Healthy Living Blog

What Makes Thanksgiving Special for Bellin Fitness Staff

Thanksgiving is an opportunity to reflect on people, places and things in our lives for which we are grateful.  With a spirit of gratitude, we asked our Bellin Fitness family to share what makes Thanksgiving special for them.  We are sharing our responses in the hope of sparking gratitude for all who read this.

Our time with you often sparks our own gratitude for getting to be with people who share our values of healthy living. Thank you to all of you, our fitness family, for making our place of employment a place that feels like home.

• “Being able to spend time with family, especially with our newest addition! And mashed potatoes.” – Liz Standiford, Personal Trainer
• “Our Thanksgiving focuses on family, friends, love and gratefulness for our blessings. No presents or big grandeur, just sitting down with great conversations and awesome food!! – Janet Babe, Customer Service Representative
• “I’m thankful for my family and the time we spend together. Nothing makes Thanksgiving more special for me then when we get together around this time of the season and talk while feasting on delicious food.” – Kristi Larsen, Membership Specialist
• “I absolutely love being with family for Thanksgiving, usually about 20-25. The more, the merrier!!!  Somewhat organized chaos!! It gets very loud when everyone tries to talk.  I love the smells and tastes of all the delicious food prepped by everyone. Then at dusk, we turn on outdoor lights for the first night of the season; let the Christmas season begin! – Diane Aschenbrenner – Customer Service Representative
• “From as far back as I can remember, Thanksgiving has been a holiday for our families to get together. WE have four generations, 50+ individuals who gather from all across Wisconsin.  Many of us are deer hunters, which truly represents a harvest for all.  My personal favorite holiday!” – Jim Beversdorf, Licensed Athletic Trainer
• “I always feel blessed to have time and good food shared with my family, but I am particularly grateful for my freedom! Here’s me and Rosie being free!” – Eydie Strand, Personal Trainer
• “My loved ones, nature’s endless beauty, and my physical health” – Michelle Erdmann, Regional Team Leader Fitness and Lifestyle Medicine
• “I look forward to how everyone “presses pause” on the busyness of life and travels, in order to have dinner together; good food, shared gratefulness and football.” – Kristen Weglarz, Personal Trainer
• “It’s the opportunity to get together with family and hang out, to catch up with those that you don’t see very often throughout the year because everyone has busy lives. It’s the chance to eat great food prepared by some awesome cooks in the family. J” – Stefanie Bons, TF Ashwaubenon & Personal Trainer
• “Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy the step back from hectic work schedules and talk with family that you don’t get to see very often. It’s about the desserts for our family! Often, we try to out-do the previous year in terms of the different kinds of pies, including our family tradition of homemade butterscotch pie, not pumpkin. – Melissa Sperbeck, TF Bellevue & Personal Trainer
• “Definitely getting to spend time with extended family makes Thanksgiving special to me. My nieces/nephews started a new tradition called “Wobble Before You Gobble”, where we walk/run their neighborhood and they collect canned goods to donate.  I’m so proud of them and love that we get to take care of our bodies, all together, doing something fun!” – Liza Margelofsky, TF Membership and Marketing & Personal Trainer
• “What I love most about Thanksgiving is spending time with my family! And of course, pumpkin pie, with more cool whip than pie!” – Amanda Challe, Personal Trainer
• “Thanksgiving is special to me because it’s time to spend with family, when we all come together from all over the state under one roof and get to connect in person again, with an amazing feast and fun traditions.” – Damon Nick, Personal Trainer
• “The gathering of family and friends from near and far, indulging in each other’s presence – and sharing gratitude for our lives.” – Michelle Lauby, Customer Service Representative
• “This year is especially special to me and my family as it’s my son’s first year away at college and due to his vigorous practice schedule for wrestling, we thought he wasn’t going to make it home. Found out Sunday night that the coaches are giving the guys a few days off and he gets to come home!!!! Now I will have both kids under the same roof again for a few days!! My Mama heart is SOOOO happy!” – Kasey Eisch-Ermis, TF Oconto & Personal Trainer