Dec 7, 2011

Thank You

By Chris Ecklund,MA, CSCS
The Thanksgiving season has become one of my favorite holidays and times of year. The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve realized how meaningful, timely and important it has become in my life. I could most likely go on and on enumerating the reasons, but let me simply point out a few:
1.     It reminds me to be Thankful: simple I know, but I am not, by nature, a grateful person.  I’ve been around those people…I love being around those people.  I’m just not one of them.  It’s something I have to work at, and having this holiday helps put things in perspective every year.  I have so much to be thankful for, it’s absolutely silly if ever there is a day or time when I should lose sight of that.
2.     It’s not, as of yet, an overly consumerized (can I use that a word?) holiday.  I LOVE the true meaning of Christmas but struggle every year as it gets more and more centered on buying (as is evidenced by the Christmas décor on sale long before Thanksgiving nowadays). 
3.     I get to be with my family.  I have a great family.  I’m blessed.  It’s a gift.
4.     Prevail Conditioning Performance Center opened right after Thanksgiving 2 years ago.  It is another reason for thanksgiving and affords me an opportunity to thank those who invested so much in Prevail as well as those we’ve been blessed to serve.

So let me use this as a segue to do exactly that. 

It is, of course, difficult to include everyone who has been a part of the process or contributed in some fashion to what Prevail is and what it has become.  So let me apologize at the outset to those I may leave off or miss by name and please know that you are appreciated.

I must start with my team.  Wow.  What an outstanding group of people.  So many trials and struggles come with the territory of a new business.  And, in training/fitness/wellness there is typically a high attrition rate.  In the midst of these realities, my team has simply been…well…that.  An amazing team.  Kim Clark, Juliann Boubel, Will Hughes; you have all been with me since the beginning and such a huge blessing to myself and become part of my family. 

Jade Mundell, our Office Manager, you have been such a tremendous value to us this past year.  Providing balance to my skewed and crazy personality, offering wonderful insight and organization and taking us to a new level of administration. 

Certainly I am so encouraged and excited about our new additions this year and what lies ahead for what is (in my humble opinion) Santa Barbara’s top Performance and Fitness Center.  With the addition of …
Two of Santa Barbara’s top Physical Therapists: Tom Walters and Brook Phillips Santa Barbara’s best Athletic Trainer:  Diana Palmer
A Registered Sports Dietitian: Sarah Schutzberger
Long time friend and top-notch strength coach: Peter Blumert
One of Westmont’s best and brightest recent Kinesiology grads: Jacob Goodin
And A Wonderful Massage Therapist: Larry Rodriguez.

…Prevail Conditioning is poised to offer the Santa Barbara area the highest level of holistic performance and fitness that has ever been offered.  I am so thankful for the new members of our team over the past year.  It is not often you come across a group so willing to invest themselves into a team.  What a blessing and pleasure it has been (and continues to be) to work with this group of people.

Finally those that have done all the “extras” for Prevail.  Emily Canfield is our amazing social networking guru so many have benefited from (all our Facebook and Twitter friends).  She has done so much more as well and donated every bit of her time so graciously.  My business Advisers, Fred Fisher and Peter Miko…you continue to offer wisdom that I am forever grateful for.  “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22)  I hold this Proverb dearly.  To my dear friends and prayer warriors (including my small group and homegroup), thank you for your ever-present battle and support through prayer.  It has been immeasurably valuable. 

And to my mom and dad (Harry and Kathy Ecklund) and my sister and family (Michelle and Chris Edwards, Kyle and Kelly), your support in every way imaginable has sustained me.  I am so blessed to be part of such a wonderful family that loves and cares deeply for one another.

And most importantly, I am thankful to God and for the continued support, guidance and direction that He has granted for this ministry of Prevail Conditioning.  Simply stated, without His direction I would have never opened Prevail Conditioning. 

Thanks as well or our wonderful clients and patrons.  We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve you and be a part of your lives and goals of performance and wellness. 

1 comment:

Michelle said...

I just now read your newsletter because I'm so lame. Thanks for the "shout out". You are loved by us all :)