la misión? (en español)
Los gimnasios están más allá del lujo para muchas personas que solo intentan sobrevivir día a día. Algunos solo
pagan por el día en que pueden permitírselo, y muchos sufren esta barrera debido a problemas que van desde baja
densidad ósea, síndrome metabólico, enfermedades cardíacas, diabetes, etc. Y olvídese incluso de saber CÓMO
utilizar un gimnasio que la mayoría puede. Ni siquiera imagino pagar. Más allá de la salud, muchas ligas deportivas
juveniles en la isla pueden ser atendidas al tener un gimnasio en el que desarrollarse mejor y tener una mejor
oportunidad de triunfar, ahora que Nicaragua está llegando más al redil en todo el mundo. Ayudemos a los lugareños a superar la barrera financiera para vivir su mejor vida. ¿Cómo lograremos esto? Hay tres formas de donar: 1.) Patrocine un local ($115):
Por una donación de $ 115, pagaría la membresía completa del gimnasio de un local durante un año completo
cuando la mayoría apenas puede pagar un día. 2.) Patrocinar una sesión de capacitación local (válido hasta el 7 de mayo)
Por las siguientes cantidades, si se donan a la organización benéfica, proporcionaré el valor equivalente de una
sesión de entrenamiento gratuita para ayudar a instruir a los lugareños sobre cómo utilizar el gimnasio.
Donación de $45 = Sesión de 30 minutos para un local
Donación de $85 = Sesión de 60 minutos para un local
Todos los fondos de las sesiones benéficas se destinarán exclusivamente al Fondo de equipos para ayudar a comprar
nuevos equipos para el gimnasio.
* Nota: El costo real de una sesión de capacitación en Nicaragua es mucho más bajo, como lo es todo en la isla en comparación con los EE. UU. o en lugares más desarrollados en el extranjero. La razón por la que se requiere una donación de $ 45 o $ 80 para entrenar a alguien es que la proporcionaré en mi propio tiempo como recompensa al local y en un esfuerzo por generar más fondos para el gimnasio real, mientras trabajo a tiempo completo. . Estas tasas están más cerca de mi tasa de capacitación virtual en Dakota del Sur en los Estados Unidos. Si estuviera cobrando a un local, no estaría cobrando una tarifa similar a 1 o 2 tercios de la membresía anual. Las recompensas son incentivos para generar fondos para equipos y no voy a sacar ni un córdoba ni un dólar.
3.) Donaciones Directas al Fondo de Equipamiento:
Se puede donar cualquier cantidad al fondo de equipos para ayudar a los lugareños a actualizar, modernizar
y proporcionar equipos seguros, estables y duraderos que no pueden conseguir en la isla. La mayoría de los
equipos provienen del continente y no son de fácil acceso ni asequibles para los lugareños. Simplemente especifique la cantidad y el propósito de la donación, y nosotros nos encargaremos del resto.
Proporcionaremos actualizaciones semanales sobre el estado del proyecto en términos de membresías patrocinadas,
sesiones brindadas y equipos comprados.
Lista de prioridades de equipos actuales: Fuente: Deportes Ramsil (Managua, Nicaragua) 1.) 20 metros cuadrados de losetas de caucho de alto impacto ($1,100) 2.) 1 estante para platos (para sostener platos para pesas) ($350) 3.) 1 estante para mancuernas (no tienen almacenamiento) ($375) 4.) 2 barras olímpicas (solo 1 para el gimnasio) ($155 cada una)
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Nuestra META es $7,000 en el transcurso del año - ¿Y qué proporcionará eso a la comunidad? 1.) 22 Membresías de gimnasio totalmente pagadas para miembros locales ($ 2,500) 2.) Cobertura total de los gastos generales del gimnasio durante todo un año ($4800) 3.) Pisos, barras y soportes actualizados en el gimnasio real ($2,100) El dinero de las membresías del gimnasio y los gastos generales se destinarán a el fondo de equipo y gastos generales del gimnasio, dejando un total de $7,000.
¿De dónde provendrán los fondos existentes si la mayoría de las membresías están pagadas en su totalidad? La mayoría de los lugareños solo pueden pagar la tarifa diaria, cuando tienen el dinero, y nunca han sido los que
mantienen las luces encendidas. Los mochileros, viajeros y expatriados que utilizan las instalaciones generan la
mayor parte de los ingresos del gimnasio y seguirán haciéndolo durante el próximo año. Esta recaudación de fondos
permite que el gimnasio cubra los gastos generales, financie membresías locales y obtenga equipos actualizados
para atraer a más clientes y ayudar a cumplir su misión de brindar acondicionamiento físico asequible a la
comunidad de Ometepe. ¿Adónde irán los fondos por encima del objetivo de donación? A medida que el gimnasio supera su objetivo inicial de recaudación de fondos,
los nuevos equipos apuntan en forma de: 1.) Mancuernas más pesadas (actualmente van hasta 35 lb como máximo) 2.) Pesas rusas (nunca se han usado antes en la isla) 3.) Balones medicinales (ninguno actualmente en Best Life) están en el radar, pero cruzaremos este puente a medida
que el objetivo de la recaudación de fondos llegue tan lejos. ¿Qué obtenemos cuando donamos? Para los patrocinadores locales, se publicará un mensaje de video del patrocinador local agradeciéndole tanto en
las redes sociales como directamente al donante (respetando la privacidad en ambos extremos, por supuesto). Solo
asegúrese de reconocer en la donación que se donan $ 115 y su nombre. Si estás en la isla de Ometepe y haces una donación, también recibirás una camiseta de cortesía de Best Life Gym
por cada patrocinador local. Para todas las sesiones proporcionadas, se marcarán en la página de
Instagram de @gymlessans con menciones
disponibles a pedido.
Se proporcionarán actualizaciones mensuales, o actualizaciones al
recibir nuevas equipos y nuevas membresías pagadas cada 30 días. ¡Ayudemos a los locales a vivir su mejor vida, un rizo, una repetición y un paso a la vez!
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