Health

Marshfield gym receives donations from across the country after benches are stolen

MARSHFIELD, Mass — A South Shore community has rallied around one of its small businesses that had a couple of benches stolen right as they were re-opening.

Colleen Cooper and her husband, Conor, bought The Workout Club, a Marshfield gym, just months before the coronavirus hit.

“We were among the first to close within the fitness industry and now we’re one of the last to open,” said Colleen Cooper.

When they finally did open, the Coopers, with the help of their young son, painted two benches and put them out in front of the gym.

It was a way to make the gym more welcoming and a symbol of hope and community. It also offered a safe place for people to connect

But just past noon on the day before they opened both benches were stolen. Surveillance video showed a couple after first looking through the windows to make sure nobody was there, remove the flowers and then walked-off with the first bench. Moments later they stole the other one. “It was just a sucker punch to the gut. As a small business owner passionate about our community we were really disappointed,” Cooper said.

Cooper wrote about it on Facebook . Her post then took-off and the stolen benches turned into something beautiful. “It started from complete and total shock to let me replace the benches for you, to let me donate to replace the benches for you. Let me come in and say hi and check on you and say how sorry we are. Phone calls text messages emails, I’m still responding to hundreds and hundreds of messages from the community”

The responses have come from coast-to-coast. So far, about 40 people have offered to drop-off benches. Others are donating money for new ones. “Something like this is so much than the benches. It just shows the positivity that exists out there and the power of community,” Cooper said.

Marshfield Police said so far, no arrests have been made. Cooper said that once they go through all the donations, they will raffle off all the benches and 100-percent of the proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield.

Download the free Boston 25 News app for up-to-the-minute push alerts

>> Complete local and national coronavirus coverage here


RESOURCES:

- Massachusetts Coronavirus Information

- Boston Coronavirus Information

- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter | Watch Boston 25 NOW

- Download our free apps for your phone and smart TV