HUMBOLDT — James Carlson was eager for the Humboldt Fitness Center to open in 2019.
As an employee at B&W Trailer Hitches, Carlson was looking forward to having an option just down the street.
Not only that, Carlson was diagnosed as pre-diabetic and needed to do something to improve his health.
Since then, he has lost 40 pounds. His health is better. He has more energy. He looks better. He feels better.
“This is my second home,” he said Wednesday, just before hopping on a treadmill.
He starts every workout with a run, either 3 miles or 5. Then, he’ll rotate through various types of workouts.
Kelli Frazell, the fitness center’s director, said Carlson is one of 218 B&W employees who take advantage of the center’s corporate membership program.
B&W, Monarch Cement and other local businesses pay the memberships for employees and their families. Monthly memberships are $45 for an individual and $80 for a family.
The employee only pays the tax (less than $10 a month for an individual), and the membership is handled through their paycheck like other benefits. Employees can choose to opt in to the program.
Currently, the fitness center has a total of 573 memberships. That could be an individual or a family, so it does not indicate how many people use the center.
Of that total, 297 are corporate memberships.
And those memberships are being used.
“I would say most of them come at least a handful of times a year,” Frazell said. “We do have quite a few employees who signed up just for their families. They don’t use it, but their family members do.” 
CARLSON works out at the fitness center nearly every day.
It works great with his schedule.
