16-year-old opens gym in neighborhood to combat violence
16-year-old high school athlete Ross Torrance saw what was happening in his community and decided to help make a change.
Torrance, from Miami, opened a gym in his neighborhood to help people in the area get fit. He hopes to give people in his neighborhood access to gym equipment that would help them lead healthier lives and provide space that is free from the violence he sees in his community.
Recently Torrance’s dream to educate people on how being fit will better their lives came true after receiving $700 from a woman he met at a gymnasium. He also applied for grants. He is now the founder of an open air fitness center, MCI Ufit, which is a painted shipping container, featuring the usual dumbbells and medicine balls along with other exercise equipment such as stationary bikes and trampolines.
According to the founding teenager, the gym will have different volunteer trainers that will not only help the community come together in something worthwhile for their health, but will also hopefully help them see that there is more to life than violent confrontation.
The beautifully converted shipping container sits in an area that has too often been featured on the news for its gang violence and shootings.
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Torrance went on to say “There are a lot of different shootings, fights and a whole lot of gang-related violence that has gone on out here in the community.” He continued, “It’s not the older people who are doing it, it’s people ranging from ages 14 to 25, who are just doing it for the fun of it with no remorse.”
Kudos to Ross for making his dream a reality.
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