New Wash Park bench plaque honors Denver fitness legend

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DENVER – This Sunday, mates and household users of John Gillingham, a well-liked Denver exercise instructor, will hold a celebration of lifetime event in Washington Park exactly where they will unveil a new park bench to honor Gillingham’s lifetime.

For additional than 5 a long time, Gillingham taught fitness lessons throughout Denver.

“In the ’80s, he turned carefully concerned with Governor Dick Lamb, and he was on the governor’s actual physical fitness council for 4 years,” mentioned Gillingham’s pal and historian Fred Ward.

“John had a shut friend who was a Bronco … he worked for them I assume for 3 or 4 decades. It was a different form of instruction. It wasn’t about bulking up muscular tissues, it was far more about flexibility and stretching,” claimed Ward.

But Gillingham did not just train renowned residents, he taught any one who wished to get in condition.

“He had these astounding aerobics courses,” stated Gillingham’s pal, Jan Hauer.

Hauer instructed Denver7 Gillingham’s lessons were tough but worthy of it.

“I believe the matter that I loved about his classes was that he was motivational in a drill sergeant-but-enjoyable way,” said Hauer.

One more just one of Gillingham’s mates, Richard “RJ” Booth, stated that “fun” would help save his existence.

“In 2001, I practically died, to be straightforward. And the medical doctors reported the motive I lived is for the reason that I was in these great condition. A ton of that was contributed to John and the lessons,” reported Booth. “He labored you particularly really hard, to wherever you really wondered if you desired to do it again but for the reason that of his personality you had been just drawn again.”

On July 10, 2020, John Gillingham died.

Thanks to COVID-19 limits, his close friends selected to hold off hosting a substantial celebration of existence celebration.

But on Sunday June 6, 2021 at 1 p.m. in entrance of the Washington Park Recreation Center, Gillingham’s mates and family associates will keep an event to honor the health legend.

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