Two Boats, One Community: Habit Fitness Raises $5,200 For Southern Maryland Nonprofit

SOLOMONS, Md. — A little over a year after Habit Fitness opened its doors in Solomons, the local gym is showing what it means to be “more than a gym” — raising $5,200 for Southern Maryland Community Resources while filling two boats at the Solomons Dragon Boat Festival.

Habit Fitness owner Katie York opened the gym with a goal that extended beyond workouts. She wanted to build a gym that felt like part of the community, not simply a place located within it.

One year later, Habit Fitness members put that goal into action on the Patuxent River.

From One Boat To Two

Habit Fitness entered its first team, Buff & Buoyant, in the 2025 Solomons Dragon Boat Festival. The team advanced to the minor finals, earned the Best Dressed award and left the festival already planning its return.

The gym set a larger goal for 2026: Fill two boats.

Habit Fitness had enough members to reach that goal. The next step was convincing about 40 of them that being a gym member and being a dragon boater were essentially the same thing.

It turned out not to be a difficult sell.

Buff & Buoyant returned this year alongside a new sister team, Jacked & Splashed. The two boats were filled entirely by Habit Fitness members and competed under one fitting motto: “One Habit. Double the Wake.”

The teams faced torrential rain, fierce competition, loud cheering and plenty of friendly trash talk. Habit Fitness also recorded a winning final race time of 1:02.83.

However, the most important number from the day was the $5,200 the gym community raised for Southern Maryland Community Resources.

Habit Community Answers The Call

Habit Fitness members donated to the fundraiser, along with their friends and family members. Local businesses also contributed, while supporters shared the fundraiser and encouraged others to participate.

What began as a fun day on the water became a larger community effort to support a Southern Maryland nonprofit.

Southern Maryland Community Resources, commonly known as SMCR, creates opportunities for people with developmental differences to live full, connected and meaningful lives. Its work focuses on inclusion, relationships, recreation and creating spaces where people genuinely belong.

That mission is especially meaningful to Habit Fitness because building a sense of belonging has also been part of the gym’s work in Solomons.

Habit Fitness offers coached small-group strength training and Spin Strong classes, but York has always wanted the business to become more than the hour its members spend exercising inside the gym.

That includes participating in local races, supporting neighboring businesses, raising money for organizations serving the community and creating collaborations that bring people together.

“What started as a gym gave us the people,” York said. “What we choose to do together with those people is what makes Habit something bigger.”

An Invitation To Southern Maryland Businesses

Following the festival, York encouraged other Southern Maryland businesses to consider forming teams and participating in the next Solomons Dragon Boat Festival.

“Get in the boat,” York said.

Businesses can build a team, choose a creative name, design matching shirts and challenge other local organizations while raising money for SMCR. The festival also gives business owners, employees and customers an opportunity to spend time together outside their normal work environment.

“And when that much fun also raises money for an organization like SMCR, it becomes pretty hard to come up with a reason not to participate,” York said.

The Solomons Dragon Boat Festival is the primary fundraising event for SMCR. Businesses and community members can participate by forming a team, registering as individual paddlers, becoming sponsors, serving as vendors or volunteering during the event.

Find A Community At Habit Fitness

York is also inviting Southern Maryland residents who have not visited Habit Fitness to experience what the gym has built during its first year in Solomons. New visitors can try their first week at no cost.

Habit Fitness welcomes people at different fitness and experience levels. Participants do not need previous strength-training experience or need to get in shape before joining a class.

“Come as you are,” York said. “We’ll take it from there.”

Visitors can take a class, meet members of the Habit community and work with the gym’s coaches.

They may find a new gym or a new group of people — and, by next summer, they may also find themselves holding a paddle and wondering how their gym membership led them into a dragon boat.

For Habit Fitness, its first year in Solomons can be measured by more than workouts: $5,200 raised, two boats filled and one growing community.

Last year, the gym envisioned filling a second boat. Now, York is already thinking about what Habit Fitness might accomplish for SMCR in 2027.

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