NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT) – Mitch Blose graduated from Slippery Rock University in May with a health and physical education degree and a certification in K-12 education. With his latest endeavor, he is a testament to the notion that not all teaching and learning takes place in a traditional classroom.

[Pictured above: Austin (left) and Mitch Blose are leading the charge on the bold approach of opening a non-profit fitness center.]

“I am a teacher, and I don’t have to be in a school to teach,” Blose told exploreClarion.com as he provided a tour of the yet of be opened, Tri-County Health & Fitness.

Notice that the word, “gym” is not used in the name, and Blose explains that is on purpose as it will not be a place for weightlifting junkies who want 24/7 access to lift on their own. There are other places in the tri-county area (Clarion, Armstrong, and Jefferson) that serve that purpose. Instead, Blose wants Tri-County Health & Fitness to be a center of learning for individuals who are looking to better their lives by learning how to become more fit and healthier.

“My passion is to help people become healthier and learn habits that will allow them to live a healthy lifestyle,” said Blose. “I’m from here, and I look around and see businesses and other community leaders doing things to improve our community. What I ultimately want to do is improve the health of our community and educate people that may not know how to take the steps themselves.”

Physical activity, nutrition, and sleep are the three core values of Tri-County Health & Fitness, and Blose says that he will have a hands-on approach in helping every individual who walks through the doors become better at balancing those three elements.

“We’re not going to be a 24/7 gym because I don’t want people’s money unless they are making progress and getting gains. If we’re open 24/7, I can’t be in here all the time to ensure people are progressing.”

While Mitch is the brains of the health and fitness side of things, he is joined by his brothers Austin and Zack in helping his dream become a reality. Zack is the owner and chef of the popular New Bethlehem restaurant, Zack’s, and Austin, who obtained a business management degree from Clarion University in 2017, helps both Mitch and Zack with the business side of things for the restaurant and the fitness center.

Austin explained that it is the benefit of having an in-house restaurant that will partner with Mitch’s efforts in the fitness center that will truly set them apart.

“At the beginning of the year, we decided we wanted to rebrand ourselves to set ourselves apart from a simple pizza and sandwich shop. There are already so many pizza joints in New Bethlehem, and as Mitch was nearing graduation and was thinking about starting a gym, we saw the potential of offering more of a healthier menu to help promote healthier lifestyles in our communities.”

So, Zack’s Shack became Zack’s and moved to their current location on Wood Street. A location that just happened to have space upstairs that has been used in the past for gyms and fitness centers.

Austin says that the rebranding has been a great move for Zack’s as they have seen business pick up tremendously while they have been committed to providing fresh and healthy options for customers. Half of everything that is sold in Zack’s comes from six local farms within a 25-mile radius.

“We’re actually experimenting with a program with an individual now that we would like to make the base service we provide with Tri-County and Zack’s. For a monthly fee, individuals will receive workout plans, special 24/7 to the center and Mitch, and two prepared meals a day from Zach’s which they will be able to pick up in bulk twice a week.”

While they will have the usual fitness center equipment, such as free weights, machines, and cardio equipment, Mitch said that it is more about getting groups or teams into the facility for group workouts that promote friendly competition.

“I envision athletes, husbands and wives, friends, and other groups coming in together for functional fitness workouts that can be competitive and fun. I also hope to be a place where kids can come after school to get a healthy snack, partake in fun fitness activities, while also being taught how to live a healthy lifestyle.”

Other activities that Mitch and Austin hope to incorporate at Tri-County Health and Fitness include being a location that personal trainers can rent to perform their services and also being accessible for teams to rent for offseason activities.

Mitch and Austin also said for community members to be on the lookout for activities that incorporate the Redbank Valley Trail because of their location right next to the trail. Some of those activities that are in the works include kayaking and a triathlon.

“This is not about the money,” Austin concluded. It’s about changing the environment. We want to help people develop a healthier lifestyle, especially people with no fitness experience. It’s about changing lives.”

Tri-County Health & Fitness is set to open in January, and you can learn more by visiting their Facebook page or their website.