Page 56 - South Mississippi Living - January, 2017

Christian Barnett, fireman does the stair stepper in honor of the lives lost on September 11, 2001.
Officer Spencer Lansdale enjoys the free membership to Beau Vie Fitness.
Owners Glynn and Iana Illich
www.BeauVieFitness.com
Long Beach
228.865.7888
111 N. Cleveland Ave. Ocean Springs 228.233.4787 2996 Bienville Blvd.
PHYSICAL & FISCAL FITNESS honor story by Kelsey Sunderman-Foster
photos courtesy of Beau Vie Fitness
eau Vie Fitness in Ocean Springs and Long
Beach believes in supporting residents of local communities, especially those who serve our country. After the difficult year that police officers across the nation have faced, owner Glynn Illich was inspired to show his appreciation for their
efforts and offer any assistance he could.
“We were just sick of seeing how police officers are
treated across the nation, so we offered all active police
free membership at our gyms,” said Illich. “It’s a small token, but we had to do something. When we made the post on Facebook, it went viral with people sharing it. Tens of thousands saw it across the nation, and we got calls from businesses across the country saying they wanted to do something similar to show their support. It was great to see all of the business owners pull together to help out.”
Beau Vie Fitness also offers all military personnel and their families 10 percent off their membership as a way to show support.
Officer Spencer Lansdale is one of many officers who accepted the offer. Lansdale is a Long Beach police
officer who loves the location of the gym and especially its compatibility with his schedule. “I usually work 12- hour days, so having a gym that’s 24/7 is awesome,” said Lansdale. “It’s very secure and each member gets a key card that gives them access to the gym whenever the need to go.”
Fireman Christian Barnett has a truly amazing story. On September 11 of this year, Barnett commemorated the emergency responders who lost their lives 15 years ago
Supporting those who serve
56 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • January 2017
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by climbing 110 stories in their memory using one of Beau Vie’s stair steppers. Not to mention, he did it in his full gear! “We are proud that he selected our fitness center and we are honored to be part of it,” said Illich. “This was an amazing show of respect.”
Barnett was inspired to honor the fallen emergency personnel of 9/11 after seeing similar shows of respect across the country. “I needed to do it for me as my way of showing my respect,” said Barnett. “Emergency responders are a team that all have one thing in common, and that’s that we want to help and serve our communities. When I called Beau Vie and told them what I wanted to do, Glynn Illich welcomed me with open arms, and we always have my respect for that.”
Beau Vie Fitness centers are open 24/7 and offer more than 5000 square feet of the most state-of-the-art equipment on the market. “In this new era of mega-gyms, we still offer a non-crowded and super clean environment,” said Illich. “We cater to an adult atmosphere and our members are
able to easily get in and out to meet their schedules without having to battle massive crowds.”