Lauren Halpern
•6/20/2026
NAPLES, Fla. (WINK) — A small group run among friends has transformed into a thriving social media sensation, bringing together young people from across Southwest Florida every weekend.
What started just a month ago as three friends meeting for a run on Vanderbilt Beach has quickly grown into a fast-growing community in Naples. Wayne Gerrick III founded The III Movement Athletic Club after moving to the area from Ohio with a few friends, and they began posting about their runs on social media.
"I wanted to create a community where people that, if they feel like they're struggling or going through something hard, they can have people to fall back on, or to honestly support them, right? So that's what the III Movements is," Gerrick said.
Week after week, the small group kept showing up and sharing their runs online. Their authentic energy resonated with others looking for connection in Southwest Florida.
"We were just like, we're going to post about this, I know it's only three of us, but at the end of the day, we have the energy, you know, we're just authentic and just want to have a good time," Gerrick said.
The club's social media presence exploded. Co-founder Casey Cline watched the group grow from three runners to more than 20 in just a couple of weeks, while the club gained thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok.
For many runners, the club provided exactly what they were searching for in Naples. Jackie Ortiz, a runner who joined the group, found a community she had been missing.
"I never had any club here, and this like it literally changed my life. Like, for real. It's just like the people I've met literally… an answered prayer," Ortiz said.
Runner Taylor Kapron praised the supportive atmosphere the club has created.
"They're unbelievably supportive, and they're encouraging too. There's no pressure to keep up with anybody or to slow down or anything like that. They just want you to be the very best version of yourself," Kapron said.
Participant Garrett Creek said the club's success challenges common perceptions about Naples.
"Everyone always has a stipulation with Naples that it's snowbirds or retirees, but there's actually a young group here ready and willing to have that sense of community," Creek said.
The III Movement Athletic Club continues to meet on or near Vanderbilt Beach every Monday and Saturday, where the sound of cheering runners has become a fixture for the growing community.
