Reid Storvick works out at 148 Ministries new gym, located in the former home of the Nest Event Center in Greenwood. 148 Ministries brings together physical, behavioral and spiritual wellness in its approach to addiction, abuse and other mental health issues.
RYAN TRARES | DAILY JOURNAL
GREENWOOD — The past month has brought a whirlwind of change for 148 Ministries.
The Greenwood-based fitness and addiction ministry has moved into a new gymnasium, one that offers expanded space for personal training, group fitness and individual workouts. A central gathering place provides a way for members to relax and socialize before and after exercising.
A separate meeting area provides a private place for counseling and group meetings for those struggling with substance use disorder.
Despite the changes, one thing remains steadfast — 148 Ministries’ mission to improve the lives of others.
Over the course of three years, 148 Ministries has impacted countless lives through its blend of community, counseling and exercise. The unique organization brings together physical, behavioral and spiritual wellness in its approach to addiction, abuse and other mental health issues.
“That’s kind of the mission of this whole thing — people that society has marginalized, we’re going to reach out to them,” said David Storvick, co-founder of 148 Ministries
Since opening in 2019, 148 Ministries has been helping people struggling with addictions to change their lives. Storvick and his wife, Amber, founded the ministry in an effort to use physical fitness and faith to improve people’s lives.
Clients, as well as community members looking for a new type of exercise experience, can take advantage of a fully equipped gym and exercise center 24 hours a day. They can sign up for services, such as semi-private training, group fitness classes and rehabilitation exercise.
Those who need it can receive faith-based counseling for behavioral health issues such as addiction, as well as join small Bible study groups.
From the time it was founded, 148 Ministries had operated out of an office space and gym center near Old Town Greenwood. But room to grow was stifled.
“We were starting to run into situations where we’d have classes, and then people training, and general gym memberships. If you have a combination of all of that happening at once, it gets a little crowded, and then people are going to show up and not want to be a part of this,” David Storvick said.
As organizational leaders were looking for options, they were presented with the former home of the Nest Event Center. With its wide open central space and additional offices and smaller rooms, it was ideal for what 148 Ministries was doing, David Storvick said.
They moved into the building on Aug. 1.
Inside the spacious gym area, the organization has added more weight racks and machines, cardiovascular equipment such as treadmills and elliptical machines, and space for personal training.
Group sessions can be held without overlapping with individuals working out on their own, David Storvick said.
“It’s a much more open space, a better feel for everyone. We’re able to run classes and do one-on-one training, without feeling like you’re right on top of each other,” he said.
Separate areas have been set aside for stretching, a massage chair, physical therapy and features such as localized cryotherapy. The fitness ministry has been able to hire additional trainers, and separate offices allow them to work with clients to set their goals.
Amber Storvick’s office has been equipped with a digital camera, to allow her to present virtual training sessions, something that has grown in popularity over the course of the pandemic.
The new location also provides improvements in 148 Ministries’ ability to serve counseling clients. A private conference room allows small groups, such as the Celebrate Recovery group that the ministry hosts each week, to have a separate entrance and to meet behind closed doors.
An individual counseling office is more comfortable and intimate for clients.
“It’s a nice space and environment for that kind of counseling,” David Storvick said.
The transition to a new home goes hand in hand with its growing impact in the community. The organization reaches out to residential centers for people struggling with addiction, abuse and other issues such as Teen Challenge, a Christ-centered model of drug and alcohol recovery, and Volunteers of America, a service ministry with a chapter in Indianapolis.
148 Ministries does outreach with both groups multiple times a week.
Those programs also make funding vital to 148 Ministries’ work. Programs are supported by donations from throughout the community, and people can sponsor men and women who are on their recovery journey. They pay for food during outreach events, fitness equipment and Bibles to distribute, David Storvick said.
Each year, the organization’s Evening of Hope serves as the main fundraiser for those efforts.
“We’re really reliant on this event, which is why we make it a pretty big deal,” David Storvick said.
This year’s event, which will be Sept. 11 at Vino Villa, features food, drinks and live music from the University of Indianapolis Jazz Ensemble, led by Mark O’Connor, director of jazz studies at the university. Since the event is on Sept. 11, the event will also feature a formal presentation of colors and extended program to honor the day, David Storvick said.
At the same time, the event offers an opportunity to raise awareness of 148 Ministries’ work, and share some stories of success from its clients.
“A lot of people don’t know that we’re doing this. We have gym members that don’t really understand what the ministry side of the gym does. So if they don’t understand, I suspect a lot of people don’t understand what we’re doing,” David Storvick said.
