August 21, 2024 • 18 mins
Our guest is Preston Peterson with Genesis Health Clubs. Everyone knows how great it feels to put on a brand-new pair of shoes! And you can help an underprivileged kid get that same great feeling – when you sign up for the Burgers and Beer 2-mile walk-run fundraiser, Saturday September 21st at the Genesis Sports Complex in Goddard. Your 39-dollar entry fee buys a kid a new pair of shoes, plus entry into the 2-mile run walk, burgers and Busch Light beer afterwards, and a fireworks show that night. Register now at gfftwalkrun.org
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Wichita on weekend the weekly public affairs program
from iHeartRadio Wichita ninety seven, ninety ninety eight, Well O
two won the Bull Channel ninety six three and ALT
one O seven three.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
If you're into health and fitness and if you're into
making our community the best it can be, want to
invite you to come out to Genesis Sports Complex in
Goddard on Saturday, September twenty first. Big doings are scheduled
for that day and in the studio today, I've got
Preston Peterson. Preston is the vice president of Fitness Programming
(00:34):
for Genesis Health Centers and Preston lay it out for us.
What is Burger's and Beer all about on September twenty first.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Well, it's a tradition that we've done for many years,
and this year we're adding in our benefit for our
Genesis Foundation for Fitness and Tennis our gift program and
we want to provide three thousand pair of shoes for
underfunded youth in the city of which it's all And
we are putting a event together which is a walk
(01:03):
run that's prior to the Burgers and Beer event, and
it's a big family event. We have bounce houses, games
for kids, and events for the whole family. And so
that walk run is going to start around four pm
and the party starts at five and just a big celebration.
But I know there's a big need for children in
(01:25):
the city for shoes, and it's a program that we've
done for many years, and we've gone out to these
schools and these a lot of these children in the
inner city schools don't have a pair of shoes that's
even functioning. And it's one of those things that's been
really impactful for our teams. Our teams in which style
(01:45):
here volunteer their time to go and put shoes on
these kids, and the look on their faces has been
really impactful for our teams, but also has really woken
us up to the need of these kids and just
basic things that like shoes and beds and things that
they don't have that we take for granted.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Exactly three thousand pairs. That's your goal, Yes, sir, that's
a big, healthy goal. But I think with you know,
good participation, you should get there with no problem, we hope.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
So I just spoke to Dianne White, who is our
director of the Genesis Foundation, and She says she gets
calls almost daily from schools that have participated in the
program and ones that want to participate, that the need
is higher than what our our delivery is. Last year,
we gave away around fifteen hundred pair of shoes to kids,
(02:37):
and that's why our goal is three thousand, is because
the demand is there, and unfortunately it's there, but we
want to just give the kids something to Of course,
our mission is to help children become more physically active, absolutely,
and so shoes are a big part of that. Yes,
all right, Well if you're a walker, if you're a runner,
(03:00):
now that will this be a timed event for those
that are into that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Sure, all levels.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Okay, I want to be competitive and you want to
run two miles as fast as you possibly can, that
will be timed. Also if you want to just take
the whole family out, kids, grandkids and just walk together
the stroll, you can do that as well. The main idea,
of course, is to raise is to fund the shoe program.
(03:28):
One hundred percent of the donation, the thirty nine dollars
donation goes to purchase a pair of shoes for these kids.
But we also if somebody wants to to run competitively,
you're more than welcome to. And I know some of
our staff has already been bantering back and forth about
who's going to be the fastest, and we're going to
have fun with.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
That too, And hey, that's a yeah, like you say,
that's a lot of fun for those that are into that.
It's just a nice challenge thing. And I got to
think by September twenty first, particularly in the evening, that
might be a great time to do that run. We're
hopeful the.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Weather will be ideal that time of year. It's not
June or July or oh I guess like we're in
right now in Wichita, where sometimes the weather can be
a little unruly as far as the heat. So we're
hoping and we strategically placed it at that time of
year because it would be more pleasant outside to do
an event like this, to run and walk and to
go into the evening. And so we have a fireworks
(04:24):
show planned after the event as well. Oh boy, so
that's a tradition as well out there and at our
Goddard facility. As we last year had the most Saturn
missiles in the Guinness World Record for the most Saturn
missiles shot off at one time.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Get out of town. You guys did that in Goddard
and Goddard, Kansas? Well, did that set off the FAA
warnings or anything like that? Were they looking at radar
going what's going on in Goddard, Kansas? Looks like Armageddon
out there?
