Favorite AFS Memory?

Chris Early

Hey Everyone,

I was sitting here having my morning coffee after being sick for a while and was just reflecting on memories at AFS and all the gratitude I have for this special place. I was thinking back on all these great memories and one in particular stood out to me and I had to share it with everyone.

This moment for me was when @Spencer Rice asked @Kemper Sosa and the rest of the AFS team to help create a flashmob at the Ann Arbor facility for his wife Sheila(who at the time was battling cancer). We all came together, AFS clients who knew Sheila and clients that didn't, friends, family. It was a great moment, but the best part was that Spencer had a secret that after the flash mob he had an impromptu wedding vow renewal. This was such a special moment to be part of and to witness.

I am forever grateful to have known Shelia, and to have been part of this amazing moment.

Please post what your favorite AFS moment/ memory and lets share the love

Corinne Albrecht

Oof, this is a hard one. After so many years, there are so many things: funny things, sweet things, sentimental things, hard-but-good things, etc.

Next to your incredibly touching memory, mine might seem a little silly but I've always loved power outages. I have really fond memories of my parents making power outages fun instead of scary as a kid, and when it would happen at school it always meant the teachers couldn't quite finish their lessons so it became free time. Especially these days, I think power outages kind of force us to look around ourselves, see who we're with, and test our creativity.

THUS! One of my favorite AFS memories is that storm we had...2 years ago, maybe? I was at the desk and the storm was absolutely insane for like, 3 minutes tops (still have a video of Aly holding our front door closed else the wind open it!) but somehow the storm knocked our power for like, 3 full days. Working out w the team with the SS doors open to give us some light, sitting at the desk using the sunlight and my phone to help people make membership changes, and in general all of us working around the lack of power to keep our doors open was so much fun for me. We got creative, we bonded, and the sudden change in routine was actually really refreshing. It felt like being 7 years old and hanging out with my family again.

Kemper Sosa

So many to choose from it's difficult to pin just one.

One of my favorite AFS memories has to be our fundraiser Pop-Up workout for Dan Smith. Such a cool thing to see our community come together to help raise money for Dan's seemingly never-ending medical bills...I think we had a turnout of 70-80 people. It was my reminder that AFS is truly MORE-THAN in so many ways.

Kristina Bak

This is a hard one, so many great people and memories. The one that immediately comes to mind is not a happy memory but one that speaks volumes about the relationships formed at AFS and really touched my heart. My dad had passed away very early in the morning, my girls and I decided to still come for class, I think we were trying to pretend that everything was okay. Chris Early said good morning and asked how we were, a very usual greeting. In that moment, none of us had a reply, I remember thinking if I say one word that will be it, I knew I would have a complete meltdown on the spot. Chris knew my dad had been sick and without a word from us he knew my dad was gone; his response was immediate empathy, he knew exactly what we needed, he got us through that class and for that hour everything was okay. 

Sawyer Paull-Baird

The one that continues to stick out for me over the years was the first time we got our holiday appreciation books, perhaps 4-5 years ago (?).

At the time I had only been about 2 years into my career and time at AFS, and while I had a feeling that what I was doing was important and making a difference in people's lives, I don't think I quite understood the magnitude of the impact we were making.

When we first got those books, packed full of notes about how our efforts had changed peoples' lives for the better, the impact was made so clear, and it hit pretty hard. I wasn't the only one either holding back tears or openly crying in that meeting. It was at that moment that I think I first really actually fully understood, as a young 24-25 year old still getting acclimated to the workplace, the impact we could make in the lives of our clients, beyond just physical fitness.

Since that day there have been many many memories that reinforce that same point, but that one still sits with me strongly since it was somewhat of a turning point or point of realization for me.

Nate Langley

What a topic Chris. Most of what I'm going to say is very emotional, but I will say the Nate and Chris slicked back hair story of 2011 is one that still sticks with me to this day. BUT-the MORE THAN stuff over the years has been truly life changing.

Dan Smith's outdoor workout we did gave me so many emotions. I saw so many familiar faces from my early days in Ann Arbor and we picked right up where we left off. Everyone there had so much love coming out of them, so many folks who are close to Dan were there, it was just an incredible day.

Another one from this past year was when the Rochester team surprised Frances (one of our original members) at the run drugs out of town 5k. She lost her son to a drug overdose months prior. Clients and staff teamed as one to go there and walk with her. The thing that touched me was that was it. We didn't have a 10,000 check, or any other amazing thing to offer Fran. We were just there. To see how much that meant to her when she turned the corner and saw all her workout buddies brings a tear to my eye.

