What are the chances?
By Gary Rollins
LA VETA- This past Friday, as my bride and I were enjoying ourselves in South Padre Island, I found my mind wandering back to Main Street in La Veta. The ever-so-important open house for the newly-reorganized and off-to-a-flying-start Two Peak Fitness was scheduled to take place the following morning and I realized I was going to be AWOL. I hurriedly sifted through the handful of candidates who could be relied upon to accurately give me the results of the event for my article.
I had three candidates whom I felt would wear the label “a reliable source,’ but I then experienced that Kodak “moment” when the light bulb pops on over my head. Who better to reveal the elements of this soon-to-developed story than Vince and/or Diane Koutnik?
Those names you will undoubtedly recognize as two of La Veta/Walsenburg’s finest physical therapists. Their clients frequently assemble at Two Peak Fitness.
No less than ten minutes after I had managed to identify my two candidate “targets,” they walked through the front door of the neat little eatery right there on the Main Drag in South Padre Island. The distance from La Veta to SPI is a shade over 1,200 miles. Vince, Diane and their lovely daughters were in the midst of enjoying a trip to Rockport and South Padre Island. Vince’s family resides in Rockport.
The odds of bumping into someone from La Veta, Colorado at that precise moment are, in a word, unbelievable. But, it happened and when you bump into Vince and/or Diane in the days ahead, I feel sure they’ll verify it.
However, since the Koutniks were also not in attendance at the Two Peaks meeting, upon my return John Liese, the new operator/manager, gave me an up-close-and-personal recap of the results of the open house. The goal had been to diplomatically convince no fewer than 40 people to both sign up and pay the discounted year’s dues in advance. But at the end of the day, there were more than 60 checks in the cash drawer! That brought big smiles to the faces of the newly-relocated Liese family as well as to the mugs of both J. and Denny Patterson.
The infusion of cash will allow a more rapid conversion of the coffee shop, which Liese anticipates will soon become the central rendezvous point for those wishing to meet on a regular basis. On the horizon will be a well-stocked coffee bar with more than “munchies” to fuel the conversation.
The rate structure, as it presently stands, is slightly less costly than last year’s rate schedule, but suffice it to say it’s a fine bargain at $40 per month for an individual (No Swim) and $50 per month (Including Swim) and there’s a new liner for the pool that is inbound as this week’s deadline approaches. Those rates, I was assured, are firm through the end of February and offer the same two free months for up-front payment of the annual dues.
This would be a good time to suggest those who are interested in learning more stop by soon and give Two Peak Fitness an up-close look-see. The new hours of operation will be 6 am to 9 pm Monday through Friday, 7 am to 4 pm Saturday and 8 am to 4 pm Sunday.
And while you’re there, give John Liese a big “high five” for investing in a community that appreciates the value of hard work, and for the courage to relocate an entire family at Christmas.
Good luck Two Peak Fitness!