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I'm not sure, but we did go through all the
permissions to do that. So the City of God has
been very supportive and helpful in our whole endeavor out
there with the Genesis Sports Complex and participates really well
in assisting us in these type of events to the
charities and the benefits and the benevolent things that we've
(05:12):
been trying to do with the kids in witch style.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Genesis does it right. Genesis does it right, and Genesis
does it big. And this is going to be happening Saturday,
September twenty first. At the relative I say all new,
you could almost still say that the all new Genesis
Sports Complex and Goddard and Wichita. If you haven't experienced
this yet, you got to get out there and check
it out. It's an amazing facility. And Preston, you were
(05:39):
sharing with me a little bit before we started the
interview about all the things you've got out there.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Sure, we've really done it in phases. It's a very
massive project out there, and the first thing that was
completed was five one hundred percent turf baseball fields complex,
and then we've added five more since, so we have
ten turf baseball fields and that's one of the largest
complexes in this part of the country. We have an
indoor water park there, health club, a pre school, and
(06:07):
we also have a natatorium and that has ten indoor
competition swim lanes, a four lane warm up pool, and
then a hotel attached to that entire complex. We're in
the process right now, almost a completion of adding something
a Sandbox West, so we have the sandbox in Derby,
but we also have a Sandbox West which we'll have
(06:29):
indoor and outdoor pickleball, indoor and outdoor sand volleyball, and
in a restaurant, bar and grill. So that'll be all
on that same campus as well. So it's a really
cool campus and it's a really cool facility, and it
would be the perfect spot, or it is the perfect
spot to host something like this because the run is
going to be around the campus, so give people a
(06:53):
chance to kind of see what's out there, and lots
of events not only on this day but on every
day for families to participate in.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
And if you're listening to our program right now, and
let's say you're a little bit out of town and
you're wondering how to bring the family, Hey, why not
check into the hotel there at the water park and
make a weekend of it.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yes, and I did check yesterday. I was out at
that facility and there is availability that weekend, okay as
of right now, So yes, I would jump on that
sooner than later, because it's all right there to participate in.
The hotel has an entrance right into the indoor facility,
but it's just a short walk to the outdoor stuff
as well. But obviously the event's going to be held
(07:37):
just on the north side of the building in the
parking lot.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
All right, biggest thing in Goddard for a while, I think,
since maybe the Damn Music Festival that was earlier this summer.
This is kind of a fun end of summer celebration
there sure at Genesis Sports Complex in god In case
you just joined us, we're visiting with Preston Peterson. He's
the EVP of Fitness programming for Genesis Health clubs. How
(08:04):
many clubs does Genesis have now? Nationwide?
Speaker 3 (08:07):
We have seventy two locations in eleven states. Wow, everywhere
from New York to Florida, all the way west to
Colorado and several states in between.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
National brand becoming that way. Yeah, Well do you plan
similar kinds of events in other markets on down the road?
Do you think Preston like the burgers and beer, would
you do that in another city?
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (08:30):
We do events and social events like this for our
members because we believe that one of the things that
helps people in their entire health journey is social interaction.
There's a lot of research on that into longevity and
social interaction. So that's a big part of our total
offerings in our clubs. This gift event is the one
that's attached to this Burghers and Beer here in which
(08:52):
saw so we potentially may expand gift into other markets.
Has primarily been a Witichta charity for I believe the
last fifteen years and so each year it's grown and
the participation by Wichitan's has been really really great and
we continue to gain momentum through events. We have a
gala every year and we do different campaigns like this
(09:16):
throughout the year, events to help fundraise and primarily provide
underprivileged youth with the ability to do everything from participate
in competitive sports if they don't have the means to
do so, to some basic things, which I'm really thankful
of our director Dan White for exposing us to the
amount of children that don't have things like shoes and
(09:38):
beds in our community and things that we just in
our busy lives every day take for granted and maybe
our kids have those things and it's just a second thought,
it's not even a second thought to go and buy
your kids' school shoes and those things, and these kids
they don't have. You can tell that these shoes have
been worn by probably multiple children, and they've had a
(10:01):
lot of wear.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Handed down throughout the family over the years. So this
is a huge deal. And if you've ever you know,
well everybody knows how great it is to how great
it feels to put on a brand new pair of shoes,
and what it does for your confidence level and your
enthusiasm about what you're doing. It makes it a huge difference.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
So absolutely, even as an adult, it feels good to
get into a pair of shoes, and so I would
think that would be exponentialized if you were a child
who is already self conscious about everything and your shoes
have holes in them or it's just almost hard to
describe that the condition of the shoes that we take
off of these kids's feet, and the emotion and the
(10:45):
look on their face when you put that new pair on.
