Glacier needs to grow!

Welcome to our Indiegogo campaign! We are excited to introduce our ambitious project to expand our combat arts gym from a 2,900-square-foot facility to a spacious, state-of-the-art 6,500-square-foot training center. This upgrade is crucial for us to continue providing quality combat arts training to our growing community. With your support, we can create a comprehensive, welcoming environment that caters to a diverse range of martial arts disciplines and training needs.

About US

Glacier started up as a small fight team in 2008 with Ken Dunbar and a small handful of guys who loved to compete, training on some travel puzzle mats in whatever backyard, front yard, field, or garage that was available. Its first stable ‘location’ was in Ken’s garage in a duplex he rented in Tumwater. In 2015 Ken purchased a home with an 1100sqft pole barn which became the new location. As life moved on, the club took on a slow metamorphosis from mere fight team to full on martial arts school. From 2015 to 2019, the gym was a small collection of competitors and hobbyists who just wanted to train. 6 days a week, people would drive to Ken’s house and spend hours on blue wrestling mats, learning SAMBO, BJJ, Kickboxing, MMA, and whatever off the wall stuff they wanted to explore. 

Then Covid hit.

Since the club wasn’t a business at the time, Glacier was able to remain ‘open’ without scrutiny. We took precautions, frequent testing, closures when an exposure occurred, and a metric ton of disinfectant/cleaning. 

In 2021, a shift began. More and more people in the community started asking if they could come train. Ken asked one of his students, Lindsey (who has a background in accounting) if she thought there was enough interest to make a business out of it. Together they began working tirelessly to turn a volunteer club into a real sustainable business. Within weeks, the 1100sqft pole barn was overwhelmed. They needed a new space.

After searching, they found the current location in Centralia. $46,000 and hundreds of hours of blood, sweat, and tears; Glacier Combat Arts manifested. Beautiful white mats, a constantly adapting curriculum for all programs, and dedicated coaches. It was home. It was a reality. It was a perfect launching point. The partners worked hard, through many different struggles to keep the gym alive. Not only did it survive, it thrived.

Now, its outgrown its location. Like a feisty hermit crab, it needs a bigger shell. Thats where we are now, and why we are doing this crowdfund. 

Our Mission and Vision

We have always wanted to create a quality ‘one stop shop’ for anyone’s combat sport’s needs. To be able to train how they want, when they want, in what they want. This new location gives us that ability. 

With multiple areas, we can have concurrent focused classes at multiple times during the week. Currently, we are limited to one class in a time slot, but this new location will give us 2, 3, or 4 classes in a time slot. 

Our kids and tween classes will have more mat time, at no additional membership fee cost. They will be able to focus on their primary art or mix and match as they desire. Our adults will be able to do the same. 

With SAMBO, MMA, Kickboxing, BJJ, Judo, and HEMA still being offered; our intent is to allow students more flexibility with their scheduling during the week and increase the level of instruction and growth within each art. 

What would the new facility offer?

The new gym’s layout will meticulously planned to maximize both functionality and comfort. As you enter, you’ll find a welcoming reception area leading into our expansive training spaces. The design will include:

A centralized fight/training cage that serves as the focal point for MMA and SAMBO training.

2,000 square feet of dedicated grappling mats situated up front, providing a safe and spacious area for jiu-jitsu, sambo, and other grappling arts.

Separate striking mats in the central area, near the cage, designed for kickboxing and other striking disciplines.

Strategically placed additional mat spaces to accommodate different training needs simultaneously, as well as a dedicated ‘kids room’, lounging area, and weight/workout room. 

Beyond the training areas, our new gym will also feature luxurious amenities to enhance your recovery and overall experience:

A relaxing sauna for post-workout relaxation and muscle recovery.

A cyroplunge for advanced cryotherapy treatments to aid in recovery and reduce inflammation.

