How The Little Gym is Making a Difference

Denise McCoy never imagined herself spending her days tumbling with 4 year olds, managing a staff, marketing and keeping an eye on the bottom line. It is interesting the twists and turns that life takes, isn't it?

I met her when I stopped into The Little Gym in Corvallis to see if I could put up a poster about the Children's Contest and discovered that we had met years ago. She had modeled for Haugen's when she was a student in education at Western. (Just so you know, that curly hair is all natural...) Small world!

Back then, her plan was to be a teacher but her father became ill and couldn't help with the tuition.  She took a detour into business school and found good job opportunities  in medical assisting. Meanwhile, her husband, Randy, was able to complete his teaching degree but jobs were scarce in education at that time. Rather than finding a position in the public schools, he was hired by one of the first The Little Gym locations in Seattle. Attracted by the idea of making a lifelong difference in children's lives, Randy found a home at The Little Gym and he and Denise became the first franchisee when they bought one of the Seattle The Little Gyms.

Eventually, they decided to come back to Oregon and, for a time,  did The Little Gym on Wheels.  They took the show on the road, setting up and doing classes in schools and churches until they felt that the Mid-Valley was ready for a permanent location and opened a brand new The Little Gym Too in Corvallis in 2009. This is Denise's baby and Randy's laboratory. He is now the Director of Curriculum for the Little Gym International... yes, the little company that started in Seattle in 1976 now has locations all across the US and the world from Australia to the Czech Republic!

Making a Difference

The Little Gym is all about helping kids get moving, exercise their brain, and learn leadership skills. In essence, they are changing the future. Denise believes in building the community that she is in helping cancer kids and that is why the winners of the 2015 Children's Contest will be receiving Little Gym camps and classes! Talk about a perfect fit. We are all working together to promote healthy kids...our kids and the cancer kids at Doernbecher Children's Hospital!