Hometown Hillsdale: Matt Patillo, ’10: A Divinely Inspired Activity Center for the Hillsdale Community
Written by Stephanie Gordon
The Well co-owners: Matt Patillo, ’10, (left) and Kam Dice (right).
The love for community, growth, and wellness runs deep for Matt Patillo, ’10. The husband, father of four, financial advisor, and former Charger football player took a leap of faith in 2021 by purchasing the old Stadium Roller Rink, now The Well, a divinely inspired activity center. For Matt and his family, The Well is an opportunity to foster love and wellness in the Hillsdale community.
“The goal was to create a one-stop-shop to address physical, spiritual, and social wellness for families of all ages,” said Matt. “This space has an enriching and fun environment that will uplift the family unit.”
Born in Chicago and raised in Mishawaka, Indiana, Matt was recruited to play football for the Chargers. His Hillsdale experience, especially on the field, shaped him into the person he is today. “I don’t know that I would be where I am if it wasn’t for the leadership and guidance I received,” he said. Matt presumed his time at Hillsdale would be a stepping stone, but he met his wife, Kellee (Wonders), a former Charger basketball player, when he was a junior.
“Kellee is from this community and it was important to be close and do life with her family,” Matt said. “We’ve been richly blessed because of it.” Together, they have planted their roots in Hillsdale with their four children.
To Matt, uplifting others with community and wellness goes beyond the new business. He remembers his time playing football for Charger head football coach Keith Otterbein with great fondness, and says Coach Otterbein instilled in his players the idea of uplifting others.
“One of Coach Otter’s top priorities was to mold us into men who were contributing members to society,” said Matt. “He helped us focus on what a man should be: faithful, family-oriented, and professional. With Coach Otter being a top-three guy in my life, he made a profound impact.”
During The Well’s time of renovation and development, three other businesses with like-minded philosophies joined the mission of addressing physical, spiritual, and social wellness: Genesis Health and Wellness, owned by Kam Mueller, ’11; 3DPT Physical Therapy; and The Wellbeing Cafe. 3DPT patients use The Well’s equipment during appointments, and the businesses are proud to promote the healthy, whole food options at The Wellbeing Cafe, owned by Hillsdale restaurateur Rick Tropiano.
The Well is equipped with recreation basketball courts, pickleball courts, Rogue weightlifting equipment, and NordicTrack treadmills. 24/7 gym access is available for members. In addition to upcoming basketball and pickleball leagues, yoga and group exercise activities are available, along with personal training services provided by Gavin LaFollette, ’24, and Jacob More, ’24. Childcare is also available to parents Monday through Friday.
“Honestly, everybody took a leap of faith to be a part of this,” said Matt. “The Dice family, who we met through Hillsdale United Brethren, joined Kellee and me as 50% partners in this business. Without them, this place wouldn’t be open.”
Matt explained that the idea behind The Well’s name has everything to do with the references to wells in the Bible, in addition to 3 John 1:2: “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
“Before modern infrastructure, people and communities had used wells for thousands of years,” Matt said. “It’s a place where life happened for many. The Well is a place where people can come together and nourish their bodies through physical activity, at physical therapy, at a regular check-up appointment, or by ordering a smoothie with simple ingredients. Our hope is that when people leave our facility they are better off than when they came in.”
Matt has proved to honor all the attributes Coach Otterbein instilled: faithful, family-oriented, and professional. “It doesn’t matter where you are and what you’re doing, you should strive to have a positive impact on your community, and the community should be proud that you’re a part of it,” Matt added. “So here we are today, sitting in The Well, and my hope is that this activity center will bless this community and the families who gather here.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of the Student Stories Blog. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. When she has a spare moment, she enjoys paleo baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Published in November 2022