By Raylee Foster | Staff Writer
ReFit Studios — a Waco fitness program centered around the acceptance and inclusion of everybody and every body — is hosting a competition between sororities from March 15 to March 29, donating $500 toward the winning sororities’ philanthropy.
In order to win the prize money, Panhellenic sororities must gain the highest amount of points. This can be achieved by sharing the ReFit Studios graphic on social media, taking a photo in the studio and posting it and/or attend a class for a discounted rate.
Heather Roush, studio production manager at ReFit Studios, said the studio founders’ experience with Greek life during their time in college made partnering with the programs an obvious step for them to make. The studio is hopeful to reach a broader Baylor audience through their sorority week.
“One of our founders is a Pi [Beta] Phi alum from Baylor and our social media manager was a Tri Delta president in the past, so it was just a natural fit for us,” Roush said.
Roush also said ReFit is meant to be a place for everyone to enjoy exercising and feel accepted as they do so.
“The heart of ReFit is about creating a space where every body belongs, about connection and community that goes beyond a workout,” Roush said. “For us, helping young women find a place where they can move their body is a way of celebrating.”
The timing of sorority week was intentional as a way of helping the Baylor community decrease stress levels through exercise, Roush said. The dance-styled classes provided at ReFit follow Baylor’s All-University Sing performances from February.
“After Sing season ends, it’s just a good time for [an] end of semester stretch,” Roush said. “We asked how we can help partner with the community at Baylor, and we start with sororities because I think there’s so much like-mindedness there,” Roush said.
Larchmont, N.Y., sophomore Mattie Pittman, philanthropy chair for Kappa Alpha Theta, said the sorority’s chapter looks forward to work toward earning money for their philanthropy through this competition. If Theta were to win, the prize money will be going toward CASA of McLennan County.
“I’m so passionate about the work that CASA does, and I feel so lucky to be part of a leading sisterhood that is also dedicated to this cause, and attends exciting events like this ReFit challenge week to support our philanthropy,” Pittman said.
In addition to creating partnerships between sororities and ReFit, this competition gives chapters the opportunity to bond across chapters, and use that to deepen the connection with their chosen philanthropy.
“Being so close to an actual CASA location strengthens the connection that Thetas have to our philanthropy,” Pittman said. “By knowing that the money from ReFit goes directly into the Waco community and to children that could live less than two miles away from me, it helps me understand how meaningful that money really is.”
Kappa Kappa Gamma said they are utilizing ReFit’s sorority week as an event for their “Mom’s Weekend.” Thousand Oaks, Calif., junior Annie Stevens said the money will go toward supporting children’s mental health if they were to win.
“This weekend is Kappa Mom’s Weekend, so we decided to make the [available] classes on Saturday one of the events for our members and their moms to enjoy together,” Stevens said.
Roush also said they offer two different workouts, the ReFit and the Rev and Flow. She said ReFit is open to all people, and the goal is to provide a fun experience for women through movement.
“It is continually hilarious to me that I work for a fitness organization because I am not a workout queen,” Roush said. “I love having fun and I love doing things that are meaningful so I think if you sit in that seat as a Baylor student, you enjoy having fun with friends and you like listening to music, then ReFit is for you.”
