Good Neighbor Podcast: Auburn and Opelika

Ep.#109: Ru's Roots

• Susannah Hodges at Village Centre Press

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0:00 | 10:31

We share how Ru's Roots Foundation became a free adaptive gym serving preteens through adults with different needs and why community after high school matters. Hannah opens up about turning grief into a legacy, breaking access barriers, and inviting volunteers and donors to join the work.

• free adaptive fitness for teens and adults with different needs
• location and how to visit the facility
• why post-school community and structure matter
• origin story rooted in faith and loss
• breaking ADA fears and building inclusive design
• volunteer-powered classes with one-to-one support
• programs like boxing, jiu-jitsu and weight training
• how to donate, volunteer or enroll

rus-roots.org

SPEAKER_00:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Susannah Hodges.

SPEAKER_01:

Welcome. With me is Hannah Garst, and she is with Ruse Roots. This is a nonprofit organization in the Opalica Auburn area, and Hannah's here to tell us all about it. Welcome, Hannah. Thank you for having me. So tell me what you guys do at Ruse Roost.

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, so Ruse Roots Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit adaptive gym. We serve preteens through adulthood by creating fitness programming that is inclusive, adaptive, and safe for athletes who have different and special needs.

SPEAKER_01:

All right. And uh you can find out more online. I was just looking at your website, rus-roots, r-o-t-s.org. And um it's very impressive. Uh you have a gym uh there and people can come and work out. And it's just really, really a nice place. Where's it located?

SPEAKER_02:

So right now our temporary facility is located in the Geneva McCoy Commercial Park. We're at 1101 Geneva Street. We are in suite 301 in the very back of the commercial park. So if you're coming from Auburn, we're right off of exit 60. And if you're coming from Opalika, we are right down from the library. So kind of in the middle of everything.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. So if someone, how would someone or I guess what I'm trying to ask is uh what are some of the things that you find that people have going on in their life that would make Rue Rue's roots something they would need to or would like to be a part of?

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, so one reason we started this gym is because we noticed that particularly um preteens, teens, and adults with different needs were, you know, going through that transitions period, getting out of high school, and their parents and caregivers don't know what to do next. And so one thing that we want to provide is another resource for older adults and things like that to come in, stay active, um, and build a community. They kind of lose that community when they leave high school, and we want to help them keep that going through, you know, in a fun atmosphere and through activity.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay. Well, tell me a little bit about your journey, Hannah. How did this come to be? How did this uh um Ruse Roots happen and what is the history behind it?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so um this vision actually came to me over 10 years ago during a prayer and fasting I was having. Um, I was finishing up school at Auburn, and I just really thought that maybe the community needed a way to access adaptive training and fitness and to live a healthy lifestyle, have more guidance in that area. And fast forward, um 10 years later, we had some things happen in our lives, a lot of changes, and we were able to kind of dive in and open this place. So it's been a long time coming. Um, but whenever we really focused and surrendered all the things that we thought needed to be, it has just been incredible. This last year has just flown by. So it's been great.

SPEAKER_01:

So did you when did you open?

SPEAKER_02:

So we actually yes, so we have been a nonprofit for we celebrated our one-year anniversary in November, but we actually had our grand opening for this particular facility last Saturday. Um great group of people come out. Um, it was incredible. We just the support we've received from Oak Lack in Auburn has just, gosh, it's been mind-blowing.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, you've had this in your heart for a while, and you've got about, you know, uh almost a year under your belt here. Is there any kind of misconceptions that have come up or that you kind of uh had had to work through?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so one cool thing that we're getting the opportunity, and we're so honored to do through Ruse Roots Foundation is I feel like we're breaking down barriers for people in the special needs community. Um, it tends to scare gym and business owners when making things ADA compliant, um, especially in the fitness world. But in all reality, a lot of the people we're serving need advice and guidance when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle more than you or I. Um, so there there are so many different comorbidities and health concerns that come with a lot of the differences that our participants live with. And we're just saying yes to all of the things that they've been told no to since the day they were born. Um so we want to say yes to the things that they've been told that they can't do. We want to make it happen here in our facility and just make it safe.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, let's talk about you for a minute here, Hannah. What do you do for fun when you're not working at the gym?

