Provo Rec Center offers more than exercise for seniors
Instructor Jacob Garcia, far right, leads the 60+ Zumba class held on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at the Provo Recreation Center.
Maria Elena Wenger touches her toes during the 60+ Zumba class at the Provo Recreation Center on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017.
Maria Elena Wenger touches her toes during the 60+ Zumba class at the Provo Recreation Center on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017.
Rebecca Lu, participates in the 60+ Zumba class on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, in the Provo Recreation Center. Lu has been doing Zumba for two years and has noticed the benefits of the class.
The 60+ Zumba class takes place on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, in the Provo Recreation Center.
The woodworking class takes place on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in the Provo Recreation Center. The class runs from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays.
Gary Heaton paints a Santa figure during the woodworking class on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in the Provo Recreation Center. Heaton mentioned that everyone in the class was willing to help anyone start out.
David O. Clarke, left, laughs with Dennis Trotter during the woodworking class on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in the Provo Recreation Center. Trotter has been woodworking for around three to four years.
Dennis Trotter works on a carving during the woodworking class on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, in the Provo Recreation Center. Woodworking beginners are invited to join and learn from other attendees.
Jose Salvador Tapia plays pool with his friend Sergio Navarro on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, at the Provo Recreation Center.
Jose Salvador Tapia prepares to hit the cue ball while he plays pool with his friend Sergio Navarro on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017, in the Provo Recreation Center.
The rhythmic sound of sneakers tapping on flooring blends with the sounds of the dance music Jacob Garcia, the Zumba instructor, picked for 60+ Zumba at the Provo Recreation Center. The numbers are lower than usual, because of the holiday season, but the reindeer antlers on Jean McGhie’s and the Santa hat on Teresa Lara adds a festive flare to their workout.
The candy cane crown on Rebecca Lu’s head sparkles as she follows Garcia’s lead towards the end of the class.
“At first, it was hard,” Lu said. When she started, she was only able to do about 20 minutes of Zumba, but now she is going the entire time. The benefit of Zumba for Lu has been quite clear and is evident in improved circulation for her.
Another Zumba participant, Brenda Daffern, has been attending Zumba for six weeks and was drawn into the studio because of how fun the class looked. Next to the studio, employees of the Recreation Center are taking chairs away and packing up from the Christmas Banquet in the dining hall next to the studio.
Down the hall from the dining area, rooms dedicated to exercising and arts wait for members. The diversity in options for seniors in the Provo Recreation Center demonstrates the commitment the center made in not simply catering to those who wish to exercise, but for those interested in expanding their knowledge and building community.
“We like to show what a recreation center can do for a community,” Fitness Program Coordinator Michelle Wakefield said.
Early on the morning of Dec. 18, the sound of knives on wood subtlety breaks up the quiet. Cleo Davis, Dennis Trotter, and Gary Heaton work on their projects in one of the art rooms at the Recreation Center.
“We all are more than willing to help anyone to start,” Heaton said, as he continued painting a wooden Santa piece.
The men agreed that the woodworking hours were a great way to share ideas and help one another as they continue in the creative process. Trotter believes that the group is a highly social situation that builds comradery amongst the participants as they develop their woodworking skills.
The group is welcoming new participants and Michael Roddam agreed that the more experienced woodworkers are helpful and willing to share their knowledge. And with the significantly higher enrollment numbers compared to when the Eldred Senior Center was operating, there are more individuals involved at the Recreation Center. Wakefield mentioned that around 7,000 people swipe through in a day.
The increased engagement with the center may stem from what is being accessible at the current facility. Lunches, parties, dances, movies, and external trips are all a part of the activities offered for seniors. There are also sessions on social media and computer use. The variety allows for members to participate in multiple aspects of the center and develop a schedule that allows for regularity and unique opportunities.
For 2018, Community Programs Coordinator Alicia Christensen thinks there won’t be major additions to programming, but there are plans to offer another multiday trip and developing a multigenerational activity, which would include participants from different generations working together. These programs would aim to bridge the generational gap.
The benefits from the opportunities at the Provo Recreation Center are clear. Friendships, health, and education are all components to what is gained as seniors dive into classes and events.
“Age is a number,” Wakefield said as she sat in on the AquaZumba class, a Zumba class performed in the pool. That number may keep getting higher for all of us, but there are many opportunities to add more life in those years.
Kathy (Kat) Van Orman, the AquaZumba instructor highlighted that these classes were a chance to move again for some of the participants. This opportunity to dance again was “such a gift,” Van Orman said.
