Before she ever lifted a barbell, Renae Campbell provided free counseling sessions in Ontario County. She was first inspired to help when she attended a forum on substance misuse and listened to a father speak about losing his son to drug use, a moment that stayed with her. Later, the man would ask her if she knew of any groups for parents like him—and it would be a question that would change everything.
Wanting to ensure such a group existed, Campbell, a licensed master social worker, put together a proposal for a grief-counseling group and was soon offering free sessions to those looking for support, launching the Community Support Center under the Partnership for Ontario County, a nonprofit organization in Canandaigua. Grief counseling evolved into providing solution-focused short-term therapy, where she found the primary cause of stress and worry was from people feeling disconnected and isolated. It was this work that would eventually plant the seed of whole-person wellness, supporting people not only through counseling but through movement and connection.
From hiking trips and kayaking excursions, to art experiences, Campbell planned activities meant to bring people together outside the traditional counseling setting. It was during these outings that she noticed a pattern she couldn’t ignore: Her clients consistently felt better when they were moving their bodies. That realization sparked the idea for a community fitness program that would be accessible to anyone who needed it.
After reaching out to every gym she could think of, Stefan Glover, owner of Canandaigua CrossFit, called her back—only 10 minutes later, she notes. The voicemail from Glover is one she hasn’t deleted in the better part of a decade because it was a catalyst that set her on her own wellness journey.
For Glover, it was an opportunity to carry his mission forward. “The goal is as long as people are learning something and having a good time and they smile when they leave,” he said. “I didn’t get into training to make a ton of money. It was the passion versus the potential gain of what a gym can bring you and rather the prestige of the craft.”
Although determined to create an environment of wellness for the people she served, Campbell herself was at a point in her life where she wasn’t working out and weighed upwards of 200 pounds. And while she organized the “Community Program” at the gym, she had no interest in CrossFit herself. “You don’t think you can do it, then you do it, and then you realize you can do something else.”
Today, she’s certified in CrossFit and has long since taken over as the lead coach for her Tuesday and Sunday sessions, when the Community Program runs. But Campbell is in the gym more than just those two days—whether she’s doing CrossFit, or more recently training for the Powerlifting America Holiday Havoc competition, she’s dedicated to not only her mental health but also her physical health, spending six days a week at the gym immersed in community and fitness.
In the first few years, the Community Program was free because she paid for everyone out of her own pocket, wanting it to be accessible for anyone who wanted to come. While a small fee is now collected ($10 or $5 for those 21 and under), she still ensures that everyone can participate. If someone can’t afford it, she has a reservoir of donations that go toward paying people’s class fee.
The impact has been immeasurable, for her and for her students. Since starting CrossFit, Campbell has gone from adjunct instructor to full-time faculty at Finger Lakes Community College, a step she once doubted she could take but achieved through a renewed confidence in herself.
The transformations she’s witnessed in her attendees have been just as powerful. She’s seen CrossFit help people avoid drugs and alcohol, manage anxiety and depression, and feel less alone.
For Melissa Badger, a longtime member of the Community Program, it’s been life changing. Initially, it allowed her to get back to the gym when she was financially unable to swing a membership. As a community-based fitness program, it also brought her connection. “I’ve seen people struggling in every aspect of life, and they’re finding a way to take care of themselves,” she says. Now, a coach alongside Campbell, she says helping people find their way is one of her favorite parts. “I’ve had plenty of struggles with mental health, the way I’ve been able to manage that is through this connection and movement with likeminded people.”
Like Badger, Sierra Foote has found confidence through the program, Campbell’s guidance, and CrossFit. Foote had always wanted to be a part of a gym, so when she saw Campbell post about the program on Facebook, she decided to give it a try. “It was probably the most inviting environment I’ve ever felt in a gym environment,” she says. Much of that has to do with the supportive, community atmosphere—but also Campbell herself. “The way she’s so comforting, encouraging, and willing to help you learn constantly,” she explains. “If you ever have anything in life you need to talk about right now, we can sit down and talk about that as well as get in a good workout—her attitude was very welcoming and comforting.” Now pregnant, Foote says she never would have had the physical and mental stamina to push herself to stay active during her pregnancy if it hadn’t been for the Community Program.
“Renae is a gift to the world. She’s a light in the life of a lot of people,” adds Badger. “She is every bit of the light and the healing and the warmth she shows people—that is just her. She makes everything safe. She’s funny and encourages people to push themselves but with a little bit of humor.”
The Community Program gives people a place to build strength together, in camaraderie and in the shared pursuit of wellness. And that strength extends far beyond the physical—participants grow mentally, emotionally, and socially as well, Campbell says.
Her work hasn’t just transformed others, it’s reshaped her own health journey. Today, Campbell can keep up with her son in ways she couldn’t before. “If my son wants to run a 5K in a week, I can sign up and run a 5K with him,” she says. Recently, when running late for a hockey game, they sprinted the entire way. Before the Community Program, she couldn’t walk for more than 20 minutes without her knees swelling. “My son is autistic. I’m responsible for him the rest of his life. I want to be pretty damn healthy. I see longevity there.”
Looking ahead, Campbell hopes to expand the Community Program by adding another class built around half-hour group sessions, a goal that may soon be within reach as she awaits word on a potential grant to support the program. “I believe everyone wants to feel better. I want everyone to have access to feeling better,” she says, noting that if she could personally pick up anyone who needed transportation, she would. “When people realize it’s available to them, and you believe in them, they begin to believe in themselves.”
"I want everyone to have access to feeling better."