Celebrating 🎉🎉🎉🎉 StayFit one year Anniversary!

The journey of a million miles they say, begins with a step. It was a year ago when StayFit workout group was officially formed with few friends with me as the fitness instructor. It started as a joke and now turned into something more serious than I could have imagined.

I was fortunate to meet some group of men who wanted me to coach them. By then, I was still a member of a fitness group who thought I couldn't be able to be an instructor though I had all it takes to be one. I never planned for it but I suddenly saw myself becoming one after much encouragements from friends.

We kept pushing, learning new skills and encouraging one another. Each program, each drop of sweat and each move brought about much results. Day by day, new members joined us and we're so happy to remain with us. We kept pushing forward. We later added football as part of the routine such that other fitness groups saw us and decided to adopt football and even played matches with us.

We have been able to acquire some step boards, skipping ropes, Tommy trimmer, MP3 and many more. We had sponsored some events, gatherings, swimming, and even went out to join other fitness groups in their events. We have shared a lot of memories as a group within these few months.

We had also cared for some members by attending their functions including funerals of close family members, weddings, parties and so on. We put up calls to check on members who had been away from fitness for some times.

Apart from fun memories, we had also had some challenges, situations where we quarreled, argued over some issues and had some differences but as humans, we kept them aside and kept moving.

And today, despite how rough it had been, we are happy to celebrate our anniversary as a fitness group.

The Preparations

A committee was constituted of which I was a member. We were to look into and plan all that it will take to host this anniversary and make it a memorable one. As a chairman of the committee of 4 members, I took the lead in the decisions of the committee. We created a group and discussed how it will run and together, we came up with a befitting plan and the amount of contributions by each member that will help carry out the anniversary successfully.

Each member was to pay a minimum of N8000 (40 steem if steem of 200 naira per steem). In addition, anyone who wishes to get an anniversary t-shirt can go ahead to pay additional N5000 (24 steem). However, anyone can give above that or below depending on their circumstances. Thankfully, some members made contributions high above expectations. The support was massive!

In the end, we were able to realise an amount that was enough to hold a moderate anniversary. With the amount contributed, we were able to pay for the following as can be seen in the screenshot below

At the end of the anniversary, we still a balance of cash at hand from the contributions. The cash was well utilised.

The flex designs that were made for the anniversary included the following

I had invited some coaches from other fitness groups to perform that day. I also had a special guest of honour, a man who regularly hosts 'walk-run Uyo' every year. A fitness lover, Dr Imoh Ita. You can see the special banner I made for him.

We had other respected fitness lovers like the woman we call 'mama fit' who loves fitness despite her age. She was one of those that saw the skills in me and encouraged me to coach others. She regularly visits my former fitness group.

Others included the fitness instructors president, The fitness Apostle himself. He was there too to spice the occasion. Those fitness coaches also came with their members and we had a full house.

The challenge we had that day of the anniversary was just that the DJ didn't show up as agreed. He came beyond schedule and almost ruined the day. Thank goodness that he later showed up. I was mad at him. An event that was supposed to start by 7am began by 8.30am. it was annoying but I am grateful that the invited coaches understood my plight and gave me much needed encouragement.

The event proper

It began with stretches. I randomly picked that Mama fit to lead us that. To the dismay of everyone who thought she couldn't do much due to her age, she really drilled us and helped us to be fit and set for the day.

After her stretches, I gave the opening speech for the event. I had wanted our manager to do that but he was away. According to him, he tried his best to book a return ticket a day before but he couldn't and pleaded with me to do it. Despite the stress, I was able to do something.

Next, I invited the coaches one after the other to perform but first, I gave the audience to the special guest of honour, Dr Imoh Ita who also gave us some words of encouragement and some fitness moves.

Take a look at our program of events for that day on the screenshot below

	the program

Everything on the list took place accordingly. There were additions as the Fitness Apostle was invited to take us on some programs who invited all the coaches present to join him to do a collaborative programs. We were taking turns to give out programs using the Tabatha music. It was fun filled!

I never imagined that the anniversary could be that loud. Those invited coaches told me that that even was really greased by dignitaries. The Apostle told me that mine surpassed his own when he began, that he didn't had the crowd and the dignitaries that came to my anniversary. I was so happy it went well. It is shout out to everyone who made both financial and moral contributions. I owe them all a lot. I am also grateful to the Most High God for a successful event. The little.e when compared to all the other coaches in my city of residence could host this type of event for the first time and it went well! Words alone can not be able to express how grateful I am. And to my Steemit friends who stood by me but in person and other means, the likes of @bossj23 @kidi40 @alli001 and others, I am grateful to them all.

In deed, our second anniversary will be more loud by the special Grace of God. We will run it to be more than this. Let's keep moving! We aren't stopping here.

Below are the videos