Winter 2026
Newsletter
In this Issue:
LifeQuest Club Feature
Early Bird Conference Registration
New Board Members
VersaClimber:Full Body/Non-Impact Workouts
AI: Creating Connections in your Club
Networking Groups
The Wellness Clinic at LifeQuest: Where Fitness, Movement,
and Whole-Health Come Together
The Wellness Clinic at LifeQuest has become a cornerstone of health and activity in the Tri-Cities, offering far more than a traditional gym experience. With the addition of wellness services, the club has evolved into a true whole-health community—where exercise, group fitness, recovery, and connection work together to support long-term well-being.
At the heart of this evolution is a simple philosophy: health is not one-dimensional. Fitness, recovery, education, and human connection all matter. LifeQuest brings these elements together in a way that is accessible, intentional, and supportive for every member.
Movement & Group Fitness: The Foundation of LifeQuest
Movement is at the core of LifeQuest’s culture, and group fitness plays a central role in creating consistency, motivation, and community. Members have access to a robust lineup of classes, including yoga, strength training, cycle, functional fitness, and specialty formats designed for all ages and ability levels.
LifeQuest also offers expansive training floors, aquatic programming, and open recreational spaces.
Wellness Services for Whole-Health Support
Wellness services were integrated into the club in late 2024, allowing members to transition between training, recovery, and daily movement. The Wellness Clinic features a carefully curated suite of technologies designed to support recovery, performance, stress reduction, and overall well-being.
Amenities include:
• Infrared MedBed therapy
• PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) mats
• VibraGenix vibration therapy
• MagSlim muscle stimulation
Wellness services are included in membership and are guided by trained staff, ensuring each visit is purposeful, efficient, and supportive. These services have significantly elevated member engagement by increasing daily traffic, extending time spent in the facility, and strengthening long-term retention. From early morning through evening hours, the Wellness Room operates at high capacity, serving a wide range of members.
A Community Sports & Activity Hub
As one of the few indoor sports complexes in the Tri-Cities, LifeQuest offers year-round access to basketball courts, indoor soccer fields, pools, fitness floors, and wellness spaces. The facility hosts leagues, tournaments, rentals, and community events that bring thousands of participants and spectators through its doors each year.
These programs provide a viable and diversified revenue stream that supports reinvestment into programming, facilities, and the overall member experience.
Leadership That Supports the Mission
Under the leadership of Sarah Evans, General Manager of The Wellness Clinic at LifeQuest, the clinic continues to grow with intention and care. Sarah’s long history with LifeQuest—beginning as a yoga instructor in 2009 and evolving into leadership—brings deep institutional knowledge and a strong connection to the community.
The success of the clinic reflects a collective effort. Sarah works closely with staff and organizational leadership to ensure the clinic remains aligned with LifeQuest’s whole-health values of empowerment, innovation, and service, with a focus on long-term sustainability and impact.
A Team-Centered Culture of Care
A defining strength of The Wellness Clinic at LifeQuest—is its people. The entire staff collaborates to create an outstanding experience for members.
The culture is intentional. LifeQuest emphasizes communication, education, and mutual respect, fostering a workplace where staff feel empowered to help and members feel genuinely cared for.
A Shared Vision for Whole-Health
The Wellness Clinic at LifeQuest embodies a shared vision of health that is inclusive, proactive, and community-driven.
As LifeQuest continues to grow, the clinic stands as a clear reflection of what the organization does best: bringing people together to move better, feel better, and live healthier lives.
Join us for the 2026 Annual Conference
October 27 - 29, 2026 in Hood River, Oregon
Early Bird Registration before July 31, 2026
Welcome New Board Members
Kendyl Comiskey-Edwards
Jay Chadney
As we head into 2026, we will be welcoming a few changes to our Board of Directors. We are sincerely grateful to Blair McHaney and Elizabeth Kramer for their dedication and valuable contributions as they step down this year. At the same time, we are excited to welcome Jay Chadney of West Coast Fitness and Kendyl Comiskey-Edwards of Yakima Athletic Club to the board. We look forward to the insight, experience, and fresh perspectives they will bring to our organization.
Thank You to our Newsletter Sponsor
“This machine will change your body faster than any other piece of equipment.”
Health club owners and managers are constantly balancing programming innovation with space, member safety, and ROI. VersaClimber delivers on all three. With a small footprint and multiple mounting options—including a movable/stackable base, VersaClimber fits seamlessly into strength floors, functional zones, studios, and even high-traffic common areas. Add battery power, and the machine truly goes where you need it—no hardwiring, no constraints.
