DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

4001 Maple Ave #200 | Dallas, Texas 75219

Phone: 1-214-574-4653 | Fax: 1-214-296-5000
Email: http://www.goldsgym.com/contact-us/
March 31, 2016
Dallas Chamber of Commerce
500 N. Akard Street., Suite 2600
Dallas, Texas 75201
Dear Dallas Chamber of Commerce,
Golds Gym is dedicated to helping local communities with their health and fitness needs. As one
of the leading gyms in the nation, we plan on starting a health awareness campaign beginning
January 2017 targeting college age students throughout the Dallas area. Once a month, Golds
Gym will have a day where any college age student can come into one of our facilities and learn
how to work out safely, effectively, and efficiently. Golds Gym will address the issues of obesity
and sedentary lifestyles in several ways:
Once a month, Golds Gym will host a four-hour open house session at each of our locations in
Dallas. We will allow college age students to have access to all of the equipment and facilities in
each gym. Furthermore, we will hire additional personal trainers to assist in teaching young
adults how to work out correctly and train in a state-of-the-art gym. At the end of each session,
Golds Gym will cater a nutritious meal as well as host a nutritionist who will speak in front of
the visitors and teach them healthy eating habits.
A major focus of our health awareness initiative is to inspire participants to engage in the
formation of lifelong habits of exercise and healthy diets. Golds Gym believes that setting aside
time to instruct college age students in fitness and diet will help combat the growing obesity
epidemic in Dallas. By providing residents with the education and equipment they need to
succeed, Golds Gym will help the community become more health-conscious. With the Dallas
Chamber of Commerces help, we can achieve our goal of making Dallas a more healthy and
active city.

Background, Problem, and Purpose

Statistics Regarding Obesity
The purpose of our initiative is to increase awareness of the concerning percentage of the college
age population that is overweight or obese. Table 1 below utilizes an individuals body mass
index (BMI) to screen for obesity, where a certain BMI value falls within predetermined
categories, namely, underweight, normal, overweight, and obese. These are the metrics that are
utilized in Figure 1 in regards to obesity in America.

DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2
Table 1

BMI (Body Mass Index)

Category

Less than 18.5

Underweight

18.5 to 24.9

Normal/Healthy

25.0 to 29.9

Overweight

30.0 or higher

Obese

Source: Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity from the CDC

Figure 1 is a map of the United States, colored in accordance to the percentage of adolescents
that are obese in all the different states, using statistics provided by the Centers of Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) (Nutrition, Physical Activity, 2015). Figure 1 shows that a
statistically significant percentage of the population struggles with being overweight/obese, as no
states have a percentage lower than 20%. Texas has an obesity rate higher than 30%, and Dallas
itself is the twenty-fifth most obese city in the nation (Daniels, 2012). This is both alarming and
embarrassing. We must take action in regards to increasingly distressing obesity statistics
because individuals that are overweight/obese are at a greater risk of health conditions such as
high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, arthritis, and various forms of cancer
(Obesity and Diseases, 2014).
Figure 1

Source: Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Statistics from the CDC
Effects of Obesity
Being overweight or obese in college has many long term emotional and psychological effects.
Overweight and obese students are more likely to skip class, study less, and focus less overall in
the classroom (McGrath, 2007). As a result, they tend to have higher dropout rates and

DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

consistently underperform compared to their healthier peers (Keith, 2002). Furthermore, around
one out of every three obese college students suffer from depression and are more likely to have
additional mental illnesses. Students who are overweight are almost twice as likely to be
depressed when compared to non-overweight students, which leads to a myriad of additional
issues. Some unfortunate symptoms of depression include substance abuse, harmful coping
mechanisms, and apathy towards school and life as a whole. These issues do not go away once
college is over, and overweight/obese individuals will likely carry these burdens for the rest of
their lives.
Additionally, students who are overweight or obese are more likely to go to the hospital for
medical issues during college. Almost 5% of overweight/obese students develop type 2 diabetes
during college a disease that does not ever go away (Reyes-Velazquez, 2011). Researchers note
that 70% of students gain weight within their first year of college, and a striking majority have
gained significant amount of weight by graduation. They also state that college students have an
optimistic bias, and believe that they wont get diabetes or become overweight. This
miseducation and ignorance has to be stopped, and Golds Gym is here to start in Dallas.
Our Mission
Most people are aware they are unhealthy, but many fear working out (Ross, 2010). This leads
to a cycle of self-loathing, guilt, and denial. However, Ross explains that there are many ways to
motivate people to be healthy. Golds Gym was inspired by her research, and will be using a
similar style of motivation and positive reinforcement to promote healthy body images. During
our program, we will strive to foster a social support group of peers and professional trainers
overflowing with encouraging feedback. Additionally, we will be assisting college age students
to set realistic and attainable goals that work with their lifestyles.
Our program will help college age students in the Dallas community develop self-esteem,
confidence, and good habits for the rest of their lives. Our community building focus will
establish a solid social situation where students can be excited to work out, eat healthy, and
encourage each other to succeed.
At Golds Gym, our mission statement is to enhance the quality of life in the communities we
serve through our fitness philosophy, facilities, programs, and products and to instill in the lives
of people everywhere the value of health and fitness (October, 2013). At our sessions, we will
help to inform college age students of the dangers of obesity, various factors that contribute to
obesity, and preventative measures such as a proper diet and exercise. Furthermore, in hosting
this event monthly at Golds Gym, we endeavor to promote a lifelong habit of exercising
regularly and provide a friendly community with which college age individuals can comfortably
workout.