And so one of the things that is really different
today than maybe years ago, even when I was growing up,
is children's shoes are just as expensive.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
As also adults.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Oh, it's probably more difficult for some of these families
to provide shoes for their children, especially if they're you know,
not helple to have the funds to do so. And
so it really has been impactful for our organization to
be able to do this, and that's why we want
to expand it and continue to do events like this
(11:21):
to expose that need that a lot of Witchtok kids have.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Wow, So will you have a time when you will
pass out these shoes to the kids?
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Yes, sir, we have.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
We arrange with the schools or Dan arranges with the schools,
and we have days where we go and size them
so we figure out what sizes the children need and
then we provide the shoes on a separate date where
we do the actual distribution of the shoes, and so
we have volunteers that do that, and so it's been
(11:56):
really great to see the amount of our internal team
members that have taken time out of their day sure
to go and go to a school that they're unfamiliar
with and participate and help. And the staff at the
schools are so appreciative as well, because they know that
it changes the person's or the child's attitude a little
(12:17):
bit sure to have that something as simple as a
new pair of shoes. And I was probably would have
been skeptical previous to participating that that would make that
much of an impact. But I've seen it with my
own two eyes and done it for several years, and
I know that it does make a difference to these kids,
and it makes a difference to the teachers and the
administrators of the schools, and it's a really great project
(12:40):
and it's something that I feel I believe in wholeheartedly.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
All Right, Genesis Health Clubs and the Genesis Foundation for
Fitness and Tennis, Burger's and Beer event. It's going to
be Saturday, September twenty first at the Genesis Sports Complex
in Goddard. Your thirty nine dollars entry fee, as we
have been talking about, will help buy a kid a
new pair of shoes. Plus it buys you entry into
(13:04):
the two mile run walk and then you've got the
wonderful party with burgers and bush Light beer. Afterwards, we
got a fireworks show after all that is happening, and
it's all for a really good cause and it's just
a great healthy time for the whole family. And if
you want a register, you can do so online right now.
It's a simple url. It's gff T walkerun dot org.
(13:30):
That's GFFT walkerun dot org. And just remember GFFT stands
for Genesis Foundation for Fitness and Tennis. Did I get
that right, Preston, Yes, sir, And tell us a little
bit about what GFFT is all about.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
So, Genesis Foundation for Fitness and Tennis was founded approximately
fifteen years ago and it's essentially an endeavor to help
children in which stall become more physically active. And so
again we do things from helping children participate in maybe
a competitive sports, a travel team something like that. That
(14:07):
there's a lot of talent out there in whichita that
maybe is undiscovered because of the lack of funding to
be able to on a platform where they can be discovered.
So that's one of the things on maybe the high end.
And then one of the initiatives the last few years
which has been our main source of providing for the
youth is beds and shoes and children that have no
(14:29):
place to sleep in terms of they might have a home,
but they don't have a bed to sleep on, their
sleeping on the floor, they're sleeping on a couch, and
so we provide thousands of beds to kids in the community.
And then this particular campaign, which is our Kicks for
Kids campaign, is the shoe campaign, and that's the mission
of Gift is just to assist people children in becoming
(14:53):
more physically active that have don't have the funds to
necessarily do so. And one of the things on the
bed campaign in the shoe campaign the bed campaign is
rest is so important, as we know, and if you're
not able to get adequate rest, that doesn't help your
health and wellness. And then also shoes are very important
for physical activity as well. It's something again we take
(15:14):
for granted, but the type of shoes if anybody is
a runner out there or even a walker, and when
you buy a new pair of shoes and you go
on that walk or that run, it feels different, it
feels better. And think about if you had a six, eight,
ten year old pair of shoes that two or three
other people have worn, it doesn't enhance your experience at all.