VersaClimber is built for non-impact, joint-friendly workouts that appeal to a wide range of members, from deconditioned beginners to elite athletes. And it’s not just one modality—it’s three machines in one: full-body cardio, a lower-body stepper (1-20” variable range), and focused upper-body strength with 10 levels of magnetic push/pull resistance.
The experience doesn’t stop with hardware. An interactive tablet delivers on-demand, 15 to 20-minute trainer-led classes (that’s all you need!) while unlocking virtual monument climbs (Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, etc.) and immersive community challenges like Expedition Everest where people from around the world virtually climb Mt. Everest over 30 days turning
individual workouts into shared achievements—driving motivation, repeat visits, and increasing member engagement. In past programs, clubs have seen engagement increase by more than 2x.
VersaClimber isn’t just equipment—it’s a flexible, space-efficient engagement engine designed to energize your floor, your trainers, and your members. We offer free access to our online training portal for your trainers and custom options with your branding on the equipment.
Contact Jim Siegrist
AI Isn’t Replacing Your Gym Culture. It Might Be Protecting It.
Most gym owners didn’t get into this business because they love software. They did it because they care about helping members feel seen and supported. Community relationships. Trust. Those aren’t buzzwords in a gym. They’re the business.
So when the conversation turns to AI, hesitation makes sense. A fair concern follows almost immediately: Does this make us feel less human? But here’s the quieter truth many owners are starting to notice.
The member experience doesn’t begin on the gym floor. It begins in the in-between moments when someone fills out a form late at night, sends a DM during work, or calls and reaches voicemail. Those early touchpoints shape how people feel about your club before they ever meet your team, and they increasingly influence whether someone takes the next step.
When those touchpoints are slow or inconsistent, it’s not because owners don’t care. It’s a reflection of reality. Gyms are busy. Front desks are balancing check-ins, phone calls, tours, and in-person conversations all at once. Attention gets divided, and something always has to wait.
This is where AI is showing up not as a replacement for people, but as a quiet layer of support.
Members don’t experience AI as technology. They experience it as responsiveness. A timely reply. Clear information. A sense that someone is paying attention. From their perspective, it doesn’t feel automated. It feels considerate.
Inside the club, something important happens. That consistency creates space.
When phones stop interrupting conversations… when staff aren’t juggling paperwork while trying to connect… when fewer leads slip through the cracks… your team stays focused on the member in front of them. Conversations feel less rushed. Interactions feel more intentional.
That nuance often gets missed in the AI debate. The real risk to culture isn’t technology. It’s distraction, burnout, and missed connections. When teams are overwhelmed by small, repetitive tasks, the quality of human interaction suffers, even with the best intentions.
Used thoughtfully, AI simply handles the basics quietly in the background. It allows people to do what only people can do: build relationships and create an environment members want to be part of.
As gyms grow and communication expectations continue to evolve, protecting the experience you already value matters more than ever. Most owners who explore AI aren’t chasing something new or trendy. They’re responding to familiar friction: missed connections, inconsistent follow-up, and teams stretched thin despite their best efforts.
That’s often where the conversation naturally shifts. Away from big questions about the future, and toward a quieter one that feels much more practical, honest, and close to home: could this simply help support the experience we’re already trying to deliver?
- Lindsey Harrison, the co-founder of SmartOWL, an AI-powered communication and operations platform built specifically for health clubs and fitness businesses.
Join us for Networking and Discussion Groups!
FitLife is committed to connecting our member clubs with each other to learn and share ideas. If you would like to be added to the list for discussions, or if you would like to add staff to our list, please email.
Owner Manager Networking
AI Discussion Group
Group Exercise Leaders
Pickleball
Marketing
2-19-26 11 a.m. Pacific
3-26-26 11 a.m. Pacific
4-16-26 11 a.m. Pacific
4th Tuesday of the month at 8:30 a.m. Pacific
2-11-26 2 p.m. Pacific
4-08-26 2 p.m. Pacific
6-10-26 2 p.m. Pacific
3-25-26 1 p.m. Pacific
3-23-36 2:15 p.m. Pacific
Owner Manager Networking
2-19-26 11 a.m. Pacific
3-26-26 11 a.m. Pacific
4-16-26 11 a.m. Pacific
AI Discussion Group
4th Tuesday of the month at 8:30 a.m. Pacific
Group Exercise Leaders
2-11-26 2 p.m. Pacific
4-08-26 2 p.m. Pacific