“My whole life was being somebody else’s something. Fit 4 the Cause has allowed me not only to be healthier but to be my own something.”
Irene grew up an Italian girl in Brooklyn who relocated to California after she lost her husband of 44 years to be closer to her son. Prior to becoming a widow, Irene describes her life as “good and full” but also notes that she was always somebody else’s something. She was somebody else’s daughter, wife, mother…. but she says, “I was never really something for me.”
After her husband passed, Irene realized that the house she had called home in Connecticut for the past 22 years was too big and too full of memories. She also humorously describes watching My 600 Pound Life eating a bag of Cape Cod Chips and realizing that she needed a change. She needed a fresh start. And she needed to get healthy. Irene was truly at a crossroads in her life and she chose to follow a new path.
Irene made the decision to move to California and also decided to commit to exercise and weight loss. This eventually led her to meet the Founder and Executive Director of Fit 4 the Cause, Cindy Rakowitz, SCTE (ACE), while exercising in Silver Sneakers at a local gym. The two women formed an immediate bond. Irene eventually began exercising in a Fit 4 the Cause weekly Senior Fitness Group led by Cindy. It was here that she found her reason to be her own “something.”
Irene immediately found Fit 4 the Cause’s program to meet the needs of seniors to be immeasurably valuable. She shared that her Senior Fitness Group and her newfound passion for exercise and wellness became her lifeline. She became socially connected in a positive, life-changing way. Irene was so passionate about Fit 4 the Cause’s mission, she eventually decided to get certified to help teach classes through Fit 4 the Cause. She believes firmly in giving back and also in the power of exercise to transform your life and your thinking.
GIFTS OF ANY AMOUNT ARE APPRECIATED
Fit 4 The Cause provides therapeutic exercise and nutrition education programs to low-income communities. Throughout this pandemic, the organization continues to expand its services for at-risk children, fragile seniors and vulnerable groups with special needs. The “Because of You” campaign features these service recipients who are excited to share their personal stories.
Please support our efforts by making a donation to our active non-profit organization, helping us continue to expand our virtual fitness programs for our beneficiaries. It is “Because of You” and your generous donations that we continue to motivate these communities through Zoom and other virtual platforms.