(15:35):
And so if we can provide that for kids to
help them become more physically active, that's our main mission.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
And these will be properly fitted.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yes, we size them ahead of time, and there's several
sponsors that help us and assist us with that, and
then we when we show up the day and we
actually distribute the shoes if they're the wrong sizes, we
always have plenty of spares to change out right away.
And I know that that's happened to me several times
as I put the shoe on and they say, well,
(16:05):
their foot has grown since the last time when we
came to size them as fast as these kids grow,
and exactly so we always make sure that it's properly
sized before we leave.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Well, and just imagine for a mere thirty nine dollars
entry fee, you get entry into the two mile walk
run that you can participate in however you like, whether
you're going to do it competitively or do a gentle,
easy going family stroll. You also that also covers your
(16:35):
burgers and your bush light beer afterwards, of course if
you're the right age, of course, and then fireworks show
that night. And then, of course that entry fee of
thirty nine dollars also helps buy a pair of shoes,
brand new shoes for an underprivileged child. I can't think
of a better payback for a wonderful evening. And we
(16:58):
say a couple three hours. Let's say it starts at
four roughly right, yes, Preston, and then.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Walk starts at four, and the party will start at five,
party will start, and then fireworks show when it gets
dark enough for the fireworks.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Yep, all right, easy place to register. Let's do it now.
Let's go to g f F T walkerun dot org.
That is g f F T walkerun dot org. Enter
and be a part of this. You're gonna have so
much fun and so will the whole family. Again. Saturday,
(17:29):
September twenty first Genesis Sports Complex and Goddard It's the
Burgers and Beer two mile walk run fundraiser to help
raise money for Kids, for Kicks for Kids, Kicks for Kids.
I got to get that title right. But it's all
happening at Genesisports Complex and Goddard Preston Peterson. Man, you're
a great guest. I always love visiting with you. I
(17:50):
learned so much about what's going on with Genesis, you know.
Thank you for having me, you bet, thanks for being
with us. This is Wichita Weekend.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Thank you for listening to which e Ton Weekend, a
service of iHeartRadio stations one O two won the Bowl,
Channel nine six three ALT one oh seven three and
ninety seven nine B ninety eight. Listen every Sunday for
whichiton of weekend
Welcome to Wichita on weekend the weekly public affairs program
from iHeartRadio Wichita ninety seven, ninety ninety eight, Well O
two won the Bull Channel ninety six three and ALT
one O seven three.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
If you're into health and fitness and if you're into
making our community the best it can be, want to
invite you to come out to Genesis Sports Complex in
Goddard on Saturday, September twenty first. Big doings are scheduled
for that day and in the studio today, I've got
Preston Peterson. Preston is the vice president of Fitness Programming
(00:34):
for Genesis Health Centers and Preston lay it out for us.
What is Burger's and Beer all about on September twenty first.
Speaker 3 (00:42):
Well, it's a tradition that we've done for many years,
and this year we're adding in our benefit for our
Genesis Foundation for Fitness and Tennis our gift program and
we want to provide three thousand pair of shoes for
underfunded youth in the city of which it's all And
we are putting a event together which is a walk
(01:03):
run that's prior to the Burgers and Beer event, and
it's a big family event. We have bounce houses, games
for kids, and events for the whole family. And so
that walk run is going to start around four pm
and the party starts at five and just a big celebration.
But I know there's a big need for children in
(01:25):
the city for shoes, and it's a program that we've
done for many years, and we've gone out to these
schools and these a lot of these children in the
inner city schools don't have a pair of shoes that's
even functioning. And it's one of those things that's been
really impactful for our teams. Our teams in which style
(01:45):
here volunteer their time to go and put shoes on
these kids, and the look on their faces has been
really impactful for our teams, but also has really woken
us up to the need of these kids and just
basic things that like shoes and beds and things that
they don't have that we take for granted.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
Exactly three thousand pairs. That's your goal, Yes, sir, that's
a big, healthy goal. But I think with you know,
good participation, you should get there with no problem, we hope.
