InTucker Magazine

New Tucker Resident Bringing “Tough Love” To Henderson Park

Yovanna Madhere’s story is similar to many of those who are new to Tucker: an entrepreneur looking for a great place to raise her young family and see her business thrive.

“We moved here from Miami to be closer to family,” Yovanna recalls. “My husband and I were interested in Lawrenceville, but our real estate agent said ‘Oh, no. You’re not dealing with that traffic. You’ve got to look at Tucker.’ We’ve been here one month and we love Tucker!”

Not only does Yovanna love Tucker, she loves physical fitness. A personal trainer by trade, her first call when she moved to town was to Tucker’s Parks and Recreation Department. Yovanna pitched them on an idea for a boot camp to be held at Henderson Park. That six-week boot camp begins on June 2 and will continue each Saturday through July 7.

“In these boot camps, I see working professionals, family people with a lot of obligations,” Yovanna explains. “They say, ‘I’m always tired, stressed out, don’t feel good about myself.’ One of the benefits of boot camp is that it’s a break in the monotony.”

One of the challenges she faces in getting this class off the ground is the idea that boot camp is only for fitness buffs. Yovanna says all it takes to make it in the class is a yoga mat, bottle of water and the desire to get healthy.

“Most people who come to boot camp aren’t physically fit,” she says, adding that those considering 

taking the class should “be bold, be brave and let go of expectations. Come have fun!”

The exercise provided through the boot camp series is enhanced, Yovanna says, through a better diet. That’s why she’s providing an individualized meal plan for each person who completes the six weeks. It’s her way of making people feel better about themselves and the world around them.

“My goal is to infuse more love into people’s lives. If people can love themselves more, they can love their community more.”

If this boot camp series is successful, one of Tucker’s newest residents will have made her new home a healthier place and built upon the neighborly feel that’s characterized Tucker for more than a century.