Bally Health Club

Local Business Report: 2 members join Bacharach board

POMONA -- Bacharach Institute for Rehabilitation has added Alyce Parker of Pittsgrove and former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy of Brigantine to its board of directors.

Parker is the former vice president of public affairs for Harrah's Entertainment, the world's largest gaming company. She directed media relations and community affairs for Atlantic City operations, which included Bally's, Caesars, Harrah's Resorts, Showboat hotel casinos and Atlantic City Country Club.

She received a bachelor's degree from Rowan University and a master's degree in administration from Rider University.

Parker is the principal in Alyce Parker & Associates, a public relations and governmental relations consulting firm in South Jersey. She is chairwoman of the Rowan University Foundation Board, a member of the South Jersey AIDS Alliance, Southern New Jersey Development Council and the American Conference on Diversity.

Kennedy, originally of Rhode Island, was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1995 and served 16 years. He was a central supporter of health care and neuroscience issues, spearheading the call for improvements in national health care.

He served on the NIH, VA and Appropriations Committees and was the 2000 Democratic National Committee chairman. He is well known as the author and lead sponsor of the Mental Health Parity & Addiction Equity Act of 2008.

Bacharach Institute for Rehabilitation is an award-winning acute rehabilitation hospital in Pomona, treating 2,000 inpatients and 13,000 outpatients each year.

Bally Total Fitness - No Brains No Gains - Customer Complaints

A company that has been in and out of bankruptcy several times, has had customer complaints too numerous to compile, has been taken over by its lenders, and has allegedly taken advantage of, lied to, or otherwise scammed so many people that the Guinness Book of Records should be paying attention, and yet, somehow, they are still open for business.

There are regulations regarding health clubs, and supposedly the courts are monitoring their finances and accounting procedures.  A Google search brings up frightening stories about Bally from hoards of unhappy members.  And now, with the help of court imposed reorganization they are actively looking for more suckers … er … members.  Why on earth would the courts let them continue?  Is the assumption that they are just “too stupid to fail”.  Can they ever be successful enough to make you feel secure about giving them your money?  No brains, no gains!

Yes, I’m a member.  Yes, a very unhappy member.  I’m also a member at 24 hour fitness as well as LA Fitness, two other prominent clubs here in south Florida, so I’m not in the precarious position that so many others find themselves.  I don’t care if Bally dies, and in fact I hope they do, so no other people get sucked in and sign up, only to end up in substandard clubs with antiquated equipment, unsanitary conditions, untrained and decidedly ill mannered staff, with a company that is sure to either be shut down or put themselves out of business.

How long will it be before their demise? No one knows of course, but will they take your money with them?