SPEAKER_02:

Well, so our family's really busy. Um, our home is open to fostering. So we have we foster um some sweet children, and then my family is very into Brazilian jiu-jitsu, so we're all really active over at CageFit, which is another great business. Opa Leica. So we all do jujitsu there together, we all go to the gym together, we're always outside.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, yeah, we just have just a very active family, yes. Well, um, you know, one of the reasons I do this podcast is to encourage people to, you know, go into business for themselves and and you know, follow that spark of an idea just like you have. And but there's always hardships and challenges that come up. And so, what are some of the hardships or challenges you've had, uh, either personally or in business, that has made you as a person stronger or your business stronger?

SPEAKER_02:

Yeah, so um one thing about our story I told you was that it took me a little over a decade to actually make this happen after the Lord put it on my heart. But one thing that pushed us into this was about a little over two years ago, our youngest daughter, Ruthie, um, passed away. And that is what this place is named after, is after her. Um, so walking through that the first year, my husband and I really struggled a lot with anger and just were in therapy and doing all the things to just cope with losing a child. Um, you don't ever expect to go through that. No. And so when it happens, you just don't know what's up or what's down. Um, so with a lot of therapy and going to some marriage retreats and things like that, my husband and I kind of came together after a year, about after about a year after she was gone and came to the conclusion together after praying um that we needed to do something big, that we needed to lose something was out of our comfort zone. We've already walked through the scariest thing you could walk through in losing a child. So why would we be afraid to do something really big? Right. Build a legacy for her. And um, so it's been such a gift to be able to build this place and have it named after her in her memory, absolutely. Yeah, so every day that I walk in here, I just thank God that I get to distract myself every day by doing good things until I get to see her again.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, absolutely. Well, what is one thing uh that you wish people knew about Rue's Roots that they may not realize?

SPEAKER_02:

Oh my goodness. I wish the community knew that our programs are completely free for all of our participants and athletes. So if you have a special need, a disability, anything like that, you can come here completely free. We are 100% donor and volunteer driven. Um, I'm a volunteer. Um so we really strive to create a group class atmosphere with one-on-one care with the help of our volunteers. So please do not let uh thinking that it's gonna cost money for your loved one or you to come here because this it's free.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely, that's wonderful. So, how would someone get in touch with you? Let's say they wanted to volunteer or maybe they want to be one of the donors. How do they get involved with uh ruse roots?

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, so you can follow us on Instagram at ruserus.ro-o-t-s, or you can reach out to me personally. My email is h-an a at rus-roots.org. Um, and we also come into the facility. If you want to come check it out, please reach out, come see us. Um, it's it's an amazing atmosphere here. And so if you're curious, just come hang out with us for a little while.

SPEAKER_01:

So if you have uh a family member that would really benefit from coming there, what are some of the ways that uh they get in touch for, you know, same ways I'm assuming to get in touch and actually use the facility?

SPEAKER_02:

Yes, so please email me at Hannah Aruse-Roots.org. We offer boxing, kickboxing, jujitsu, we offer weight training, reflex training, all of the things that help with confidence, um, balance, coordination, and just motivation in day-to-day life. Um, if you shoot me an email, come see us or hop on our website. We have some links on there where you can find us. Um, we're also on Facebook at Rose Roots Foundation. Shoot me a message on there and we will get you in.

SPEAKER_01:

All right. Sounds wonderful. Thanks so much for joining me. I've enjoyed learning about you and your family and Rose Roots. Yes, thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Auburn. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpauburn.com. That's gnpauburn.com. Or call 334-429-740.