What We Need

We need to avoid loans as much as we can. The debt we used to get started is just about paid off, but it put us on the back foot for far too long. It is incredibly hard in this economy to expand without taking on massive, higher interest rate debt. Choosing to crowd fund allows us to avoid debt, and give our gym family a way to increase the services they get to enjoy!

We have created 4 separate goals to shoot for. Below each goal shows what we will be able to get with them.

Goal 1: $35,000

Able to move into the new space

Mat, frame, and topper the new space

Add more bags and hangers for kickboxing

Increase certifications for existing coaches

Goal 2: $65,000

All of goal 1

Buy and install the cage

Buy and install a sauna

Buy and install a cryo-plunge

Add more pads, mitts, body shields, and HEMA gear to our school use

Goal 3: $130,000

All of goal 1 and goal 2

Rent and utilities for a year

Goal 4: $250,000

All of goal 1, goal 2, and goal 3

Staff salaries for a year, allowing 3 concurrent classes to occur at one time!

If we do not hit our goals, the $ collected will go towards the listed items in order. For instance, if we only get half of goal 1, we will have enough to move into the new space, and part of what we need for more mats. 

Importance of Community Support

Our backers are essential in making this vision a reality. By supporting our campaign, you are directly contributing to the expansion and enhancement of our gym facility. Moving to a larger location will allow us to offer more services, improve our training environment, and better serve the needs of our growing community. Your support will enable us to create a martial arts destination that provides unparalleled training opportunities and fosters a stronger, healthier community.

What You Get!

Perks are the backbone of any crowdfund and we thought long and hard about what we could offer.  Below are the pledge amounts with rewards!

$10 – Supporter Shout-Out

A personalized thank you video from Ken and Lindsey.

$25 – Digital High Five

Everything from the $10 tier.

Exclusive access to behind-the-scenes updates and progress photos.

$50 – Branded Patch

Everything from the $25 tier.

A Glacier Combat Arts branded patch.

$100 – Limited Edition T-Shirt

Everything from the $50 tier.

A limited edition Glacier Combat Arts T-shirt.

$250 – Personal Coaching Session

Everything from the $100 tier.

One personal coaching session with one of our top instructors.

$500 –  Early Access Pass

Everything from the $250 tier.

Early access to our new facility before the official opening.

$1,000 – Founder’s Club Membership

Everything from the $500 tier.

Your name on a special plaque in the new gym.

One year of membership at Glacier Combat Arts (usually $1,800 value).

$2,500 – VIP Experience

Everything from the $1,000 tier.

An exclusive VIP tour of the new facility.

Two years of membership at Glacier Combat Arts (usually $3,600 value).

$4,000 – Executive Treatment 

Everything from the $2,500 tier.
Four years of membership at Glacier Combat Arts (usually $7,200 value).

$5,000 – Private Group Class

Everything from the $2,500 tier.

A private group class for up to 10 people.

Four years of membership at Glacier Combat Arts (usually $7,200 value).

$10,000 – Ultimate Glacier Benefactor

Everything from the $5,000 tier.

Lifetime membership at Glacier Combat Arts.

An invitation to our exclusive grand opening event with a special mention.

The Impact

Expanding to a new, larger location is crucial for us to better serve our community and meet the growing demand for high-quality fitness and martial arts training. With your support, we can create a space that offers a wider range of classes and training opportunities, accommodating more members and allowing us to host more concurrent sessions. This expansion will enable us to:

Provide a more comprehensive training environment with dedicated spaces for different disciplines.

Enhance our offerings with additional features like a sauna and cryo-tube for recovery and wellness.

Foster a stronger sense of community by bringing more people together in a welcoming, inclusive environment.

By contributing to our campaign, you are helping us make significant difference in our ability to support the personal growth for everyone who walks through our doors.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you can’t contribute, we understand. If you want to help, you can! We need help with recruiting new members, getting the word out about our campaign physically, or you can just help by sharing this campaign on your social media.