With the month of May coming to an end and Mother’s Day fresh on our minds and hearts, there could not be a better time to honor our first and only Mother-Daughter Powerhouse, Heather Haversat and Patti Hawley!! Each of these women have made indelible marks on our community in ways unique to each of them and we are so grateful that they are part of Our Village!

It has been so wonderful being part of Heather's journey through FIT4MOM and almost all of our programs (while also being a rockstar full time working mom)! We are in awe of the way she has put her heart into Body Back and Run Club most recently and her commitment to her workouts plus her girls has been so incredible! Our team has some serious love and admiration for Heather and we LOVE having her as part of our FIT4MOM family and even more so how FIT4MOM has become such an integral part of her family with her mom Patti participating too!! They have both been tremendous examples of hard work, love and two incredible women that all our moms look up to!

Here is what our Instructor Team has to say about this incredibly special duo:

"Heather is such an accomplished woman and mother. Joining us for Stroller Strides was the start of something great. She quickly became a friend to many of our moms and even encouraged her own mom to join our tribe. Ready to try something new, Heather decided to join our Run Club, and through that, she found something she loved. She has worked so hard that mid-season this year, she decided she was ready to bump herself up from a 5k to a 5 miler! A huge congratulations to her for crossing the finish line of that race while pushing her double stroller!! Heather has also opened the door for so many moms who have been wanting to try our Body Back program. This Spring, despite a morning commute and logistics of caring for her two beautiful girls, Heather made it happen and joined our early morning Body Back crew. She could not have found a better place for herself!! From Day 1, she rocked every workout, getting stronger and stronger with each class. It has been incredible to watch her achieve result after result and grow in stamina, strength and endurance. (Do you know she can hold a plank for FOUR minutes??!!) Heather quickly shone as a leader in our Body Back group, embracing all of the challenges and resources available to her, connecting with others, and becoming part of the family. Heather has shown us all what commitment to yourself really means- if she can make it to a 5:20am class while living 20 minutes away, then so can you! This commitment also extends to her family. Heather’s girls are adorable and her family is #1 to her. And this family of hers is lead by another extremely accomplished and exceptional woman, her mom, Patti.

Patti exudes motherhood. She treats it as her highest purpose and it shows; just look at her 4 beautiful, successful adult children and her two adorable grandgirls! When I talk to Patti about motherhood, I always feel confident and reassured- she made it through and she’s here to tell us all about it- with a SMILE. Patti still loves mom life so much that she is with us at class, singing and peek-a-booing away. We could not be more fortunate to have Patti in our FIT4MOM tribe. There is so much to learn from her, not to mention the validating “pat on the back” she gives us, something she knows is often in short order as a mom. She has given our community a special perspective that only the years of love and experience she has could provide." - Instructor Sarah

"What better way to close our the Month of Mama than to celebrate not one, but TWO amazing mothers - our first generational powerhouse pair - Heather Haversat and Patti Hawley! To share the time of pregnancy and transition into motherhood alongside a friend is a special gift and one that I have been fortunate to share with Heather. Our pre-FIT4MOM workouts consisted of neighborhood walks and talks about motherhood - and all we didn’t know! When I joined FIT4MOM and asked Heather to try a class, she admitted her hesitation was that she didn’t want to “fall in love with it,” since she knew she had to return to work. Enter Gigi.

Patti has been a rockstar mom to Heather (and her 3 other children!) and a remarkable caregiver and “Gigi” to Amelia and Madelyn from the beginning of their time! When Patti and I used to meet at the library on Tuesdays she’d ask, “What else do you do with Luca?,” to which I replied: Stroller Strides! She laughed, then showed up every single Tuesday and Thursday with a single - then a double stroller - for the next 2+ years! She approached class with the confidence, strength, and grace that we all see in her as a mother and grandmother and there’s not a single day that we don’t learn from her experience and marvel at her wisdom! How blessed we all are to have her as a pillar of Our Village.

When Madelyn was born, Heather was able to take more time off and dip her feet into what FIT4MOM is all about. I watched her confidence soar and strength increase as both a mom and a fitness enthusiast and before long she was running her first 5K - with a double stroller! She continued the commitment all while working full time at Yale, enjoying Saturday workouts with her girls and a second round of run club - this time kicking it up a notch in speed and endurance with a 10K training! Heather can now be found crushing goals at early morning Body Back workouts, having earned the right to showcase her strength in a program that allows her time for herself - and man, does she deserve it. It is awesome to witness how Heather has evolved over the years I’ve known her! She is positive, upbeat, strong, and beautiful from the inside out. What a motivational woman, mom, and friend!

