Lead by Middletown’s Bridge to Fitness owner Michael Cecchi, seven Aquidneck Island fitness facilities and yoga studios opened their normally closed doors the morning of New Year’s Day to host donation-only classes to benefit the Newtown Parent Connection in Newtown, Connecticut.

Over $5,000 in donations were collected going towards the Friends of Newtown, CT Fund which in turn will benefit the community’s children in funding the Newtown Parent Connection’s fitness, exercise and play activity therapy sessions. The Newtown Parent Connection was created in 1993 by Dorrie Carolyn to educate, empower and embrace families in crisis.

Participating Newport County fitness facilities and yoga studios opened New Year’s Day morning to hold group classes regardless of membership status for a $25 donation to the Friends of Newtown, CT Fund. In order to tailor the programs for that day, the facilities and yoga studios regular exercise equipment was not available, and only the special classes were held.

“In recognition of the tremendous suffering in Newtown, the fitness community throughout Aquidneck Island thought if we could come together and help fund exercise programs in their community, we could in some small way help these families,” stated Michael Cecchi, Bridge to Fitness owner. “We are proud of everyone that participated and I am sure they all welcomed the opportunity to start the year off in a way that could help the children of Newtown by funding exercise, athletics and play time therapeutic activities. We hope the funds we raised will help achieve this and let kids be kids,” he added.

The following are the fitness facilities and yoga studios that offered exercise programs Tuesday, January 1st:

Able Mind & Body, 926
Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown

Bellevue Barre Schedule,  94
William Street, Newport

Bridge to Fitness, 951
Aquidneck Avenue, Middletown

Newport Athletic Club, 66
Valley Road Middletown

Newport Power Yoga, 112
William Street, Newport

Pulse, One Casino Terrace,
Newport

Tenth Gate Center for Yoga
and Meditation, 1046 East
Main Road Portsmouth

The Friends of Newtown, CT Fund is still accepting donations at the participating fitness facilities, yoga studios and at www.friendsofnewtown.org . Donations can also be sent to:

Friends of Newtown, CT

Bank Newport

528 West Main Road

Middletown CT 02842

Founded in 1993, the Newtown Parent Connection is a grassroots organization
established by concerned parents and other informed citizens of Newtown, CT to
address the problem of substance use and abuse among young people in our
community, as well as crisis aid.