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Business owners flex charitable muscles to support OSMH

Owners of CrossFit Orillia, Mr. Sub on West Street donate $20K to hospital foundation
2022-10-18-crossfit-osmh
Marcus Sadeghi, left, owner of Mr. Sub on West Street, and Matt Spencer, second from left, owner of CrossFit Orillia, have donated $20,000 to the Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital Foundation. They are shown with Jennifer Allison-Hedges, of the hospital's geriatric resource team, and Mark Riczu, president and CEO of the hospital foundation.

NEWS RELEASE
CROSSFIT ORILLIA
ORILLIA SOLDIERS’ MEMORIAL HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
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Two longtime Orillia businesses are joining forces to help better serve Orillia.

CrossFit Orillia and owner Matt Spencer are proud to welcome Marcus Sadeghi, owner of Mr. Sub on West Street, as a new partner at the business. A member of the CrossFit Orillia community for over a decade, both as a member and a coach, Sadeghi now has an opportunity to put his passion to work for him.

“When Matt first asked me to partner up, it caught me off guard. Having been a part of the CrossFit community for a long time, it never came to mind to turn it into a profession, but seeing his vision for the future of the business, I couldn’t pass this up,” says Sadeghi.

“We have an unwavering belief in the power of fitness and movement, and we want to help as many people as possible with it,” proclaims Spencer. “Marcus joining in gives us a huge boost, both as a passionate CrossFit coach as well as a member of the Orillia business community.”

And they’re putting their money where their mouth is. The two businesses are joining together to donate $20,000 to Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital.

“We want the community, but most importantly the dedicated staff at Soldiers’, to know we’re serious about helping. And if that means contributing financially to grab some attention, then so be it,” says Spencer.

The generous contribution will directly impact Soldiers’ integrated medicine and rehab services (IMRS) that works predominantly with seniors. IMRS is located on the fourth floor of the community tower. Care is provided by a team of geriatricians, registered practical nurses, registered nurses, dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, recreation therapists, a pharmacist, and volunteers, who play a large role in helping patients reach their goals while in hospital.

According to Mark Riczu, president and CEO of Soldiers’ Foundation, “Matt and Marcus are exceptional and visionary individuals. They recognized the need they see in the community and have aligned their giving to geriatrics, an area that is mission critical for us, given the inevitable changes in our region’s demographics.”

“We were happy to contribute financially to an organization that has the same vision and values as us. Personalized care is something we truly respect about Soldiers’. The fact they treat people beyond just a patient number aligns with our vision of creating lasting relationships and connections to help people achieve their health goals,” Sadeghi states.

“We believe we can be a huge contributor to help the system by helping solve a lot of problems that require lifestyle interventions,” continues Sadeghi. “As coaches, our skill is the ability to build relationships with people and support them along the way. Unfortunately, our current system simply can’t commit that amount of time to each person.”

“Our new partnership will allow us to help more people in the community, as well as serving our members better. Marcus’s strengths offset my weaknesses, and vice versa, so we will be able to complement each other well, which will lead to tremendous growth,” Spencer states.

CrossFit Orillia has been serving the community since 2007 and was the seventh CrossFit affiliate in Canada. They have classes from teens to seniors, and specialize in teaching functional movement and fitness in an inclusive way that allows for all people to experience the benefits of fitness.

Mr. Sub on West Street was established in 2002. This franchise location was taken over by Marcus Sadeghi in 2013. As an Orillia local, Sadeghi has always been a great advocate for giving back to the community, especially when it comes to the health and fitness of individuals.

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