BLOODSHED Muay Thai Gym at Capalaba has been overwhelmed by community support on their GoFundMe page, with more than $2800 raised to help the club during the COVID-19 crisis.
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The business was forced to shut its doors when limits on public gatherings were enforced in March but owner Dwayne Glasgow said the generosity of the public would give the gym a head start when restrictions were lifted.
"I am ecstatic that our community is so tight-knit at Bloodshed and that we had so much support almost instantly. I was left speechless really," he said.
"It will give us a head start so we can pay the rent on the gym and get everything running and make sure that everything is up to date and paid for.
"I suppose everybody is in the same boat but it is hard going back to business when you have got to pay everything up front and there is no money coming in.
"It (the donations) will allow us to hit the ground running when we are eventually allowed to go back."
Glasgow said he was hoping the gym could reopen this month as bills were beginning to mount.
"It is a tough time for everybody, not only myself," he said.
"Even the people that have chipped in are having a rough time."
"I would like to be back this month but they are saying maybe August. It is going to be a struggle right up until then.
"It is stressful because you don't know when you're going to get back. It is full of uncertainties. Nothing is set in stone that we can look forward to."
Glasgow said it was difficult to see non-essential shopping return while gyms lay empty, even for one-on-one classes.
"I know that most gyms are some of the cleanest environments that we have because we know people come in and out and use our machines," he said.
"We disinfect everything. That is our code of conduct."
The gym sold some merchandise online to help pay the bills during the first few weeks of closure.
"That is how our little community at Bloodshed helped us out quite a bit there by buying t-shirts and pairs of shorts," Glasgow said.
Members have also been contacted with messages of support and reminders to stay fit and healthy while in isolation.
"I have tried to be in contact with as many people as possible," Glasgow said.
"Without exercise and without interaction of other people, which we are all used to, it can be detrimental to your health."
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