By Sarrah Peters
News Editor
About 45 seniors attended the Coosa Valley YMCA’s Soup and Cornbread Day on February 24.
Soup and Cornbread Day is only held every February, but the YMCA holds monthly lunch events for the seniors to help build the community. Most months, the seniors go out to eat as a group. In May, with the warmer weather, the YMCA hosts a picnic. In October, a tailgate party is held, and attendees wear shirts supporting their favorite teams. In November and December, the YMCA hosts Thanksgiving and Christmas themed lunches.
According to Liz Bright, the YMCA director of senior programming, a lot of seniors come for socialization.
“They come for fun, and we sneak some fitness in,” said Bright.
With the help of AARP and the Silver Sneakers program, many seniors receive discounts to join the YMCA. The YMCA also offers need-based scholarships for membership.
The YMCA offers senior specific fitness classes that take into account health issues. On Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m., the YMCA offers a Silver Sneakers class. The program features chair-assisted fitness. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m., Bright teaches Joint Ventures, an Arthritis Foundation Program that uses water workouts to accommodate people with arthritis or other health issues. The workouts improve muscular strength, mobility, endurance, flexibility and manage or relieve pain, with water making the movements low impact on joints.
For more information, visit ymcacoosa.org or follow the Y on Facebook.