It is a true honor and privilege to know these three generations of beauties and have watched the ways in which they’ve evolved over time. You are ALL so very loved and we LOVE celebrating you! Congratulations!" – Instructor Lisa

"It is an unbelievable pleasure to be celebrating BOTH Heather Haversat and Patti Hawley as our Motivating MOMS of the Month! Respectively, they are both right at the heart of Our Village. For as long as I can remember Patti has been a breath of fresh air at class. She is an amazing woman that we ALL constantly continue to marvel at on a daily basis. We seek her advice, enjoy listening to her stories, and absolutely LOVE watching her as Gigi! She is someone we all look up to. Her strength, poise, and beauty are incredible. She has built the most beautiful family dynamic that is so incredible. It’s something so special and rare that you can’t help but want to be part of. Sort of like the American Dream. It was for only short bit that I was aside BOTH Patti and Heather in class, but it was a beautiful thing to witness. Since returning to work, Heather has only become more involved in FIT4MOM. She’s a regular at Stroller Strides, just completed her second Run Club season (and crushed the 5 mile race with her DOUBLE STROLLER), and most recently has been killing it at Body Back. It’s been a pleasure to watch her strength and determination evolve over time. She is strong, beautiful, and the kindest friend you could ask for. She is setting such a remarkable example for Amelia and Madelyn of what it means to be an empowered woman. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that one of the greatest parts of this duo is that we all get access to Amelia and Madelyn on the regular! And do we LOVE those girls! But to these two beautiful, strong, incredible women, Patti and Heather, congratulations! You motivate all of us every day in every way. Thank you for showing us true beauty inside and out in all stages of motherhood." – Instructor Kait

"Heather is such a valuable mama to our FIT4MOM Village. She has continued to immerse herself in all FIT4MOM has to offer. I remember last year she had her double stroller and she would constantly be saying “I’m not a runner”, then she’d run a mile, another mile and now just finished a 5 mile race with both girls in tow. Heather you have become a runner! Her work ethic is admirable and her generosity knows no boundaries. The love she has for those little girls is amazing to watch and they are growing up watching their mommy push limits and shine in the process. Congratulations Heather!

I am so excited to celebrate Patti this month as well! What a wealth of knowledge Patti is to this village. From tips to parenting advice this GiGi is constantly supporting other moms and creating a sounding board for friendly advice. We love you Patti and are so glad to celebrate you as well!" - Instructor Colleen

"So very happy to be celebrating Heather Haverstat and Patti Hawley as our Motivating Moms of the Month!! Not one, but TWO beautiful moms who have taken FIT4MOM by storm. It has been a pleasure working out and being motivated by Heather. She does it all! Conquering a full time job, being a mother to her two beautiful babes, Amelia and Madelyn, Stroller Strides and then taking on early morning Body Back sessions! As if that wasn’t enough, I could not be more in awe of her as she ran pushing not one but both of her girls across the finish line!! Heather comes to class with a smile on her face and a ready to work attitude each and every time. It’s become a highlight of our Saturday to know she will be joining us! Then, you meet Patti or “GiGi” as the girls call her and you see exactly where Heather gets her grace, demeanor and hard working attitude from. It’s also been amazing working out alongside Patti every Tuesday and Thursday as she juggles her workouts while being so attentive to Amelia and Madelyn, they are truly blessed to have such a wonderful grandmother. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to witness this family dynamic. They are all so lucky to have each other and us so lucky to have each of them!! Congratulations to you both!! So happy to be celebrating you this month!" – Instructor Claudia

Meet Heather:

1. Who are the members of your family?

Myself, my husband, Tyler, Amelia (3), Madelyn (19 months), and our black lab, Chesney

2. What is/was your career? I am a pediatric audiologist at Yale New Haven Hospital. I diagnose and manage hearing loss in children.

3. List 3 of your favorite things:

Family time, good food, and changing seasons.

4. What would your partner say is your best quality?

That I’m easy going.

5. How long have you been a member of FIT4MOM Southeast Fairfield County, and what has it done for you? Can you tell us how your mom got involved too?