Plan and Schedule

We propose to address the obesity issue for college students in the Dallas area by promoting our
health awareness campaign. We will dedicate our four-hour sessions to educating college
students and helping them take preventative measures to reduce obesity in our area. Each session

DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

will help us to monitor our progress and at the same time ensure that each part of our health
awareness campaign is performed correctly. As college age individuals are our target audience,
we believe that making these events free will make them more appealing to students that are
stretched thin financially. As a result, the only money we will make at our workout sessions will
be the revenue we earn from new gym memberships. All of the funds needed for the execution of
our program will be provided by Golds Gym in its entirety. Furthermore, a percentage of all the
proceeds from gym memberships that people purchase at these sessions will be donated to the
National Obesity Foundation.
These monthly events will be advertised by distributing flyers across college campuses
throughout the Dallas Metroplex. In addition to posting information about the events on
Facebook and Twitter, each participating Golds Gym will prominently display signs and banners
announcing the open house sessions. On the first Saturday of every month, we will provide a
four-hour open house session from 2:00PM-6:00PM at the four different Golds Gym locations
in the Dallas area. At each session, personal trainers will teach young adults the proper way to
work out correctly from 2:00PM-5:00PM. During the last hour of each session, Golds Gym will
provide a Chipotle-catered dinner while a nutritionist speaks to all our visitors about healthy
eating habits. The nutritionist will guide the students through brochures that detail a healthy diet
that can be sustained throughout their lives. To encourage students to come to our first event,
everyone present at the end of the presentation will receive a $10 Chipotle gift card.
Intended Outcomes
Ultimately, we intend for these events to be a means through which participants can form a longlasting, highly supportive community. Returning event attendees will always be paired with the
same trainer, enabling a close relationship to develop between them. More importantly, these
young adults will be surrounded and motivated by each other. Many will share a similar lack of
experience, but all will bear the same determination to better themselves. Ideally, these
participants will form workout groups that frequently meet to exercise independent of our events.
We will monitor monthly attendance and overall student health throughout the course of our one
year program to determine the efficacy of the open house events. If participation is unexpectedly
low or the students show little sign of incorporating our health lessons into their lifestyles, our
advertising plan and event activities may be adjusted to better reflect the communitys needs.
Modifications may include increased advertising, hosting the open house events on a different
day of the week, or beginning earlier in the day.

Staffing
Gym Employees

DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Each of the four participating Golds Gyms in the Dallas Metroplex will require ten additional
trainers during the open house events to assist an estimated 100 students. These trainers are
highly qualified, experienced individuals who already work for Golds Gym on a regular basis.
They should be able to handle the new event without requiring further training. Moreover, each
gym will have a qualified nutrition counselor speak to the students about a healthy diet. Once
again, these counselors already work for Golds Gym and will simply be adding additional hours
to their workload. Our nutrition counselors are the very best in the industry, so providing the
students with health education will be simple. The counselors will provide brochures and further
information to attendees in regards to maintaining healthy diets with their limited time and
resources as students. The gyms will also need two additional workers to clean and maintain the
gym after the event. The open house includes a catered dinner as well as increased facility usage,
so extensive cleanup will have to be done afterwards.
Flyer Distributors
In order to advertise our event, Golds Gym will distribute flyers across all of the numerous
college campuses in the Dallas Metroplex. Four Golds Gym employees will distribute these
flyers and speak to students along the way. As Golds Gym employees, they should be passionate
and committed to our goal of instilling the value of health and fitness. This passion should be
easily conveyed to the students, encouraging them to spread the message by telling their friends
about the event.

Budget

This is a precise and comprehensive budget of all expected costs to be incurred by the open
house college events. In addition to the written description below, we have provided a
spreadsheet for further reference. We are committed to the Dallas community and to combating
obesity; therefore, Golds Gym will follow through with this program regardless of the results of
the Businesses Give Back competition. We are prepared to fully fund our events ourselves.
However, your support, if our proposal wins, would be greatly appreciated and would lend
credibility to our initiative as well as increase our programs sustainability in the short term. All
of the information in the following paragraphs of this Budget section is summarized in Table 2
for your convenience.

