Celebrate with us! REFIT Beckley team member, Allonna Tilley, is September Community Captain of the Month
My name is Allonna Tilley. I am originally from Wyoming County, but my husband and I have made the Beckley area my home for 27 years. We love our town. We have 3 boys, ages 16, 20, and 24. I currently work in home health care and have been at my current job for 23 years.
As a young adult, I was always active. I enjoyed hiking, walking, dancing, and generally being outside. After having children, I attempted to join a gym, but unfortunately that was a negative experience. I searched for some time for something positive and uplifting where I could exercise and move. When I was starting to feel like I wouldn’t find something, I finally found REFIT in 2017. I needed exercise because I mostly have a desk job. I found instant home within those classes. A feeling of belonging, being able to move to positive and upbeat music, and accomplish an hour workout was just what I needed. I love to dance, but what I love about REFIT is that you don’t have to know how. The moves are easy to follow, yet you get a great workout. I also love that we have been taught that healthy comes in all shapes and sizes, and our local team is here to encourage you to move, wherever you are in your fitness journey. Over time this community has become my family, and I have met people all over the world thanks to this format. Our local and global community lifts me up and encourages me daily to set and accomplish my goals, and I now have a community that has become family to me.
I became certified in REFIT in January of 2018. I have volunteered in some capacity since I was a teenager, and I was looking for ways to become more involved in the Beckley community because I wanted to meet new people. Partnering with Active Southern West Virginia was the perfect fit. They share our vision of providing welcoming and encouraging physical activity in a non-intimidating setting and embody a vision where anyone and everyone belongs and should have access to resources to benefit their health. It has been lovely having a front row seat to watch their growth and welcome so many new Community Captains over the years with the variety of consistent programming we offer to our community.
Recently it became apparent to me that certain tasks were becoming increasingly difficult. As I have aged my joints are not as flexible as they once were and getting up and down off the floor has become increasingly difficult, so I have incorporated REFIT’s other format Rev + Flow to my workout. This format is high intensity, yet low impact and focuses on improving our strength, mobility, balance, and flexibility. Our motto is turning Try into Triumph. I am excited to share that I have just completed my certification to teach this format and hope to begin offering classes in the very near future.
Because of the awesome partnership and growth within our classes here in Beckley, Beckley was chosen as a stop for REFIT’s National Tour circuit this fall, Fit with Friends. Friday night we will be hosting an experience class, which is open to the public and we would love to see all of our friends in the Active Southern West Virginia community come and work out with us and our founders. They are coming all the way from Waco, Texas to our wonderful area, and we have instructors and participants coming from several surrounding states. It would mean so much to us to have our Active family there. You guys have supported us so much. On Saturday, we will have the honors of training instructors right here in our town. Our team receives requests often to offer classes in surrounding areas, especially Fayette, Summers, and Wyoming counties, so this summer we jumped into a season of pop-up classes. Although we have loved meeting new people, these areas desire consistent classes, and of course, we would love to see our Active Southern West Virginia family grow and be able to honor these requests on a more consistent basis. There are so many areas that are in need of a REFIT instructor (not just the three counties I mentioned). If you would be interested in learning more about our format, our team would love to answer your questions. If you’d like to join us for our November event, tickets are available for the Live Experience class.
I was asked why I volunteer and why did I choose Active SWV. I will leave you with this. It is 1000% the people that come through our doors. We are blessed here in southern West Virginia with the nicest humans. I could tell you countless stories of what our work here means to people and how much they appreciate our community. I have always said I receive way more blessings from our participants than I would ever give in return.
To find all the REFIT programs offered for free through Active SWV check our website calendar.
For information on volunteering with Active SWV email volunteer@activeswv.com.