ENDICOTT (WBNG) — Several nights each week, you can find Rob Burdick at “The Fitness Range” on Delaware Avenue in Endicott teaching classes at his gym.

As its only employee, Burdick uses the gym to stay in shape, build up the community and allow people a safe space to work out.

But earlier this year, the business experienced a setback. A microburst in August tore the roof of the American Legion in Endicott, the former location of the gym. This took the fitness range out of operation.

“I knew it was going to hurt the wallet a little bit and I knew that was going to make me suffer a little bit,” Burdick said. “But it was also a big deal to everyone who had been coming for so long on a regular dedicated basis. So, I was like ‘I got to get back for them as well.’”

A moment of tragedy led to a new determination; a drive to find a new space to hold his workout classes.

Burdick spent weeks driving around searching for vacant buildings to potentially call home.

“There were days where I thought I had found a spot and then, ‘No it wasn’t working.’ Or times when I was like ‘Am I ever going to find a spot?‘“ Burdick said. ”Then another lead would happen and I would be up again. Just up and down every day honestly.”

He eventually landed on the space on Delaware Avenue. Burdick was able to reopen and resume his classes on Nov. 1.

Clients like Danielle Kaplan and Sara Perkins were excited to return to their gym.

“Rob shared with us on the first night he was here that he had huge community support,” Kaplan said. “Which speaks volumes about who he is as a person and as a gym owner.”

Perkins said, “I would come to every class there was if I could. So, it was exciting when I got to come on a tour of the space before it opened. It was exciting to see it was bigger and better than before.”

“Suffer now, reward later.” That’s the motto Burdick uses to push the people who take his classes. The same message ran through his head as he pushed to get his business back through the setback.

He said, “When you face a challenge and that ‘no give up’ is pushed. You can fight through and actually persevere.”

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