Beta Body Gym is better!

Published 25 May 2009, Posted in Northland / 2 Comments

A special room at the Beta Body Gym in Kaitaia for young people with disabilities and their carers was opened last Friday evening with much aroha and support from the local community.

“Including people with disabilities is part of the kaupapa for our gym,” said Karen Riwai, owner. “The Beta Body Gym is part of and available for all the community.”

This inclusive message was further highlighted with a great live concert that followed the opening put on by the local band “The Survivors”, from Ngati Kahu Social Services. It was a wonderful get together of local people of all ages and abilities sharing the pleasure of live music and good company.

The special room has been outfitted with the support of many local businesses and organizations including the Recycle Centre, Signs of Life, Empire Street Mart, Kaitaia College and NorthAble. It will be a place where young people, many already members of the gym, can gather to socialize, to play games, to create, and to maintain and build relationships.

Jodi Mani-Akura and Alisha Butt are some of the young people who are already using the special room which has a drum kit and keyboards set up. The instruments belong to the children of Karen and Munuera, the owners of the gym, and they have kindly made them available to the users of the room.

“It is a real asset to the disabled community to have this room available right in the centre of town,” said Mark Shanks from NorthAble, “and we are very grateful to Karen and Manuera Riwai for providing this space.”

If anyone has equipment that they could donate to the room (a small pool table and an indoor bowls set are on the wishlist) and for further information about the room and what is available please call in and talk to Manuera or Karen, or phone Beta Body on 09 408 2725.