Planet Fitness Teams Up With Salesians For School Back Pack Giveaway and Raffle

On Monday at the Salesian Boys & Girls Club on Byron Street, the DeMartinis Franchise Group, owners of the East Boston Planet Fitness, once again teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club for a back to school backpack giveaway. 

The special event that has been running for four years is twofold. 

Planet Fitness, one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the U.S. is home of the “Judgement Free Zone” and has been partnering with youth organizations like the Boys & Girls Club to promote health and wellness as well as anti-bullying through the Judgement Free Generation–Planet Fitnesses philanthropic inattentive. 

East Boston Planet Fitness’s Regional Manager Steven Lombardi distributes backpacks to Salesian Boys & Girls Club members during Monday’s backpack giveaway.

“The Judgment Free Zone is our way,” said Planet Fitness’s Marketing Coordinator Danielle D’Amelio. “We are trying to start kids early and create a generation that combats judgement and bullying by creatina culture of kindness and encouragement. Our mission is to empower a generation to grow up contributing to a more judgement-free planet or a place where everyone feels accepted and that they belong.”

On the other hand the annual event helps attract more families to sign up for the Salesian widely successful afterschool program while helping families with a whole host of school supplies and backpacks. 

Salesian Boys & Girls Club Executive Director Mike Triant said the backpack giveaway goes a long way to helping Salesian families prepare for the school year. 

“Planet Fitness came to us about four years ago and said they want to help our families prepare for getting back to school,” said Triant. “So this event helps get our families ready for the school year with some of the supplies they need through this generous donation from Planet Fitness. So our families come down, they get a backpack, some school supplies and they can register for the after school program. It’s obviously a tough time now for many families but the community always comes together and supports one another with help from businesses like Planet Fitness and programs like this helps immensely.”

At Monday’s event, 100 members of the Salesian Boys & Girls Club received the backpack donation filled with school supplies, as part of their annual after-school parent registration night for the 2021-2022 academic year. Backpacks included notebooks, folders, markers, crayons, pencils and colored pencils, a glue stick, ruler, pencil case, and Planet Fitness squeeze water bottles.

A raffle was also held for the parents to win Target gift cards and a one-year Planet Fitness membership. Barbera Blake, mom of Boys & Girls Club member Lilly, won the raffle for the one-year membership. 

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