Fit to Print Volume 24 Issue 1 March 2015 | Page 16

there’s
something
about

Watch the Interview on Our You Tube Channel:
http://youtu.be/iJO1mjArsys

mary
...continued from page 4

there are so many instructors and so many
classes that I hear about from other
people that I would love to be taking... it
doesn't mean I can't, of course I could,
but I do what works best with my
schedule. My desk schedule, church, my
granddaughter... I work out around these
things. You know, it always cracks me up
when I hear somebody say, "Oh, I don't
have the time..." Of course this is the
most ridiculous statement in the world
because of the old cliché, “Everybody's
got the same 24 hours." It's all about
priorities. And I have my priorities in my
life, and so do you, and know what? The
gym is way up there. And the emotional
benefit may be even more valuable than
the physical. The fun! I mean, even if
you never worked out your abs regularly,
you're laughing half the time and you are
rolling, so you're working out your abs
anyway!
I come here with the biggest smile on my
face. I'm so blessed. I have always said
that I went from something I loved to
something I love. I spent 38 years
teaching... I never went to work, I went
to school! And now, I don't go to work, I
go to the gym! It's amazing!
Jourdie: You just love life, that's what it
is.
Mary: Yeah, but look at the places God
put me!
Jourdie: But how did you start working
here? I don't even know this.
Mary: Oh, this is the best…I hope I have it
straight 'cause Rachel will be the first to
tell me if I don't.
I retired in '07…wow, this means that I've
been working here for seven years! Now
you know why I'm so good at the
computer. Yes—you were wondering why
it's me who trains everybody and why
you're always asking me questions!
So anyway, it's September of 2007. I
know it's September because I'm retired
and otherwise I'd be at school, right? And
I come to the gym for the 9:15 class and

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Rachel sees me and says, "Oh, what
are you doing here?" "I retired," I say.
"Really? You know, you should work
here." Of course I think she's kidding,
but I also remember that I had a close
friend who I taught with who once
said to me, "Mary, someday you will
work at Fitness Incentive when you
retire." And I go, "What?"
Jourdie: Did you ever actually believe
that back then?
Mary: Umm... Not really. Cor might
say some little thing every now and
then but even that I'm not too sure
about.
So anyway, Rachel said what she said
a couple of times and I said "Are you
serious?" And that was it.
Jourdie: That was it... Number one
employee within a week.
Mary: Awesome!
Jourdie: But school teaching was your
background. Do you find that your
skills as a teacher are applicable to
this job?
Mary: Of course! It's all applicable.
It's funny, because sometimes if I stop
someone, they'll tell me that it seems
like I'm disciplining a kid. To me, I
think I'm being nice, but I'm probably
being a little bit stern. But it always
works out... It's like with Susie.
"Excuse me! Excuse me! You've got to
check in!" Now when she sees me,
she's like, "Mary, I checked in. See? I
checked in, Mary."
Jourdie: This is going to be a hard
question for you - what's your favorite
part of the job and what is your least
favorite?
Mary: Least favorite I can do right
away. Anything that has to do with the
computer, which, of course, is the
entire job. But other than that...
When I started, I thought I was going
to be a greeter. Had I known that
there were computer skills involved...
Again, God was looking out for me.

Spring 2015 FIT to Print

He kept me totally ignorant. And then I
start, and I was like, "What the heck?" I
remember one time I was at the
computer trying to get something done,
and I was back and forth 80 times with
the mouse. Ken was behind me and says,
"Mary, that doesn't help. That doesn't
make it go faster." Here I was moving the
mouse around like I knew what I was
doing... They were lucky I even knew it
was called a mouse!
But it all worked out for the best, of
course, because every single other person
is there for no other reason than to help
me.
My favorite part? Being here at Fitness
Incentive, being with this family of
everybody that we're all madly in love
with... How could you not have a smile
on your face? Find somebody who works
here who isn't thrilled to be here! It's not
a job! But don't tell Ken I said that
because when he sees us laughing and
rolling around, he tells us we're not
getting paid.
Jourdie: No happiness! Zero!
Mary: It's a tight ship. Yes.
Jourdie: Now. Favorite people.
Employees and staff.
Mary: Absolutely not. You can't ask a
question like that!
Jourdi N