A New Direction Beverly Morgan Park (AND), the community’s domestic violence agency, has selected Shelton Matsey and the staff at Fit Code, 10418 S Western Ave., to receive the 2018 ANDi award. Fit Code was selected by the AND Board for their outstanding support of AND during the annual Work Out to Wipe Out Benefit Day (WOWO), a Morgan Park Junior Woman’s Club event that raises funds for the agency and raises awareness about the issue of domestic violence in the community.
Matsey attributes the success of his fundraising efforts to his dedicated and talented staff, and also to his clients who are committed to helping survivors of domestic violence. Relative to the other exercise facilities that participate, Fit Code takes a unique and impactful approach. Fit Code closes all but one of the four locations on benefit day and requests all the clients visit its Beverly/Morgan Park location.
Fit Code has the highest number of participants each year for WOWO and consistently is the highest fundraiser of the day, year after year. Matsey also motivates WOWO participants with personal challenges. One year, Matsey bet his students he could alligator crawl with heavy weights across the room. As a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine, he, of course won the bet, generating additional enthusiasm and funds for the cause.
Matsey graduated from the University of Illinois-Champaign with a degree in Kinesiology and earned an MBA in Business from Webster University. He founded Fit Code in 2009 with the purpose of empowering personal transformations and providing an intimate approach to group fitness at a third of the cost of personal training.
Fit Code provides a full spectrum of client services that includes meal plans, grocery store tours, high intensity interval training programs, social support network and many other benefits all within a family like environment.
The ANDi award will be presented to Fit Code at AND’s annual benefit and reception Sat., Oct. 27, 7 p.m., Ridge Country Club, 10522 S. California Ave. Highlights of this popular event are musical entertainment, open bar and hors d’oeuvres, along with a grand raffle and silent auctions.
AND provides confidential counseling and advocacy services at no charge to victims of domestic violence as they navigate their journey to safety. Most of AND’s clients are from Beverly/Morgan Park, Mt. Greenwood, and the surrounding suburbs. AND’s vision is to have every home be safe and free of domestic violence and abuse.
Currently, AND is looking for businesses and individuals to sponsor the event or to donate items for the silent auctions. To become a sponsor, visit anewdirectionbmp.networkforgood.com. To donate auction items, email monica@anewdirectionbmp.org.