How much space do I have? :) What is probably most surprising to know is that my Mom actually joined before me! It all started with instructor Lisa. We met in prenatal yoga and we would meet up to walk with our babies. Once I was returning to work, my mom started to watch Amelia 2 days/week. She would see Lisa at a story hour and Lisa encouraged my Mom to try her class. Lisa was my Mom's only "Mom friend" so she started to take Stroller Strides and never looked back. After I had my 2nd, I went to a class with my Mom and I fell in love with it all. I went almost every day until I went back to work and now stay involved through Saturday classes, Run Club, and most recently Body Back (If you've never tried BB, it's incredible and the early wake up call is so so worth it!).

What hasn't FIT4MOM done for me? It's the thing I never knew I needed. The village of Moms supporting Moms, my daughters making their first friends, and the self care every Mom deserves. Before FIT4MOM, I did not dedicate time in my life for fitness. It's crazy to think that I am in my best shape physically and mentally now, with 2 little girls and a demanding job, than I have ever been in my life. My gratitude towards every Mom and Instructor I have met in FIT4MOM is hard to put into words.

6.What is your favorite class exercise?

Planks - all ways!

7. What is something that has surprised you about motherhood?

How much more I can accomplish in 24 hours than I did pre-kids!

8. What is your proudest mommy moment so far?

Going from never having run to completing a 5k with my double last year. It's hard to top that ... until last weekend when I ran a 5 miler pushing them!

9. Any advice for other moms out there?

The days are long but gosh, the time really flies. If today was hard, do something to make tomorrow better. And take care of yourself. "Taking care of yourself doesn't mean me first, it means me too." - LR Knost. That's why I am so thankful to have found Fit4Mom <3

Meet Patti:

1. Who are the members of your family?

I am married to John, we started dating when we were 15 and have been married for 32 years. I have 4 children Heather (30) Danielle (29) Stephanie (27) David (25), 2 granddaughters Amelia & Madelyn and 2 son in laws Tyler and Steve.

2. What is/was your career?

I am a Hairstylist and still work part time at Unilever in their Hair Test Center and part time for Revlon Cosmetics in Merchandising

3. List 3 of your favorite things.

Family, Travel and Food. If all three things can happen together then thats even better!

4. What would your kids say is your best quality?

They would probably say organization or multitasking.

5. How long have you been a member of FIT4MOM Southeast Fairfield County?

I started in March 2017.

What is the best part of FIT4MOM for you? How kind and welcoming everyone has been to me and my grandaughters.

6.What is your favorite class exercise?

I can't say I have a favorite, I really don't like any of them. So I am going to go with the final, most important stretch "our Smile"

7. What is something that has surprised you about motherhood?

I guess it would be that no matter how old they are or where they are in their lives or how successful they've become, when they hurt or are sad or when they are challenged I still hurt with them just like when they were little kids.

And also how about now about being a GiGi?

I just can't get enough of them even though I get to see them often. I feel so lucky to get to be so included in their lives.

8. We are in awe of the relationship you have with Heather and the girls. How did you foster this amazing mother-daughter relationship?

I can't say I did any one particular thing. Growing up she did not have lots of rules, no bedtime, no curfew etc. We let the kids be themselves, make mistakes and made rules when needed. We weren't parents that hovered, we gave them space but we expected them to be involved in activities, be respectful and appreciative. We spent a lot of time in the evenings and on weekends gathering with friends and their families, attending the kids activities and vacationing together. Over the years Heather and the other kids just seemed to enjoy spending time with us and our friends as we did with them and theirs.

8. What is your proudest mommy or GiGi moment so far?

I don't know if its necessarily 'the proudest" since I have 4 kids and I want the same for all of them but it is sort of when my "dream" for them has been completed. As for Heather its has been watching her complete her education through her Doctorate, find a job she enjoys, get married and have a family. I am in awe of how she handles it all.

9.Any advice for other moms out there?

Expose them to the world, encourage them to volunteer, send them to sleep away camp, let them travel (without you), encourage them to study abroad. Allow them to be afraid once and a while, it means their stepping out of they comfort zone. Don't let your fears limit them. Let them fail but be there to pick them up when they ask. Lastly, put down your phones and just watch and listen, in many ways my generation was fortunate they didn't exist when we were raising our kids!

Heather and Patti, we are so honored to celebrate you both this month as incredible individuals and as an amazing mother-daughter team. Heather, you are an achiever! Thank you for all you have done to make this Village so special and so full! Patti, you have touched so many moms in our community and we thank you! We are so in awe of the beautiful and special relationship this Mother-Daughter Powerhouse have with each other and all that we have learned from seeing this beautiful example of parenthood and love! Congratulations to you both!