Funds sought for Public Safety Fitness Room

By Richard Kendall


CAMBRIDGE – Within the confines of the Cambridge Public Safety Complex, a space designated as a physical fitness workout area is completely empty except for mirrors covering one wall, extending from floor to ceiling. There have been no workouts here, no elevated heart rates, calories burned or muscle development. There is no equipment to workout with, only mirrors reflecting the emptiness.
Last summer, when the Cambridge Police, Fire and EMS moved to their new, spacious, hi-tech facility, exercise equipment for the fitness room was not in the budget. Several months later, a committee of police, fire and EMS personnel was formed to identify suitable equipment for the room and raise money to pay for it.
Tom Hurley, a Cambridge police officer and President of the local FOP Lodge #27 chairs the group. Other members include Bob Phillips, Martin Pepper and Gary Hickman of Cambridge Rescue Fire Company, Bill Watkins from EMS, Jesse Guessford and Mark Lewis of Cambridge Police. Guessford, a personal fitness trainer, also serves as a technical advisor.
After extensive investigation, the committee has chosen equipment made by Life Fitness, a highly rated manufacturer of commercial and home fitness products.
Tailored for both cardio and strength development, the list includes two treadmills, a Smith Machine designed for bench press and squat training, a cable/pulley device, a full rack of free weight dumbbells totaling more than 500 pounds, two benches, two stair climbers, a bike machine and an elliptical device.
“This equipment will improve and enhance the health of the first responders of our community,” Hurley pointed out. “In doing so, it will improve our service and response to aid our citizens.”
Beyond an economic downturn which the media and government are currently emphasizing, Tom Hurley believes there are people and organizations ready, willing and able to help fund this project.
“We are going to need a total of $35,000 to equip our workout room,” Cpl. Hurley stated. “I know we could go a cheaper route and get equipment costing half that much but in 5 years we would be replacing it because it wore out. Over a period of 20 years, it will be much more cost effective to purchase equipment built to last.”
Donors/Sponsors of the effort will be recognized on a plaque in the room, as follows: Bronze Sponsor, donations of $100 or more; Silver Sponsor, $500 or more; Gold Sponsor, $1,000 or more and Platinum Sponsor, donations of $3,000 or more.
“If a person or group would like to donate a larger amount of money to purchase one of these machines, we will dedicate that machine in their name on a plaque we will mount in the room,” Cpl. Hurley said. “Of course, we will be very happy with every contribution, large or small.”
After the equipment is installed, the workout room will be available 24/7 to active duty police, fire and EMS employees.
According to Cpl. Hurley, approximately 150 personnel from the three public safety departments will have access to the fitness room although the number of them who will use the facility is unknown. Hurley said he was not aware of a physical fitness policy observed by the Cambridge Police Department.
Donations can be made to the Fitness Room Fund at the Bank of the Eastern Shore, 301 Crusader Road, Cambridge, MD. 21613 (Contact Tina White at BOES, 410-228-5800) or by mailing a check made payable to the Fitness Room Fund to P.O. Box 401, Cambridge, MD. 21613.
“All donations will be appreciated and are tax deductible,” Cpl. Hurley advised.
In the meantime, the workout room makes a suitable place for quiet reflection.