Ever since COVID-19 it has been affecting us in major ways and forcing people to make tough decisions for their families. We are going through financial hardship. we were promised bail outs through small business loans or grants. Yet the government has made the stipulations on these grants nearly impossible for our type of business to qualify for the loan to become a grant. Most grooming shops if not all grooming shops have been/ will be denied . We have no help when we have been promised help. The Quarantine was implemented to flatten the curve of the spread of COVID-19 to assure that hospitals were not overwhelmed all the once in to help prevent such a rapid spread . The numbers of infected people is on the decline . Grooming shops are very clean we take this serious this is our livelihood if we do not return back to work by May 1st many small businesses will be lost . We will not be able to pay our bills, rents/mortgages, Insurances, we have the very potentially of losing everything. We still have to pay our mortgages/ rents and phone bills and gas and electric none of this has stopped for us . Yes, we can postpone them, but they’re not going away! Some of us can still sustain for a while, but that doesn’t mean that we are doing OK this is how we pay our bills this is how we feed our families and we are not getting any help from anyone, nor are we asking for it. We just want to be allowed to return to work in a safe manor

The allowance of beauty businesses to open will help boost our economy, the well being and mental health of everyone. Highlight of positives affects this allowance includes; less people on unemployment, improvements of mental health among citizens, and save the economy from collapsing further. Those stylist/technicians allowed back to work are then able to support their families, pay their mortgage/rent, utilities, car loans and the list can keep on going. The best of all is our nation, state and local's economy can have a boost in money circulation and help stop further damage and create more growth to America's economic future. One other positive outcome is everyone's mental health will be restored at some level. It'll be able to ease and start integrating everyone back into life slowly into normality.

Most if not all massage and salon businesses no longer have any form of income and have had no help at all for the past several weeks. We see you have done nothing to help us so now we must help ourselves. This is an opportunity for you to do the right thing before we must take more serious actions.

BACKGROUND: I am the owner of a boutique fitness and nutrition studio, Fit Forward in Carlisle, PA. ALL fitness studios, gyms, health clubs, etc. in Pennsylvania were abruptly demanded to shut down on March 16th to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. In an abundance of caution to “flatten the curve,” I believe this was a smart decision to some degree, but also feel the importance and essential nature of the services we offer and what we do for our communities. For this reason I personally submitted for a waiver to be classified as "essential" due to the nature of our clientele, their needs, their disabilities, their rehab, and their counting on our assistance and expertise to help them maintain their health especially during this time. I got denied. Many other businesses such as certain Cabinet Companies (Owned by you Mr. Governor), Ice Cream Shops, Coffee Shops, etc were deemed "essential" and left alone to operate, knowing that these businesses would most likely allow more than one person at a given time to congregate in unsanitary, uncontrolled environments. Even stepping foot in a grocery store, a hardware store, or any open "essential" business right now is mind-blowing to me with the number of people in these places, the lack of sanitation, the people roaming around without masks on, the touching of items, paying with credit cards and touching screens, it seems impossible for those aforementioned "essential" businesses to host controlled environments. JUSTIFICATION: Boutique fitness studios are facilities of less than 7,500 square feet, mine personally is less than 3,500 sf, designed to serve small numbers of clients at any one time, whereas fitness centers are commonly known as facilities designed to serve hundreds of clients at a time. I believe that boutique fitness studios (particularly personal training studios) from the beginning have inappropriately been classified within a larger fitness center category directed at facilities with 250 people or more and alongside other industries such as cinemas (average size 200-300 client capacity) or as a large group fitness type studio where there are 20-50 participants in a small space. We can train one client at a time. We can stagger appointments to limit crossing of clients. We can limit the number of trainers and clients in the facility at any given time. We can remain a safe distance from our clients while working with them. We can provide masks, hand sanitation stations and can monitor everything going on within our facilities. With the controlled numbers in a boutique Fitness Studio, I am confident in knowing we can offer a very clean, safe and free from the virus spreading facility to our community. IMPACT: Because being healthy, fit, and free from preventative diseases such as high blood pressure and Type 2 Diabetes is a key defense against this disease, and potential recurring waves of the disease, opening smartly and quickly to assist our population is also critical to the long-term health of our society. The importance of our mental health is so relevant right now and there needs to be a place to release all the negative energy especially NOW. It's proven that exercise and eating well positively impacts those suffering from depression and anxiety. These numbers are on the rise. The health of millions of clients is at stake as we confront a future with COVID-19. For every week a typical boutique fitness studio is closed, it forgoes $5,000-$20,000 in revenue. The significant financial impact of this crisis expands not only to owners, but also to the millions of Independent Contractors and Employees in our industry that are unable to work from home. Given that the Boutique Fitness Industry is estimated to be worth 42% of an $88 billion Industry, the weekly impact is $710 million of lost revenue. The Boutique Fitness Industry is one of the few female- led industries in existence. We estimate that 75%+ of the owners and workers impacted by this crisis are women, to include myself, and many of whom are the sole breadwinners for their families. The radical impact to a female- led industry is undeniable. WE, THE UNDERSIGNED PROFESSIONALS AND CONSUMERS WITHIN THE BOUTIQUE FITNESS STUDIO COMMUNITY, RESPECTFULLY REQUEST BEING ABLE TO REOPEN BUSINESSES ON MAY 11th FROM YOU GOVERNOR WOLF I ask that those in agreement petition for ALL Boutique Fitness and Personal Training Studios be given the rights to do a soft reopening on May 1st, 2020. So far, the petitioning has been very active and positive. I am happy to announce that in the great terms of fairness several companies, businesses originally given "essential status" were finally resided and closed... to include The Wolf Cabinet Company and candy store owned by a Senate Majority Leader. It is time to allow us studio owners, personal trainers, and nutrition counselors, get back to work for our community.

