Groton Fitness Center under new ownership

Ed Ferraro owned and operated the Groton Fitness Center (GFC), 106 W. South St., for 25 years. What many in the community may not realize is that Ferraro retired this past July and sold the facility to Chad and Kimberlee (Kim) Smith, who are delighted to carry on the legacy of this state-of-the-art, nearly 5,000-square-foot jewel in the heart of the village.

“It wasn’t ideal timing to do this in the middle of a pandemic,” Kim said. “But we wanted to make sure to carry on the tradition and be here for the community well into the future.”

Both Chad and Kim joined the GFC in 2015, so they had been longtime members before taking this next step. At that time, their son, Liam, was 5 years old, and they felt that taking better care of themselves would be good role-modeling for Liam and perhaps extend their lives, which would also benefit their son.

“Fitness is the gateway to your future,” Chad said.

Chad was born and raised in Groton and graduated from Groton High School in 1991. He was a three-sport athlete, playing basketball, baseball and football, and worked at Main Street Pizzeria from age 14 until after graduation.

“I learned to make pizza there,” Chad said. “And at 19 years old, I started my own business, Vincenzo’s Pizzeria, in Collegetown. I did that for about a year and a half.”

After that, Chad managed Sicilian Delight in the Pyramid Mall (now The Shops at Ithaca Mall) and Avicolli’s in Seneca Falls before becoming a cook for Cornell Dining in 2007. Around 2012, Chad took a position at Greenstar Co+op in Ithaca until April 2021, when he began his current daytime job at Gutchess Lumber in Cortland.

Kim was also a three-sport athlete at Dryden High School (then Kim Rice, from McLean), where she played volleyball, basketball and softball until her graduation in 1997. She earned her bachelor’s degree in adolescent psychology and clinical counseling from Ithaca College (IC) in 2002.

“I really wanted to be able to help kids,” Kim said. “But I worked for a time at a local school, and their stories and situations were heartbreaking. It was just too emotional for me.”

Beginning in her college years, Kim worked at the Ithaca Country Club until 2008 as its dining and events manager, after which she worked for Cornell Dining and Cornell Catering until 2017.

Kim’s career made a shift at that point, when she moved over to the Johnson School’s Executive Education Department until the pandemic hit. She has been doing instructional design at eCornell ever since.

Chad and Kim met at The Tavern in Cortland, where Kim worked part time and Chad was a customer.

“We became friends right away,” Chad said. “And the rest is history.”

Before marrying in 2006, they lived for a short time in Ithaca while Kim finished up at IC but then moved back to Groton in short order because Chad wanted to ensure that his daughters, Lexie and Brittany, could continue their education in Groton schools.

Staying true to their commitment to become more healthy and fit when they joined the GFC, Chad and Kim worked out there five times a week. Lexie and Brittany also grew up working out there, and it became a true “family affair.”

“I grew attached to the space and the place,” Kim said. “It was almost like our second home. I wanted it to always be there for us and the community, so I kept telling Ed that if he ever retired, I wanted to be first in line to buy it!”

Kim’s words became reality this past July when that opportunity came their way, and they are both clearly excited about it.

After giving birth to Liam in 2010, Kim suffered for a long time with herniated and ruptured discs and at times could barely walk.

“Chad started training me at the gym and building me back from the core up,” Kim said. “He was just naturally good at it, and he was successful.”

While at the GFC, others began asking Chad for tips, which compelled him to seek professional training.

“I wanted to know that what I was doing was right,” Chad said. “So, three years ago, I became a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Now, Liam is my protégé and wants to become a personal trainer as early as he can.”

Chad has also been a baseball and basketball coach over the past five years through the Groton Youth Sports program, so training and coaching is definitely his niche.

As far as his mission for personal training at the GFC goes, Chad said that his focus is on functional strength for people of all ages and he “just wants to help people.”

Despite limitations due to the pandemic, Chad said the GFC has a solid membership with members ranging in age from the legal minimum of 14 to senior citizens in their 80s.

“Sanitation is very important to us, to have a safe environment for members,” Chad said. “We purchased a backpack fogger and hospital-grade sanitation products. We’re not in this as a money-maker — it’s more a labor of love.”

Kim shared their vision to focus on youth programs in the future to help them get healthier and more active. Chad calls it “an investment in our future.”

The GFC has a very pleasant vibe and is filled with a plethora of free weights, Nautilus machines, treadmills, ellipticals, rowing machines and more. It is open seven days a week from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Visit grotonfitnesscenter.com for a virtual tour and more information or call (607) 898-3500.

Groton on the Inside appears every week in Tompkins Weekly. Submit story ideas to editorial@vizellamedia.com or text or call Linda at (607) 227-4922.

In brief:

Library events

The Groton Public Library (GPL) will hold a National Penguin Awareness Day themed story time Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. Limited to 20 children. Register by calling (607) 898-5055 or email director@grotonpubliclibrary.org.

The GPL Book Club will meet in the Great Room Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. This month’s book is “House Rules” by Jodi Picoult. Email director@grotonpubliclibrary.org to get your copy.

Town of Groton taxes

Just a reminder that your town and county tax bill must be paid in full by Jan. 31 to avoid the accrual of interest. See your tax bill for applicable interest charges thereafter. There is an extended deadline of Feb. 7 for qualifying senior citizens who pay their bill in full by that date. Qualifications are listed on your tax bill, or you may call the Groton Town Clerk’s Office at (607) 898-5035 to inquire.

Due to COVID-19, please consider paying taxes by mail, via the drop box next to the Town Clerk’s Office entrance at 101 Conger Blvd., via credit card or echeck online at townofgrotonny.org or by phone.

Tax payments can be received at the office with mask and social distancing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office will be open additional hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 28 and Jan. 31, and on Jan. 29 from 8 a.m. until noon.

No parking

Town of Groton Highway Superintendent Ellard Keister reminds the public that the parking of vehicles is prohibited between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. from Nov. 1 through May 1 on all town highway rights-of-way within the town of Groton. Violators may be subject to a fine, and vehicles may be towed at the owner’s expense.