by Alex Erdman | Sep 13, 2023 | Blog, Outreach
the contentWritten by Hailey McFelia & Khristina Rhead
As we prepare for the opening of our newest Sender One gym, we wanted to take the time to tell you about the historic building that Sender One Westwood will call home.
The building was originally designed by Russell Collins as a Ralph's grocery store in 1929. After more than 40 years of serving the community as their staple food venue, in 1970, it was transformed into a theater. The United Artist Theater sat 595 total, 494 downstairs, and 101 in the balcony.
One of the events the theater was known for was the initial L.A. engagement of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." The show ran from September 26 through December 11, 1975. On the 12th of December it moved to the nearby UA Cinema Center and was replaced at United Artist Theater by Gene Wilder's 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother."
Though it stayed a theater throughout the years, the building went through several ownership and name changes. Eventually, the building retired as a theater in 2009, later to become a new source of entertainment, a bouldering gym. Sender One is working with the city to preserve some of the features that make this historic building so unique. Sometimes those preservation can lead to a few setbacks, but don’t you worry, your new bouldering gym is coming soon to an old theater near you.
We look forward to opening our doors and making our own history in this building with you. To keep up with the latest updates give us a follow on our Instagram: @senderone.westwood.
Or, join our mailing list here!
by Alex Erdman | Aug 9, 2023 | Blog, Outreach
the contentWritten by Hailey McFelia & Eric Ho | Cover Photo by Vex Media
Here at Sender One we love creating memorable experiences and that wouldn’t be possible without our staff.
There are so many pieces to this puzzle we call Sender One. Most of our members get to know our front desk staff pretty easily. They are always there to help guide you, not just around the gym but they also lend a helping hand on instructing you how to get on the walls. Speaking of instruction, we have passionate coaches, yoga instructors, and private instructors who love taking the time to get you strong and up the walls.
The walls that wouldn’t be as colorful without our Route Setting Team. They put in such incredibly hard work and creativity to construct the problems that we get to climb every day.
Every so often, you may get to see some of the marketing team at events, putting up new displays at the gym, or snapping photos/videos for new content. Our employee experience team is constantly interviewing for new team members now that we are expanding to Westwood, Lakewood, and Aliso Viejo (click here to apply!). Our training team is providing development for our team members new and old that want to expand into various departments and locations. Our facilities team is putting up new structures and updating existing ones. Now, that’s just what you see! Click the link to see more on the team behind the scenes.
August is Staff Appreciation Month at Sender One. We are doing a few things to celebrate our staff, but we would like your help! Each Sender One location has a thank you box where you can share how much you appreciate our employees. Whether it’s one person or the team as a whole, please take the time to thank a staff member today.
by Alex Erdman | Jul 18, 2023 | Blog, Outreach
the contentWritten by Hailey McFelia
Care for the Crag: Pirate's Cove Cleanup & Picnic!
Sunday’s Crag Cleanup was originally scheduled during a heatwave, with 120 people RSVP’d. We lucked out with a lovely overcast morning and a turnout that wasn’t going to overwhelm the beach. Don’t get us wrong, we love that our Sender One community wants to help out and give back by helping us pick up trash. We just don’t ever want to over crowd an outdoor space. With that being said, about 70 people rolled through to help us clean the beach and collect 144 pounds of trash!
For first timers at Pirate’s Cove, our staff took volunteers around the crag while taking the time to educate them on the land and the rock we are climbing on. For example, the type of rock at this crag is called sandstone. It’s a porous rock that, when wet. it gets weaker. For climbers, that means holds can break! Typically, we NEVER want to climb on wet rock. On the beach at Pirate’s Cove where the rock is constantly getting wet because of the tide, though, that rule seems to go out the window. Just proceed with caution. It’s a choss pile, but it’s our choss pile. We mean that with love.
After the cleanup, we had a delightful picnic where we got to take the time to meet with our fantastic community. It was a lovely moment where we all got to admire the work we put in to clean the beach. We want to thank our volunteers and our Sender One community for showing up and helping us clean this beautiful outdoor space!
by Soph Fuchs | Jul 1, 2022 | Blog, Outreach
the contentDear Sender One Community,
When I look at what Sender One has become over the last few years, I am extremely proud of how many women I see in positions of leadership. While I may be the most visible and most vocal, anyone that comes to a Sender One will see shift leads, supervisors, routesetters, and gym managers... all women.
