As an all-inclusive fitness group, App State In-CHAARG provides members a safe and welcoming environment to work out and build community weekly.
“Our whole slogan is like alleviating girls from the elliptical,” senior chemistry major and club member Rayanni Ross said. “You can go on the weight side of the gym and not have to worry about men kind of throwing you off.”
The App State chapter of CHAARG began when senior anthropology major Indy Handley, the founding president, attended a summer training program and was offered the opportunity to lead the women’s empowerment group. The program’s name stands for changing health, attitudes and actions to recreate girls.
“When I heard about this, I was like this is the perfect opportunity to get people together to train them and like, show them how to work out in an inclusive environment,” Handley said.
After 10 weeks of training for Handley and a last-minute executive team formation, App State’s CHAARG chapter was launched in the spring of 2024.
Handley said since then the club has taken off, with 37 members their first semester to now double that amount with around 90 members.
A typical CHAARG club meeting consists of a quick debrief on each other’s weeks, then they get into the workouts. Weekly workouts can include activities like pickleball, yoga, cycling and cardio dance, with special events like club socials taking place sometimes, Ross said.
“Last year for our end of the year social, we went to Trash Can and we basically just all hung out for like three hours swimming and jumping off the cliffs and talking and playing music. It was so much fun,” said Isabella Cato, sophomore building sciences major and club vice president of membership.
Claira Seighman, sophomore nutrition major and club vice president, said building community with one another is a major aspect of CHAARG, along with the other core values of passion, joy, balance and inclusivity.
Seighman said CHAARG’s mission is to empower women to discover how they feel the most comfortable working out with the help of an empowering community.
“Creating an environment where it doesn’t have to be scary to work out, where you are practicing the gratitude of being able to move your body and having the support of people around you,” Seighman said. “Just finding passion in your fitness because a lot of people struggle with that, especially if they’re uncomfortable.”
Handley said students need a safe and inclusive environment to work out and find themselves in, which is exactly what CHAARG aims to do.
“We can bring you into this space; We’ll love you, we’ll hold you, like let us take care of you,” Handley said.
On a broader scale, CHAARG is a national organization existing on over 110 college campuses, Handley said. Each executive member of CHAARG is required to have their own Instagram account dedicated specifically to the club, so members can connect with other club chapters nationwide.
“We follow people from NC State, Wilmington, I think I follow someone from Oregon,” Cato said. “It’s really just a community of not just people at App State, but everywhere.”
CHAARG also offers a scholarship outreach program, which offers partial or full coverage of club dues to still provide opportunities for members without them having to worry about their financial situations, Ross said.
“We really are just making sure that these individuals are feeling the hugs and love from the CHAARG community and knowing that there’s always going to be somebody to either talk to or work out with,” Seighman said.
