Turning a lifelong commitment to personal fitness into helping people for whom staying fit is vital to maintaining function and quality of life
Lynette Nice was quite an athlete in high school, going out for volleyball, softball and basketball. When she started college, she thought she wanted to be a physical education teacher. After two years, though, she decided that being a math teacher might make her more employable, so she changed her major.
Then life happened. After college she got married and had child number one. At that time, she was coaching volleyball for a private school in Colorado Springs. She was offered a job as a full-time substitute physical education teacher and did that for two years.
Then came child number two, and she and her husband realized most of her income would be eaten up by childcare expenses, so she stayed home and worked part-time flexible jobs she could manage around her children’s needs. Even after the arrival of child number three, fitness was still a big part of her life.
After the kids became independent, she managed a small business in Englewood until 2022, when that business closed. During that time, she was taking Pilates classes from Bethany Labue, and had a part-time job as a caregiver for seniors who needed assistance in their homes. Knowing Lynette’s passion for fitness and love for seniors, Bethany suggested she become a personal trainer.
Says Lynette: “That turned out to be a great idea for me. By December 2022, I had passed my exams to be a personal trainer and started doing personal training and cycling classes at Goodson Rec Center. Bethany was teaching cycling at Parkinson’s Pointe and she invited me to be a sub for her.”
With an introduction from Bethany, Lynette met with Meredith Roberts, the Director of Parkinson’s Pointe, who thought she might be a good fit for the strength and balance classes in addition to cycle classes. Currently she is assisting with classes, but will be moving into full instructor positions in strength and balance and cycling.
“One of my passions is making a difference in people’s lives. Through fitness, I want to help people with Parkinsons live the best life they can, knowing the crucial role that exercise has in managing the disease. I hope my contributions continue to facilitate a supportive and fun environment for everyone who participates. I am continually impressed by the effort and resiliency of our members and always leave Parkinson’s Pointe feeling energized and inspired.”
