Call for Action team helps local man get back in the gym

(WXYZ) -  If it looks like Ramses Shams of Madison Heights is working hard on his body, he is.

In fact, at 73-years-old, Ramses has been working out at the gym for almost 40years now.

To make the most of his workouts, Ramses joined The Vic Tanny Fitness Club in 1973.

He signed a contract for a lifetime membership where he would pay just $36 dollars a year. But through the years, Vic Tanny was sold to Bally Total Fitness, and then to LA Fitness.

Early this year, when Ramses went to check in at LA Fitness in Warren, he was told that LA Fitness had no record of his membership in their computer.

Ramses was told he could join LA Fitness, but it would cost him $29.95 a month, instead of just $36.00 a year.

Ramses was bewildered.  That’s when he called the Call for Action team.

At that point, I personally contacted officials at LA Fitness. La Fitness told me the problem was that Ramses lifetime membership had ended in 2010 - long before LA Fitness had purchased Bally’s.

It ended, officials said because, Ramses’ $36 yearly membership was not paid that year. That’s why, LA Fitness told me, the club didn’t have Ramses name in its computer system.

Even so, even though they didn’t have to, officials at LA Fitness told me they would issue Ramses a new membership at the incredible price of just $36 a year - a terrific gesture to make a very, loyal, longtime, gym member happy.

When I told Ramses the news he could scarcely believe it.