ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — A gym owner in Orchard Park believes the governor's shutdown orders aren't being issued fairly.

What You Need To Know

  • Gyms in the orange zone in Erie County have to shut down for the time being
  • An Orchard Park gym owner thinks these orders are unfairly targeting certain businesses like his establishment
  • He's rallying other business owners who have been negatively impacted by the shutdowns 
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Robby Dinero is the owner of Athletes Unleashed Inc. in Orchard Park.

His CrossFit affiliated gym has to close down for the time being since it's located in the orange micro-cluster zone.

On Friday night, he met with other business owners in the same boat. He's trying to rally them to fight back against the orders and get their establishments reopened. 

He says he wants to at least have the freedom to choose how he can operate his business in the pandemic.

"If you're at risk, you have the freedom to stay home or you have the freedom to take chances and live life. If you are not at risk, you should have the freedom to run your business and to go about your day. If somebody wants to live in fear, I don't begrudge on that, they can live in fear. They can hold themselves up in their house until they decide it's now safe to go outside and never catch a cold again. I don't live in fear, I live under freedom," Dinero said.

He says his goal is to win in the court of public opinion.