Giving back is a benchmark for local gym

North Kildonan

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This article was published 18/06/2025 (348 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For over 15 years, Fukumoto Fitness has been building up the community — both at home and abroad.

During May, members and staff at the North Kildonan-based gym, located at 50 Burnett Ave., raised $22,000 during its annual Reps 4 Romania fundraising effort, which supports organizations working with orphans in Romania.

“This year it was accessible ramps,” owner Johnny Fukumoto said.

“Last year, we raised money and bought a van that was equipped with specific wheelchair access. They’ve been able to rely on us for that money every year. A couple of years ago, they bought land in the country, to build a camp, to build a safe place, a community, for these orphans.”

Over the past 12 years, Fukumoto estimates his gym’s campaign has raised approximately $300,000 for International Teams of Canada, an organization that partners with charities abroad, and Pas cu Pas (which translates roughly to ‘step by step’), its Romanian partner organization, which provides support for institutionalized orphans.

“It’s nice to have that relationship, and that transparency with where these funds are going,” Fukumoto said. “It’s nice to have that open book.”

Gym members who donated at least $100 to the cause received a custom workout shirt.

“A hundred dollars can seem like not much, but when you get people together who can all do that, you can really make a difference,” Fukumoto said. “If we have 100 people who can partner with us, that’s better for us than one person cutting a cheque for $20,000. It makes it more of a community event.”

One evening in May, members who had already donated were invited to an event where Fukumoto Fitness donated five cents to the cause for every rep completed from whatever workout they chose within a three-hour period. Four local businesses matching the donation.

“So, if people were doing squats, that worked out to 25 cents per squat,” Fukumoto said. “We raised maybe $5,000 that way.”

Luxe Barbeque donated a Blackstone grill, which was raffled off at $5 per ticket, raising another $2,000.

“We always look to try to figure out how to make it a little different every year,” Fukumoto said. “It’s a lot of work. But we look forward to it, plan for it, and try to make it a little different. And people always come through. We’ve been doing this kind of thing since Day 1.”

Community building is foundational for Fukumoto Fitness.

“Every place has the potential to be a good fit for somebody,” Fukumoto said. “We’re about long-lasting relationships. We’re not a quick fix. We’re more focused on people last as long as possible, doing the stuff they want to do. We’re about strength training, maintaining muscle mass as we age, having good mental health, and doing things safely.”

That attention to building relationships has not been lost on members or the public. Fukumoto Fitness was recently named fitness centre of the year by Top Choice Awards Winnipeg.

“We just try to do our job. It’s nice to know that there were enough people out there voting for us,” Fukumoto said. “Hopefully, this award, for someone who doesn’t know about us, maybe they’ll want to check us out. That would be the hope. We’ve done a good job at getting results with people who do come here.”

Fukumoto Fitness runs a month-long introductory program for prospective new members.

“We meet one-on-one for a private, hour-long session,” Fukumoto said. “We want to get to know you, what your goals are. We do an assessment. Then, in a month, people will be able to tell whether they want to continue.”

For more information, visit fukumotofitness.com or call 204-282-9507.