Unlike big commerical gyms that have investors just there to make a buck, the smaller independent gyms (like Pro Fit 24 Gym) have owners, who are lovers of helping others. We love helping people: * improve their health throught sound nutrition planning * learn to exercise properly and safely * lose weight * regain their life back * reverse certain health and medical conditions * reduce stress and promote healthier mental wellbeing * increase mobility and range of motion * possbily not have the need for certain surgeries and so much more... We also help bring the community together and encourage healthier lifestyles, improving the HEALTH, EMOTIONAL WELL BEING and DAILY FUNCTION for ALL people. Small GYMS like Pro Fit 24 Gym are a necessity and essential in any community. Sign the petition today and help small independent GYMS re-open so they can continue helping the community.

Our industry is mostly staffed by independent contractors who rely solely on clients to make money. We are facing a grave financial hardship and if this continues much longer will be forced to close barbershops and salons which would cause is to lose our livlihoods.

The survival of small business such as Hair Salons, Barbershops, Nail technician and ALL licensed beauty professionals is at risk. We are facing a grave financial hardship

The survival of the independent beauty professionals is at risk. We are facing a grave financial hardship.

Dog groomers provide an essential service for animals and their families. Long hair dogs/cats can become matted and uncomfortable if not professionally groomed. There are hygienic and pest control problems that can occur due to lack of grooming. Nails will become long and sharp if not attended to, creating a danger to the sick and elderly. Seniors are often not physically able to provide the grooming their pets require. Gov Wolf please allow us to keep are pets safe and clean.

Servicing one client at a time (while wearing a mask & gloves) poses little to no risk of spreading the virus, as compared to 20 or more people in a grocery store or 10 plus people at restaurants picking up food. Why is this important? The survival of the independent beauty professionals is at risk. We are facing a grave financial hardship. How it will be delivered Email

Covid 19 is affecting the economy in major ways forcing people to make tough decisions for their families based upon recent events such as deferring loan payments, mortgages, and basic utilities. To ease the economic struggle on these families, it is in our best discretion to open back up with these limited restrictions. The quarantine was implemented to flatten the curve of covid 19 to ensure that hospitals were not overwhelmed and to help prevent such rapid spread. The number of people infected is significantly lower than previously projected. Additionally independent contractors such as Beauticians, Barbers, and Artists cannot rely on programs such as unemployment as we do not qualify, in most cases, for such benefits. Small businesses are what keep communities in West Virginia running. Please do not turn your back on these families who are the backbone of our state.

Physical health by way of indoor/outdoor exercise and recreation is essential to keeping people physically and mentally well.