Among our senior leadership, we have more women than men. I am proud of the fact that we created a place that supported these women. We gave them the financial and professional support that allowed them to start families, take as much time as they needed to be with their children, and then return to work. This has been a challenge to our business, but our core values wouldn't let us do anything less.
This would not have been possible without the foundational right of reproductive freedom. We are shocked by the recent decision by SCOTUS to eliminate this right for millions of women across the US. At the same time, we feel extremely lucky and fortunate that we are a California-based company where a woman's fundamental right to choose is not only protected and safeguarded, but is being expanded to benefit those not as lucky as we are to live in California.
We will continue to do what we are able to support the women in our community. While we cannot change this decision alone, we can and will stand in solidarity with efforts to reinstate our rights, and to make climbing an inclusive sport which respects the self-determination of every climber.
With love and gratitude,
Alice Kao
Co-Founder,CEO
by Soph Fuchs | Jun 17, 2022 | Outreach
the contentAnnouncing Sender One - Lakewood!
After 3 years of searching, we have found the ideal spot and signed a lease for what will become our 3rd Full Service Gym, in Lakewood, CA. This coming gym means a lot to our team, and represents years of hard work to bring to you. Let’s take a look at why!
Sender One Lakewood will be located at 4949 Lakewood Blvd, two miles north of the Long Beach Airport and just across the street from the Lakewood Center. With abundant shops, transit routes, and food options nearby, Lakewood makes the perfect place for locals to grab a climb and errands in the same run. At only ten minutes away from Long Beach Airport, it’s also never been easier to get some altitude before you take off to the skies.
Whether you’re a student at CSULB or a parent looking for the perfect place to keep you and the kids active, Sender One Lakewood will always be right around the corner. It won’t just be a gym to visit, but a vibrant point of gathering in the heart of a thriving community.
(Preliminary concept renderings of the entrance, with the raised-roof visible in the background!)
Sender One Lakewood will be 28,000 square feet, with routes fit for the style of every climber. (For comparison LAX has 30,000 sq. ft in floor space, and SNA main gym is 24,000). Lakewood will deliver the same top-tier Sender One and Sender City experiences you’ve come to expect, while taking our amenities and look even further!
(Preliminary concept renderings of the climbing areas; walls shown without color)
Before opening, we’ll be raising the roof to 50 feet to accommodate our new Walltopia walls! Under the new roof will be sport climbing, Sender City, briefing and party rooms, a separate Sender City weekend entrance, and even more bouldering.
With lovely, deep sightlines and myriad nooks, the space will feel both grand and full of hidden gems you’ll be eager to send.
Sender One Lakewood will ensure you can climb in comfort and style, with bathrooms, lockers, showers, SAUNAS, laundry, yoga, and fitness facilities. These amenities and enriching programs ensure that you can both grow as a climber and care for your whole self while visiting Sender One Lakewood. As with all Sender One locations, you can also look forward to plenty of community-building events that will build not just your technique but your sense of belonging.
It took us 10 years to open our first 3 gyms and grow our team to 137 people. In the next two years, we will open 3 new gyms and add 100+ new jobs. As our team grows, so too will our community of climbers. We are ecstatic to keep growing our community, on and off the wall. Our supportive culture and our vision of climbing that’s inclusive to all levels of experience and all ages are ready for the next phase of expansion.
We can’t tell you how unbelievably proud we are of Sender One and everyone who has been a part of our journey. We look forward to sending these new projects with all of you and keep showing how our shared passion is at the heart of what we’re out to achieve!
by Soph Fuchs | May 27, 2022 | Outreach
the contentMany of us have been told that mental health is a personal problem. We've been told problems arise from a lack of fortitude, or poor individual decisions. This warped view of our health harms us by making us feel inadequate and alone when our own mental health falters. Even worse, it leaves many people afflicted by mental health crises without tools to discuss their issues, unaware of where to start seeking help and education.
