It was a full house Tuesday morning at the Scotts Valley Senior Center as more than 25 people had their morning workout together in Leatrice Bachan’s Zumba class.
She has offered the dance exercise program at the senior center for nearly five months, and it has become so popular enough to fill three classes a week: two at the Scotts Valley Senior Center and one at the San Lorenzo Valley Senior Center in Ben Lomond.
“I love dance — I love exercise,” said Bachan, a Felton resident. “I found it to be a really, really fun way for people to exercise.”
As the class ended, Bachan paused frequently to exchange hugs and thanks with her students as they meandered out of the building.
Bachan said the Zumba classes, open in Scotts Valley to women and men age 50 and older, were a particularly good way for seniors to socialize and stay fit, because of the ease with which the program can be adapted for different skill levels.
“Anybody can do it,” she said. “It’s made to be really fun for everyone — and who doesn’t want to do a good samba?”
The hour-long classes in Scotts Valley take place Tuesday and Thursday mornings, beginning at 9 and 9:30, respectively. The class at the SLV Senior Center is more relaxed as far as age requirements, welcoming younger folks, too, and takes place at 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays.
The Zumba classes are just one example of the myriad options for social activities available through the local senior centers.
“We really want to let seniors know what is available to them,” said Darshana Croskrey, director of the Scotts Valley Senior Center. “This is a resource, and we have much to offer — not just exercise.”
Patti Smith, director of the SLV Senior Center, agreed that spreading the word is important.
“Our survival really depends on these classes and fundraisers,” Smith said. “We’re here and we’re hoping to stay here.”
Smith and Croskrey both said that one of the biggest challenges faced by the senior centers is visibility. Because of limited budgets, they rely largely on word of mouth to attract both attention for their programs and volunteers to staff them — including Meals on Wheels programs to provide meals for seniors, which both facilities provide.
The Scotts Valley Senior Center has free or low-priced activities for seniors that include ukulele classes, birthday celebrations, movie nights and help with transportation — both to and from the center, but also to medical appointments and to pick up essentials.
“We offer a variety of programs here, and it’s not expensive,” Croskrey said. “We would like seniors to feel like they can use (the senior center) and not need to feel like they’re housebound.”
Croskrey said leaders of the Scotts Valley center are discussing plans for future activities that take advantage of an increase in visibility due to the developing Town Center immediately adjacent to the facility. Such activities could include multi-age Zumba classes, computer education and ballroom dancing lessons.
“I believe (the center) is Scotts Valley’s little secret,” said Croskrey. “This is not a place to come and grow old; it’s a place to come and enjoy life.”
The San Lorenzo Valley center, meanwhile, has its own array of programs and activities designed to, as Smith said, “provide networking for people — a place of social gathering.”
The center, near the baseball fields at Highlands Park, acquires a significant portion of its budget by way of fundraisers and renting out the spacious facility for private events and parties.
For seniors, the center offers Jazzercise three days a week, tai chi on Mondays, bridge games, ukulele sing-alongs, monthly pancake breakfasts and a Thursday lapidary class, in which seniors can learn how to polish and cut precious stones. Another program through Project Scout is designed to help older men and women prepare their taxes.
For more information:
- Scotts Valley Senior Center: sv************@*****gy.net, 438-8666
- San Lorenzo Valley Senior Center: se*************@****io.com, 336-8900
- Zumba classes: lw*****@*******al.net
