OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Chris Parnell is a regular at the gym, doing intense, cardio-focused workouts.
It’s not a regular weight room. This one is specifically tailored for those in wheelchairs.
Chris isn’t in the gym to get big muscles, necessarily. It’s so he can live a better life.
“Make it a lot easier for my transfers from like my chair to my vehicle or my bed or my couch or chair,” said Parnell.
The weight room wasn’t always here. It used to be a storage room. But thanks to an annual golf tournament that started over a decade ago, they were able to revamp the room.
“They saw an opportunity and we bought a piece of equipment and it grew and immediately. There was such a response. Now there’s a full-time personal trainer,” said Dan Dolezal.
The golf tournament was held Sunday and it had to be held at the 27-hole Tiburon Golf Course because it’s grown so much.
This year’s tournament raised around $80,000. The tournaments have garnered around $700,000 since they started 19 years ago.
That money goes to helping youth sports programs and continuing to make their weight room better, and for vets like Chris to live fuller lives.
“I wouldn’t be able to do half as much of the stuff that I do now if I didn’t have this organization and the fitness room,” said Parnell.