Speaker 3 (02:16):
So I just spoke to Dianne White, who is our
director of the Genesis Foundation, and She says she gets
calls almost daily from schools that have participated in the
program and ones that want to participate, that the need
is higher than what our our delivery is. Last year,
we gave away around fifteen hundred pair of shoes to kids,
(02:37):
and that's why our goal is three thousand, is because
the demand is there, and unfortunately it's there, but we
want to just give the kids something to Of course,
our mission is to help children become more physically active, absolutely,
and so shoes are a big part of that. Yes,
all right, Well if you're a walker, if you're a runner,
(03:00):
now that will this be a timed event for those
that are into that kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
Sure, all levels.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Okay, I want to be competitive and you want to
run two miles as fast as you possibly can, that
will be timed. Also if you want to just take
the whole family out, kids, grandkids and just walk together
the stroll, you can do that as well. The main idea,
of course, is to raise is to fund the shoe program.
(03:28):
One hundred percent of the donation, the thirty nine dollars
donation goes to purchase a pair of shoes for these kids.
But we also if somebody wants to to run competitively,
you're more than welcome to. And I know some of
our staff has already been bantering back and forth about
who's going to be the fastest, and we're going to
have fun with.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
That too, And hey, that's a yeah, like you say,
that's a lot of fun for those that are into that.
It's just a nice challenge thing. And I got to
think by September twenty first, particularly in the evening, that
might be a great time to do that run. We're
hopeful the.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Weather will be ideal that time of year. It's not
June or July or oh I guess like we're in
right now in Wichita, where sometimes the weather can be
a little unruly as far as the heat. So we're
hoping and we strategically placed it at that time of
year because it would be more pleasant outside to do
an event like this, to run and walk and to
go into the evening. And so we have a fireworks
(04:24):
show planned after the event as well. Oh boy, so
that's a tradition as well out there and at our
Goddard facility. As we last year had the most Saturn
missiles in the Guinness World Record for the most Saturn
missiles shot off at one time.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Get out of town. You guys did that in Goddard
and Goddard, Kansas? Well, did that set off the FAA
warnings or anything like that? Were they looking at radar
going what's going on in Goddard, Kansas? Looks like Armageddon
out there?
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I'm not sure, but we did go through all the
permissions to do that. So the City of God has
been very supportive and helpful in our whole endeavor out
there with the Genesis Sports Complex and participates really well
in assisting us in these type of events to the
charities and the benefits and the benevolent things that we've
(05:12):
been trying to do with the kids in witch style.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Genesis does it right. Genesis does it right, and Genesis
does it big. And this is going to be happening Saturday,
September twenty first. At the relative I say all new,
you could almost still say that the all new Genesis
Sports Complex and Goddard and Wichita. If you haven't experienced
this yet, you got to get out there and check
it out. It's an amazing facility. And Preston, you were
(05:39):
sharing with me a little bit before we started the
interview about all the things you've got out there.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
Sure, we've really done it in phases. It's a very
massive project out there, and the first thing that was
completed was five one hundred percent turf baseball fields complex,
and then we've added five more since, so we have
ten turf baseball fields and that's one of the largest
complexes in this part of the country. We have an
indoor water park there, health club, a pre school, and
(06:07):
we also have a natatorium and that has ten indoor
competition swim lanes, a four lane warm up pool, and
then a hotel attached to that entire complex. We're in
the process right now, almost a completion of adding something
a Sandbox West, so we have the sandbox in Derby,
but we also have a Sandbox West which we'll have
(06:29):
indoor and outdoor pickleball, indoor and outdoor sand volleyball, and
in a restaurant, bar and grill. So that'll be all
on that same campus as well. So it's a really
cool campus and it's a really cool facility, and it
would be the perfect spot, or it is the perfect
spot to host something like this because the run is
going to be around the campus, so give people a
(06:53):
chance to kind of see what's out there, and lots
of events not only on this day but on every
day for families to participate in.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
And if you're listening to our program right now, and
let's say you're a little bit out of town and
you're wondering how to bring the family, Hey, why not
check into the hotel there at the water park and
make a weekend of it.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yes, and I did check yesterday. I was out at
that facility and there is availability that weekend, okay as
of right now, So yes, I would jump on that
sooner than later, because it's all right there to participate in.
The hotel has an entrance right into the indoor facility,
but it's just a short walk to the outdoor stuff
as well. But obviously the event's going to be held
(07:37):
just on the north side of the building in the
parking lot.
Speaker 2 (07:41):
All right, biggest thing in Goddard for a while, I think,
since maybe the Damn Music Festival that was earlier this summer.
