BENNINGTON – Vermont or New York residents in the Bennington area will be able to receive a free 30-day area gym membership from Anytime Fitness, Bennington Crossfit, Curves or Off-the-Wall in Bennington after they sign up for a tobacco cessation class through the Vermont Quit Network.

Kiah Morris, coordinator for Tobacco Free Community Partners, said the program is a partnership between the gyms and her organization.

“Often, people who quit using tobacco worry about weight gain. This will help relieve some of that worry by giving people a healthy outlet when cravings strike and way to kick start their New Year resolutions,” Morris said in a statement.

Participants must sign up for the tobacco cessation class, or “quit class,” in February and complete the full, four-week series of free classes in person. When the classes are over, a quit class completion certificate will be issued which can be taken to one of the participating gyms to activate the free membership.

Those who are already members of one of the gyms can give the membership to a friend, who is not a member, and gain a workout partner. The free membership may not be used as a credit toward an existing membership.

“This is a great way for people to make their resolutions stick. We hope that we can help make healthier habits of not using tobacco and getting more exercise,” Morris said.

The offer is open to any Vermont or New York resident, 18 or older, within the Southwestern Vermont Medical Center service area . To sign up for a quit class, call the Vermont Quit Network at 1-800-QUIT-NOW, the hospital’s tobacco cessation department at 447-5508, or Tobacco Free Community Partners at 447-5425.