I'm now crying, but here's my last one. After Sharon left AFS, we stayed in touch pretty closely and as Devin and I moved over to AFS Plymouth, Sharon introduced us to her father George who needed some personal training. Some may remember that George lost his wife (Sharon's mom) out of the blue a few years prior and he needed us to keep him moving, so he did PT a few days a week with us. George was a LIGHT in our lives man. He was funny, charming, such a gentle soul that we all loved being around and hearing stories from-you could hear his jolly laugh all through our facility when he was there. One day in PT, George's birthday was coming up and Chris Eskin asked George what he wanted for his birthday. Jokingly, George replied he'd like to just kick back and drink a blue moon with Devin, Nate, and Chris. Well two days later when he was walking by after his session (on his birthday) we pulled him into my office and there was a six pack of blue moon on my desk. Devin was sitting next to me. He was tickled to all hell! We sat there for an hour and he told us stories, we laughed and laughed and just enjoyed the moment. We lost George I think about 1.5 years later, but I will never forget that guy. Sharon, if you read this, we loved your dad and we promise we stopped him at one beer.

So many things like this over the years have happened right in front of my eyes that make it EASY to see what's important in life.

@Jared Freeman I pass the baton to you. After you share pass it to someone else.

Jared Freeman

Oh wow. So many...

I will go with my top three:

1) Dan Smith pop-up to raise money for his cancer battle. Visiting AFS AA is always a blessing in itself, but to do it and help out one of our closest friends was something I will never forget. So many tears that day.

2) AFS RH surprising Fran at the Run Drugs out of Town 5k was also unbelievably powerful. Fran (lost her son to an overdose) and her sister Georgina are two of AFS RHs biggest supporters and we were able to give back a little of the joy that they have brought us over the years.

3) The ten year AFS reunion was unreal. AFS was founded by Mike Stack but it was built by so many loyal clients. Without our amazing core of AA clients there would be no Plymouth or Rochester. I am forever grateful to all you <3!!

@Mike Stack I pass the baton to you! After you share pass it to someone else!

Heather Quinlan

There have been so many special moments over the years at AFS, but my favorite memory so far was from last September when we spent the day helping at the Fleece & Thank You event at Stony Creek HS and then ran the mile 8 water station at Brooksie the next morning. Between the two events, there were so many AFS Rochester Fit Fam there... too many to tag! The Fleece & Thank You event was memorable, in part, because we helped break a world record for an amazing cause. But even more, as the day went on and people/teams were leaving the event... the AFS crew stuck around and kept cutting, tying, and assembling blankets (we might still have the calluses to prove it). There is a strong possibility we started to go delirious a bit as we continuously heard we were in the "home stretch" when the lie detector determined that was a lie. As we were nearing the end, a major storm blew through, knocking over a tent. It was super windy and POURING as @Nate Langley and @Jared Freeman were running around trying to secure the tent stakes. @Eileen McNally and I were shivering and repeating affirmations of gratitude to each other as we were getting drenched on while holding one of the tent supports in place. But we all survived, broke the record, and then decided going to Chipotle was the logical next step... where we affirmed Nate's love for asada and discovered Jared's fondness for their queso. The next morning many of us woke up early and gathered back together to hand out water, donuts, and our amazing cheers of encouragement (where we also learned that @Andrew Anderlie has a side hustle future as an emcee) to all the Brooksie Way half marathon runners. In a nutshell, it was an all AFS weekend. We gave back to our community and spent quality time together. To me, it epitomized that when we are #bettertogether, we are #morethan. It was one of the craziest weekends, and I'd do it all over again with those same humans in a heartbeat because #fitfam. But I most definitely will never look at fleece blankets the same way again.

Robert Sarna

I have a few favorite memories-

First weight loss class with Matt Kempfer as my instructor.

The 12 days of fitmas

Doing weight loss class with @Chris Eskin dressed as Santa

The support AFS Plymouth provided when my mom passed away recently.

And most recently, doing fitness solutions class in December with the entire AFS Plymouth staff (btw, when is that going to happen again ?💪?💪)

Heidi Morris

Favorite AFS memory? Yikes!

I loved some of our outdoor pop up workouts early on. I have loved all three years of doing the water station at Brooksie.

But every time I’m at AFS is meaningful!

It’s a little conversation or something that brings encouragement and joy. It is such a special blessing in my life!

Yana Krivozus

My favorite AFS memory is working out the morning of my wedding. I didn’t plan on coming but I woke up early and decided to sweat the nerves out. After the workout we took group pictures while wearing my bachelorette party veil.

Another fave was having coffee with @Maya Sanches and Theresa after the 6am classes. Also feeling the baby move while working out was pretty special.