Member Spotlight: Laura Sammon
We are very excited to feature Laura Sammon for our Member Spotlight this month. Laura is so encouraging to everyone around her and she puts a lot of effort into her own workouts. Since joining FF Laura and I have bonded over being retired teachers and you can often find us in the parking lot after a workout discussing books. I am very glad that she agreed to share a little more about herself with all of us.
Laura shared this about her life before Forward Fitness, “I grew up in Carbondale, Illinois. My dad was an educator; my mom was a nurse. My mom didn’t drive, so we walked everywhere while my dad was at work. My dad said I could have a bike once I learned to ride a two-wheeler, so I borrowed my neighbor’s bike and practiced up and down our street until I could ride it without falling. Once I had my bike, I had more independence and rode all over Carbondale. I think my bike story is indicative of who I was as a child and who I am now. I learned early to rely on myself and to be independent. I attended SIU-C and graduated with a degree in Agriculture-Plant & Soil Science. I wanted to be a teacher, but my dad called his colleague, an advisor at SIU, and said that under no circumstances should I be allowed to major in education. (And yes, he apologized to me so many times.) When my brother-in-law was diagnosed with brain cancer at 31, I told my husband that I wanted to go back to school and earn my certification in education. When I was 35, I started my first teaching job at North Glendale Elementary School.”
When asked why health and fitness were important to her, Laura replied, “I have always enjoyed walking and biking. My husband, Neil, and I biked after work and did organized rides on the weekends. I lived through the aerobics period and joined clubs for aerobics classes. I joined the YMCA in Webster Groves, and did cardio and weights. I joined the Webster Groves Rec Center and worked out there. Then, at 43 years of age, my husband and I adopted our daughter, Sarah, from China. At 44 I became pregnant and our son, Matthew, was born when I was 45. After that, my ability to stay with a fitness regimen while working full time and taking care of two young children, was challenging. Now that I’m retired, and Sarah is 23 and Matthew is 21, I am putting my health first.”
We always love to find out how our members found us, this is how Laura came to be a Forward Fitness member, “After the YMCA closed in Webster Groves, my neighbor suggested that I try a small gym in our neighborhood. I’d never belonged to a gym like that, so I didn’t have anything to compare it to. After a little over a year, I became quite disillusioned with the owners, and I found myself feeling stressed the entire time I was in the gym. One day, I had had enough and quit. I felt relieved, and I knew it was the right decision. Michelle Knutsen and I knew each other from the old gym, and she was also thinking of leaving. Michelle suggested that I check out Forward Fitness. All I can say is that Forward Fitness is everything a gym should be and so much more. I am so happy that I took the leap to start over at Forward Fitness.”
We know that everyone faces challenges and I think that Laura’s challenges are ones that many of us can relate to. “One challenge I experienced was comparing myself to others. I think I’m finally over that, because I know that I have improved dramatically from the time I first started. Another challenge is weight. Suzanne has been a tremendous support, and it is up to me to make the necessary changes in order to maintain a healthy weight.”
Of course we like to pair challenges with accomplishments and Laura also shared something she is proud of. “After the Elevens challenge, I decided to keep up the 11,000 steps a day, which is about 5 miles. Walking clears my head and my dogs appreciate a long walk. I’m happy to say that I have stuck with that goal most days, with a long morning walk and a long afternoon or evening walk.”
We also like to ask our members if they have any fun facts that they would like to share with us, this is Laura’s. “In April of 2025, we became puppy raisers through Duo Dogs for Blackwell, from the AI litter, sponsored by World Wide Technology. We took Blackwell into our home at 8 weeks old. He will continue to live and train with us until he is 18 months old. Then, he’ll spend 6 months at the Duo Dogs facility for advanced training before being placed in a facility or with a person in need. Duo Dogs is a nonprofit organization. Check it out at duodogs.org.
Finally we always ask what advice our members would give to someone thinking about starting a fitness routine. Laura’s is spot on, “It probably sounds cliché, but it’s never too late to start a fitness routine. At 66 years old, I want to stay fit well into my . . .”
Thank you Laura for sharing more about yourselves with our members. We are so glad that you are a part of our Forward Fitness Family!