ELIZABETHTOWN — Three men saved Bladen County from losing its lone fitness center more than a dozen years ago. A husband and wife have kept it going since 2014.
Come Wednesday morning at 8, the facility at 1001 W. Broad St. known as Health Works reopens as Dream Works. And the circuitous route to what may well become a landmark change is all in the new name.
“I believe in the people of Bladen County,” said the Rev. Jason Williams of Foundation Church, “and we just want to help them inspire and have the courage to go after their dreams and their goals. That’s why it is called Dream Works.”
The church founded with 42 charter members gathered in Williams’ house in May three years ago is, by all accounts, coming home. Within weeks they outgrew his place and headed for the zumba room of Health Works.
Until they outgrew it, too.
Now regularly 300-strong on Sundays, the church has set up Dream Works as a nonprofit mission. Members from the elder board form a Board of Directors that owns and operates the fitness center.
There’ll be change, and there’ll be consistency. And it’s all woven into a unique ministry.
“We believe when they feel better, they’re going to have a greater impact on their families and the community around them,” Williams said Monday evening as he stood in a facility that hardly looked like it would open in less than 40 hours.
The 24-hour portion has not closed, nor will it. The rest of the facility is getting new paint, new carpeting, fixes of lights and bathrooms and anything else that might need a little something, and there’s a bit of rearrangement in the equipment. As he spoke, outside there were signs up for the facility by both old and new names.
Staying the same, Williams said, are a number of programs to include Silver & Fit, SilverSneakers, Health Ways and all those that had insurance provisions available.
“One of the big initiatives is to make it more economical for families,” Williams said. “We’re significantly lowering the rates. We’re going to make it more economical so that people can afford to come and take care of themselves and feel better.”
The church plans to have more than a gym, and that vision was important to the former owners, Ashley and Tracey Trivette.
Williams said the facility will have an academy near the front door providing educational assistance, to include tutoring for traditional students and adults in the college level; a fine arts program; an entrepreneurship type of program; and professional and personal development classes. He said preparation for college and careers are part of the plan.
“We want the people of Bladen County to know that we believe in you,” Williams said. “We’ve had billboards up that say you matter and you have a purpose, and that’s a part of why we’re doing this.”
The church will lease the facility from the trio of owners — Dean Hilton, Brian Campbell and Wesley Campbell — who bought Bladen Fitness Center from the hospital and oversaw its operation for seven years. The Trivettes bought the fitness center in 2014.
“We were not looking to sell the gym at all,” said Ashley Trivette, the majority owner. “We were approached by Jason, and after talking with him, he said he had a vision for Bladen County.”
He asked not for an answer immediately, she said, but just that it would be thought about and prayed upon. Causing more anxiety was the realization all employees would be let go in favor of a different approach.
But secured, Trivette said, was that the facility would remain a fitness center. Hilton said that was very important to him as well.
“Jason mentioned he had this vision,” she said. “It sounded nice, but I wanted to know how realistic it was. It’s a fun thing about what-ifs, but it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have a plan of action. Jason, in a detailed way, explained what he’s capable of doing at this point, and when he’ll have to ask for help.”
The deal neared completion as Christmas approached, and goes forward on a handshake and “gentleman’s agreement” until the papers are officially signed.
“I have every bit of confidence in this church, and Jason in particular,” Trivette said. “I feel he’s a man of God, and I believe that he really does want what is best for his church. And this building, the facility and operation inside, is going to be a true asset to Bladen County, even more than it’s ever been. I believe those walls are going to add a lot.
“It’s been a grocery store, and a gym three times over. There’s a lot of foot traffic that’s come through. I support him 100 percent.”
She expressed gratitude to the many members who supported Health Works, and was especially complimentary of a beloved staff.
“I want everyone to know that I support them,” Trivette said. “This isn’t a negative thing. They’re going to do everything they can to continue the fitness side. I ask everyone to pray and be patient.”
Williams said he’s inspired to offer the educational components because of his struggles, including leaving high school without a diploma. He returned to get it, then added degrees from Fruitland Baptist Bible College and Liberty University. Iin between, he studied at North Greenville University.
He’s in pursuit of master’s level degrees. The 40-year-old is chairman of Bladen Disaster Recovery Team, and a board member for United Way of Bladen County, and Bladen County Release Time.
The Campobello, South Carolina, native came here 10 years ago to pastor Bethel Baptist Church in Dublin, then served at Galeed Baptist Church in Bladenboro. Foundation Church is nondenominational, Williams says, adding, “What we love to tell people is we’re an evangelical church. We just believe in sharing the message of the good news of Jesus Christ.”
Hilton describes Williams as the pastor who, no matter what it is, will roll up his sleeves and get the work done. His impact since arrival attests not only to that, but to having great faith in those he works alongside. He has passion for the people of rural communities, having grown up in one himself.
Trivette describes something of an infectious nature about Williams.
“Everything that I have seen Jason invest his time and faith into over the past few years, I’ve seen it do nothing but grow,” she said.
Williams has a dream, and faith for its fulfillment. Inspired and filled with courage, the vision for Dream Works is a reality.
Inside and out of Dream Works, workers were scurrying to finish things in time for Wednesday’s opening. Dream Works is in the former home of Health Works at 1001 W. Broad St. in Elizabethtown.
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