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Meet Laura Heden, a certified trainer in West Allis, WI, who turned her passion into purpose by activating the Fitness Court as a community hub.
When Laura left her 9-to-5 desk job in 2020, she took a leap of faith. Inspired by her mother’s 100-pound weight loss and personal transformation, Laura committed her life to helping others through fitness. She became a certified personal trainer and began building a practice in West Allis and Milwaukee, working with clients of all ages and abilities, from athletes, to beginners holding a dumbbell for the first time, to grandparents wanting to keep up with their grandchildren.
Her philosophy was simple but powerful: listen deeply, meet people where they are, and focus on long-term health rather than quick fixes. Laura thrived on the moment her clients realized that being stronger and more agile was not just about gym performance, it was about enjoying everyday life more fully.
Bringing Fitness to the Community
When the West Allis Fitness Court® launched at Veterans Memorial Park in 2021, Laura immediately saw its potential to extend her mission. Having already experimented with outdoor community workouts in local parks and along the lakefront, she knew this new space could become a hub for connection, wellness, and fun.
She started hosting donation-based community workouts every Saturday or Sunday morning at 9 a.m. during the warmer months. Each 45-minute session was designed for all fitness levels, blending strength, cardio, and agility into approachable formats. Whether it was a circuit of eight timed stations or paired movements repeated in intervals, Laura broke everything down step by step so even first-timers felt confident.
What made her program unique was not just the training, it was the culture. Laura built a welcoming, supportive environment that encouraged participants to connect, cheer each other on, and most importantly, enjoy moving their bodies. To sustain the momentum, she also launched a West Allis Fitness Court Facebook group, which quickly grew into a digital community where residents could share workouts, schedule meetups, and inspire one another.
Fitness for a Cause
Laura’s community workouts also became a vehicle for giving back. For several of her workouts, Laura has donated 100 percent of proceeds from the sessions to local nonprofits and families in need. During Pride Month, the group raised $520 for Diverse & Resilient, an LGBTQ+ nonprofit in Milwaukee. When devastating floods hit West Allis in 2025, Laura and her participants raised $660 in a single workout, donating directly to three families who had lost their homes.
These efforts not only deepened the impact of the program but also rallied the community around shared causes, showing that fitness could be about more than just exercise. It could be about solidarity, generosity, and resilience.
Growing Impact and Community Recognition
Laura’s initiative has not gone unnoticed. She has emceed grand re-opening ceremonies at the Fitness Court, demonstrated workouts alongside the mayor, and been featured in the city newsletter. West Allis leaders, including Mayor Dan Devine, often share her posts and highlight the program on official government channels.
Meanwhile, the classes themselves continue to grow through word of mouth, referrals from her personal training clients, members from a local West Allis gym called Peak Physique, and community visibility. What started as a small group has turned into a thriving network that sees the Fitness Court not just as outdoor equipment, but as a wellness hub and gathering place for West Allis.
Lessons for Other Ambassadors/Trainers
Laura’s story offers a powerful case study for other Ambassadors who want to activate their own Fitness Courts:
- Make it accessible: By offering donation-based workouts, Laura removed the financial barrier and welcomed participants of all fitness levels.
- Build community: Creating a Facebook group gave people a way to stay connected, motivated, and informed outside of workout hours.
- Connect to a greater purpose: Donating proceeds to nonprofits and local families made workouts more meaningful and encouraged people to “sweat for a cause.”
- Partner with local leaders: Laura’s collaboration with the city amplified her visibility and validated her efforts as a trusted community program.
Through consistency, creativity, and heart, Laura transformed the West Allis Fitness Court into a vibrant community hub. Her story is a reminder that Ambassadors have the power not just to train people, but to inspire whole communities, and that success can be replicated wherever there is passion, vision, and a willingness to meet people where they are.