That's why this year's theme of "Back to Basics" is so critical. The causes of mental health issues are complex, but knowing the basics can set us on the right path to learning more about caring for ourselves and finding help when we need it.
Learning the Basics
As climbers, most of us know that the mental is as important as the physical. But that doesn't mean we're as ready to discuss frankly what it can mean to undergo a mental health issue. Let's discuss some common signs of mental health issues.
Manifestations of Mental Health Concerns
Society teaches us to look for mental health concerns only in their most dramatic manifestations. However, many conditions manifest more subtly. Some may never grow larger, some may fester for long periods only to erupt into crisis later. There is no one cause or sign of mental health issues, but some common signs of emerging and extant mental health issues are:
- Withdrawing from others
- Excessive self-doubt
- Uncontrollable fears & anxieties
- Swings between extreme highs and lows of mood
- Inexplicable physical ailments
- Anger that cannot be controlled
- Confused or muddied thinking
- Feeling unable to handle routine life
- Disruption to regular eating patterns
- Suicidal or self-harm ideation
It is important to recognize that we all may experience some of these symptoms from time to time. There is no list which can encompass all signs of mental health concerns, nor does exhibiting a symptom mean you are in impending crisis. We are complex, and so are the presentations of mental health issues.
When one recognizes symptoms of a mental health concern, it is critical to remember this is not your fault. Mental health issues are caused by a mix of environmental, social, and biological factors beyond the control of any one person. Many mental health issues even stem from material factors that no therapist or pep-talk could ever conquer on their own.
Whatever the causes, it is important to remember that you are still a wonderful and valuable part of this world. This is no race "back to healthy." You are no less worthy of love and joy if your issues persist for a long while. All of us will deal with at least some mental health issues in our lives, whether we reach a clinical diagnosis or not. Be kind to yourself and recognize that the help of others is typically necessary to see improvement in our symptoms, no matter how strong we are as individuals.
Important Factors for Maintaining Good Mental Health
- Community - Surround yourself with people who make you feel valued. This isn't always easy; it isn't a thing which happens automatically or overnight. However, a community of people who see the intrinsic value in you is critical to good mental health. No matter what we contend with, having people around who care about us and celebrate our unique journey is critical to improving our mental health.
- Environment - The places we inhabit have dramatic effects upon us. In times of trouble, seeking out space where one feels safe, calm, and capable of being themselves is critical. Because many mental health conditions are caused by external factors, a change of environment can have dramatic benefits.
- Sleep - We are magnificent creatures, but we are not always the best at remembering to get enough sleep. Work and home responsibilities can make us believe that sacrificing a few hours of shut-eye is worth a few more hours of tasking. However, the research is compelling: proper and adequate sleep is essential to maintaining our mental well-being. While it's tempting to trade sleep for some 'extra' productivity, the long-term harm this causes to our well-being makes us worse at work we do and even more tired.
- Stress - Sometimes it is essential to identify factors keeping us from healing or causing anxieties we struggle with. Stressors are incredibly diverse, from people cutting us off in traffic to loved ones we may need space from. In times of distress, reducing exposure to stressors may be difficult and provoke feelings of guilt. Still, it is essential for healing and building up our long-term resilience.
- Sharing - One of the most daunting things when facing a mental health condition, especially in crisis, is to share what's happening. Whether it's with a licensed professional or a trusted friend, sharing what's afflicting us is how we get help. Connect, trust your friends, and together we can climb out of anything downturn in life.
Resources
Getting through rough times is. . . well, rough. If you believe you may be experiencing a mental health condition, a professional and a strong web of support will always be the best options. Meditation, exercise, and the tips above go far, but there's moments we need more.
Crisis Resources
We've all had hard days where we need a some serious beta. These resources are always available, when things get hard.
- Los Angeles Department of Mental Health (800) 854- 7771 - 24/7 Mental Health resources and referrals hotline. More here.
- Orange County Department of Mental Health - Portal with numerous referral resources, including crisis resources. More.
- Trevor Project Lifeline (800) 788-7386 - Support for LGBTQ Youth in need of crisis help or guidance. Chat and more available here.
- National Suicide Prevetion Hotline (800) 273-8255 - Free and confidential crisis and prevention, available nationwide. More.