This is kind of a fun end of summer celebration
there sure at Genesis Sports Complex in god In case
you just joined us, we're visiting with Preston Peterson. He's
the EVP of Fitness programming for Genesis Health clubs. How
(08:04):
many clubs does Genesis have now? Nationwide?
Speaker 3 (08:07):
We have seventy two locations in eleven states. Wow, everywhere
from New York to Florida, all the way west to
Colorado and several states in between.
Speaker 2 (08:17):
National brand becoming that way. Yeah, Well do you plan
similar kinds of events in other markets on down the road?
Do you think Preston like the burgers and beer, would
you do that in another city?
Speaker 1 (08:29):
Yes?
Speaker 3 (08:30):
We do events and social events like this for our
members because we believe that one of the things that
helps people in their entire health journey is social interaction.
There's a lot of research on that into longevity and
social interaction. So that's a big part of our total
offerings in our clubs. This gift event is the one
that's attached to this Burghers and Beer here in which
(08:52):
saw so we potentially may expand gift into other markets.
Has primarily been a Witichta charity for I believe the
last fifteen years and so each year it's grown and
the participation by Wichitan's has been really really great and
we continue to gain momentum through events. We have a
gala every year and we do different campaigns like this
(09:16):
throughout the year, events to help fundraise and primarily provide
underprivileged youth with the ability to do everything from participate
in competitive sports if they don't have the means to
do so, to some basic things, which I'm really thankful
of our director Dan White for exposing us to the
amount of children that don't have things like shoes and
(09:38):
beds in our community and things that we just in
our busy lives every day take for granted and maybe
our kids have those things and it's just a second thought,
it's not even a second thought to go and buy
your kids' school shoes and those things, and these kids
they don't have. You can tell that these shoes have
been worn by probably multiple children, and they've had a
(10:01):
lot of wear.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
Handed down throughout the family over the years. So this
is a huge deal. And if you've ever you know,
well everybody knows how great it is to how great
it feels to put on a brand new pair of shoes,
and what it does for your confidence level and your
enthusiasm about what you're doing. It makes it a huge difference.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
So absolutely, even as an adult, it feels good to
get into a pair of shoes, and so I would
think that would be exponentialized if you were a child
who is already self conscious about everything and your shoes
have holes in them or it's just almost hard to
describe that the condition of the shoes that we take
off of these kids's feet, and the emotion and the
(10:45):
look on their face when you put that new pair on.
And so one of the things that is really different
today than maybe years ago, even when I was growing up,
is children's shoes are just as expensive.
Speaker 2 (10:58):
As also adults.
Speaker 3 (10:59):
Oh, it's probably more difficult for some of these families
to provide shoes for their children, especially if they're you know,
not helple to have the funds to do so. And
so it really has been impactful for our organization to
be able to do this, and that's why we want
to expand it and continue to do events like this
(11:21):
to expose that need that a lot of Witchtok kids have.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Wow, So will you have a time when you will
pass out these shoes to the kids?
Speaker 1 (11:34):
Yes, sir, we have.
Speaker 3 (11:35):
We arrange with the schools or Dan arranges with the schools,
and we have days where we go and size them
so we figure out what sizes the children need and
then we provide the shoes on a separate date where
we do the actual distribution of the shoes, and so
we have volunteers that do that, and so it's been
(11:56):
really great to see the amount of our internal team
members that have taken time out of their day sure
to go and go to a school that they're unfamiliar
with and participate and help. And the staff at the
schools are so appreciative as well, because they know that
it changes the person's or the child's attitude a little
(12:17):
bit sure to have that something as simple as a
new pair of shoes. And I was probably would have
been skeptical previous to participating that that would make that
much of an impact. But I've seen it with my
own two eyes and done it for several years, and
I know that it does make a difference to these kids,
and it makes a difference to the teachers and the
administrators of the schools, and it's a really great project
(12:40):
and it's something that I feel I believe in wholeheartedly.
Speaker 2 (12:44):
All Right, Genesis Health Clubs and the Genesis Foundation for
Fitness and Tennis, Burger's and Beer event. It's going to
be Saturday, September twenty first at the Genesis Sports Complex
in Goddard. Your thirty nine dollars entry fee, as we
have been talking about, will help buy a kid a
new pair of shoes. Plus it buys you entry into
(13:04):
the two mile run walk and then you've got the
wonderful party with burgers and bush Light beer. Afterwards, we
got a fireworks show after all that is happening, and
it's all for a really good cause and it's just
a great healthy time for the whole family. And if
you want a register, you can do so online right now.
