Pull-Up Bars for Patriots Coming to Wolf’s Crossing

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Gregory Kantz can’t do as many pull-ups now as he could when he was an active-duty marine. But, he’s helping others find meaning in the exercise.

Pull-Up Bars for Patriots

“What we do is we put up pull-up bar memorials in honor of the fallen,” said Kantz, the founder of the nonprofit Pull Up Bars for Patriots. “[It’s] something a little different than a tree or a bench, it’s actually a set of pull-up bars so that becomes the memorial. And we encourage people to come out and do pull-ups in honor of the fallen.”

Pull-Up Bars for Patriots raised their first bars in Wheaton. But with the help of the Naperville Park District, the next set is planned for Wolf’s Crossing Community Park.

Symbolism in the Design

The gold star beneath the bars and stone memorial alongside them serve as reminders of their meaning.

“People know what they’re being encouraged to do pull-ups for. It’s not just a pull up bar to do pull-ups. It kind of gives them a little encouragement. ‘I don’t want to do any pull-ups, but if I’m doing them for somebody…’ It kind of gives you a reason or a cause behind it,” said Kantz.

Pull-Up Bars for Patriots is even hoping to roll out an app, so you can keep track of how many pull-ups have been done for the service members each site is dedicated to.

Coming Soon

The bars will cost just under $20,000, which the park district is splitting 50-50 with community donors. They’re expected to be complete along with the park’s Phase I construction next summer.

Performing pull-ups with a purpose.

Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.