throwing rocks...

At the end of the week, my group met for a workout and I was greeted by a golf cart and a lady standing in her work clothes...I walked over and to my surprise they were not there to praise our group, but rather ban us from use of MY park :(  

It was THE most upsetting thing I've ever heard.  We live in a nice neighborhood-love my neighbors and have met so many great people through the workouts! We have been working out at the SAME place and time for over a year and a half.  

She not-so-nicely told me it was a private park.  I said yes ma'am, I live here and pay $100/month to use these facilities.  At that point some other neighborhood Momma's walked over to see what was going on...

She proceeded to say we've "ruined" the tennis courts-the ones we run on...yes, run on concrete with tennis shoes, that's IT.  While we've seen teenagers out there goofing around, hanging on nets and smoking...WE, a group of Mom's, ruined a tennis court??  Okay??

We are also "preventing other people from using the facilities during our workout time"....so from 10-11am on a WEEKDAY, there are how many CHILDREN(who are suppose to be in school) are being prevented from using a HUGE park?  Ohhhh, I'm confused? 

She was the management community president and said after "several" complaints, we were only allowed usage on the basketball courts, not the pavilion (the pavilion which provides shade for my women while working out).  The basketball court is "public" while the rest is "private".  She also explained I was "making profit" from the park...yes, $5 is part of my getting rich scheme on these women, let me tell you!  REALLY?

So the part I find MOST disturbing?  WHY WOULD SOMEONE SABOTAGE AND TATTLE ON OUR GROUP?  How heartless.  They should be ashamed and if they took a moment to see what we were, what we were about and our stories then they'd realize we are FAR different from any other group they may think they've seen in the community.  We pick up trash, often times not trash we've created but broken bottles, cigarette butts, etc that "others" have left from days prior.  We do not use the park on the weekend or Friday's, for we know that park is probably in use during that time and we choose not to take away from my fellow neighbors.  

My question?  WHAT WERE WE DOING THAT WAS SO WRONG IT REQUIRED SOMEONE TO GO TO OUR MANAGEMENT CO TO COMPLAIN??  

When we hear things like this, hear people trying to "throw rocks" on something that's only making ourselves better, what is wrong with our society as a whole? 

It's scary.  It makes me think, is this person SO unhappy that they must bring others around them down.  I set out to make a difference, to help women and THIS is what I am given in return?  How SAD.  

If I were in management and someone were to complain regarding a GROUP OF MOM'S EXERCISING, my question would be, "and?", "Are they harming you?"...because I'm sure her 5" speaker must be blaring obscene music and they must be cursing and throwing things out there, correct? And when that miserable human being would have no answer for that, I'd simply HANG UP THE PHONE!  My goodness.

But instead I was treated like a fourth grader who stole markers from the teacher....told we were in the wrong and IF we wanted to remain there, we must go before the BOARD and state our case and argument for remaining at MY park!  MY PARK.  OUR PARK!  We have MANY neighbors that attend our workouts and why wouldn't they?  I'm bringing healthy living INTO our community...HELLO??!  With heart disease still a number one killer of women, obesity rates higher than ever before, we are still going to frown upon a woman trying to make our community a healthier place to live?!  I'm ashamed of this area, our society and these people-these "complainers" and how this was handled by our HOA president and management company.  How dare they try to stop something that is setting a POSITIVE example for women.  WHY?!  And our children?  The ones who PLAY and are active the entire hour we exercise?  We are going to ban them from being active but would rather them sit indoors and play video games?  Oh yes, that's definitely the RIGHT idea?!  WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE??  
I taught PE, I listened FIRST HAND to these children and how they get home from school and SIT AROUND, their only "active" time is at their 35 minute PE class and 5 minute recess...but yes, so someone can sit in their own miserable, pity party-let's take PLAYING away from children as well....WOW.  Anyone else see the shame and ridiculousness of this claim??!  
AND THEN WE WONDER WHY WE ARE RAISING A SOCIETY OF THE MOST UNHEALTHY CHILDREN, HIGHER CHILDHOOD OBESITY RATES, HIGHER RISK OF TYPE 2 DIABETES, HEART DISEASE...the list goes on and on.  But YES the answer is to BULLY AND SHUT DOWN PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.....ahhhhh yes!  That's the answer!

My goodness, I am out of words and more in tears for the way this was handled, the way I was treated and the way they so effortlessly could tell us, "SHAME ON YOU" and might I add that I called the management company on THREE, SEPARATE OCCASIONS, with my Momma's there to explain what we were doing and get permission and EACH TIME WAS TOLD, "Yes ma'am, it's YOUR park and is a neighbor to neighbor conflict if someone has a problem with you using those facilities"...sounds like permission to me??!  YEA THOUGHT SO! 

But don't you worry, I have been thrown obstacles in my life...just another turn that will make me stronger.  Make your group stronger and these "complainers" have to live with that doubt, fear and weakness for the rest of their lives...that's who I feel sorry for, don't you?

Ok, my rant is over...
SORRY! 

*Disclosure: I am by no means blaming the management company or HOA, but feel as though things could have been handled differently knowing I am a resident, in good standing and only out to improve our community rather than do harm.  The person(s) that complained regarding our group are the ones that should be held responsible for creating this issue within the community.