It's a simple url. It's gff T walkerun dot org.
(13:30):
That's GFFT walkerun dot org. And just remember GFFT stands
for Genesis Foundation for Fitness and Tennis. Did I get
that right, Preston, Yes, sir, And tell us a little
bit about what GFFT is all about.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
So, Genesis Foundation for Fitness and Tennis was founded approximately
fifteen years ago and it's essentially an endeavor to help
children in which stall become more physically active. And so
again we do things from helping children participate in maybe
a competitive sports, a travel team something like that. That
(14:07):
there's a lot of talent out there in whichita that
maybe is undiscovered because of the lack of funding to
be able to on a platform where they can be discovered.
So that's one of the things on maybe the high end.
And then one of the initiatives the last few years
which has been our main source of providing for the
youth is beds and shoes and children that have no
(14:29):
place to sleep in terms of they might have a home,
but they don't have a bed to sleep on, their
sleeping on the floor, they're sleeping on a couch, and
so we provide thousands of beds to kids in the community.
And then this particular campaign, which is our Kicks for
Kids campaign, is the shoe campaign, and that's the mission
of Gift is just to assist people children in becoming
(14:53):
more physically active that have don't have the funds to
necessarily do so. And one of the things on the
bed campaign in the shoe campaign the bed campaign is
rest is so important, as we know, and if you're
not able to get adequate rest, that doesn't help your
health and wellness. And then also shoes are very important
for physical activity as well. It's something again we take
(15:14):
for granted, but the type of shoes if anybody is
a runner out there or even a walker, and when
you buy a new pair of shoes and you go
on that walk or that run, it feels different, it
feels better. And think about if you had a six, eight,
ten year old pair of shoes that two or three
other people have worn, it doesn't enhance your experience at all.
(15:35):
And so if we can provide that for kids to
help them become more physically active, that's our main mission.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
And these will be properly fitted.
Speaker 3 (15:43):
Yes, we size them ahead of time, and there's several
sponsors that help us and assist us with that, and
then we when we show up the day and we
actually distribute the shoes if they're the wrong sizes, we
always have plenty of spares to change out right away.
And I know that that's happened to me several times
as I put the shoe on and they say, well,
(16:05):
their foot has grown since the last time when we
came to size them as fast as these kids grow,
and exactly so we always make sure that it's properly
sized before we leave.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Well, and just imagine for a mere thirty nine dollars
entry fee, you get entry into the two mile walk
run that you can participate in however you like, whether
you're going to do it competitively or do a gentle,
easy going family stroll. You also that also covers your
(16:35):
burgers and your bush light beer afterwards, of course if
you're the right age, of course, and then fireworks show
that night. And then, of course that entry fee of
thirty nine dollars also helps buy a pair of shoes,
brand new shoes for an underprivileged child. I can't think
of a better payback for a wonderful evening. And we
(16:58):
say a couple three hours. Let's say it starts at
four roughly right, yes, Preston, and then.
Speaker 3 (17:03):
Walk starts at four, and the party will start at five,
party will start, and then fireworks show when it gets
dark enough for the fireworks.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Yep, all right, easy place to register. Let's do it now.
Let's go to g f F T walkerun dot org.
That is g f F T walkerun dot org. Enter
and be a part of this. You're gonna have so
much fun and so will the whole family. Again. Saturday,
(17:29):
September twenty first Genesis Sports Complex and Goddard It's the
Burgers and Beer two mile walk run fundraiser to help
raise money for Kids, for Kicks for Kids, Kicks for Kids.
I got to get that title right. But it's all
happening at Genesisports Complex and Goddard Preston Peterson. Man, you're
a great guest. I always love visiting with you. I
(17:50):
learned so much about what's going on with Genesis, you know.
Thank you for having me, you bet, thanks for being
with us. This is Wichita Weekend.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
Thank you for listening to which e Ton Weekend, a
service of iHeartRadio stations one O two won the Bowl,
Channel nine six three ALT one oh seven three and
ninety seven nine B ninety eight. Listen every Sunday for
whichiton of weekend
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