Employees

DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Trainers: Each of the four participating Golds Gyms will require ten additional trainers.
These trainers will work from 2:00PM to 5:00PM at a wage of $17.81/hour. This results
in a monthly cost of $2,137, as seen in the budget below.

Nutritionists: Each gym will employ one nutrition counselor for one hour during the
event at the cost of $25. This equates to a $100/month cost.

Maintenance: Each gym will employ two additional cleaners on event days to work two
hours at $10/hour, totaling a $160 monthly expense.

Total Gym Wages = $2,397/month or $28,764/year

Catering

Chipotle Platter: We plan to serve enough food to feed one hundred hungry college
students at each gym. Each meal costs $12, so the total cost is $4,800/month.

Bottled Water: We also plan to buy 1,600 bottles of Ozarka water at $0.12 a bottle,
resulting in a cost of $192/month.

Total Catering Expenses = $4,992/month or $59,904/year

Advertising

Flyers: We plan to distribute 2,000 flyers before the first free college day and an
additional 1,000 flyers before the second and third event days. The initial 2,000 flyers

DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

will cost us $95 at Next Day Flyers, and the two batches of 1,000 flyers will cost us $50
each. In total, flyers will cost us $195.

Flyer Distributors: We will hire four individuals to distribute the flyers before the first
event. They will work five-hour days from Monday to Friday at a wage of $10/hour, and
this will cost $1,000. In the following two months, only two individuals will perform this
duty, reducing our costs to $500/month. Afterwards, we will no longer hire flyer
distributors. All in all, hiring people to distribute flyers over a three-month time period
will cost us $2,000.

Banners: Each of the four participating gyms will hang an extra-large banner advertising
the free college days. These banners each cost $60 at Staples, adding up to $240 total.

Yard Signs: Each gym will also advertise using two large yard signs. These signs cost
$18 at Staples, so the total expense is $144.

Chipotle Gift Cards: Each student will receive a free $10 chipotle gift card at the end of
the first event. This means each gym will hand out around one hundred gift cards, totaling
a cost of $4,000.

Total Advertising Expenses = $6,579/year

Total Expenses = $95,247

DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Table 2

Conclusion and Authorization

Starting in January 2017, Golds Gym will launch a campaign helping local college students with
their health and fitness needs. Golds Gym will provide a fitness program with professional
fitness instructors to teach students how to exercise properly. Afterwards, Golds Gym will
provide dinner and have a nutritionist talk to participants about what to eat and how to maintain a
healthy lifestyle. We hope that our efforts as a company will be successful in spreading health
awareness in college age students, in order to help prevent obesity and its related health
conditions.
Encouraging college students to come to the gym will involve a great deal of effort, but we are
optimistic that we will accomplish this goal by following the plan detailed above. We anticipate
around 400 students in total (100 per gym) will come every month, and we expect more people
to join as time goes by and people start to hear more about our events though friends and social
media. Our goal is to draw in at least 200 people per gym, making event attendance reach 800
people in total by the end of 2017.
Obesity in our community is an issue that we at Golds Gym feel very strongly about, and we are
confident that this program would provide benefits beyond what other organizations have done
before us. We would very much love to work alongside the Dallas Chamber of Commerce in
promoting positive changes in our young adults and future leaders.
Sincerely,
Steven Chao
Max Friedman

DALLAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Francisco Garcia
TaeJun Seo
Drew Stone

References
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Defining Adult Overweight and Obesity. (2012). Retrieved February 24, 2016, from
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult/defining.html
Hammond, R. A., & Levine, R. (n.d.). The economic impact of obesity in the United States.
Retrieved March 30, 2016, from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047996/
McGrath, B. (2013, April 10). Steady weight gain in college causes health problems. Retrieved
March 28, 2016, from http://www.iowastatedaily.com/news/article_f7c91738-9cb9-11e2922b-0019bb2963f4.html
Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity: Data, Trends and Maps. (n.d.). Retrieved February 25,
2016, from https://nccd.cdc.gov/NPAO_DTM/IndicatorSummary.aspx?category=28
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http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/obesity-health-risks
October at Gold's. (2013, October). 3, 4. Retrieved from
http://www.goldsgym.com/carlislepa/wpcontent/uploads/sites/180/2013/10/Newsletter.October2013.pdf
Keith, T. (n.d.). Depression and its negative effects on college students. Retrieved March 30,
2016, from https://www.kon.org/urc/v9/keith.html
Velazquez, W. R. (2011). Toward reducing the diabetes pandemic: college students perspective
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