Strong Seniors Are a Success at Wasi
Contributed by Randi Perlman
At Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc. (WASI), success is contagious! Club 50, WASI’s exercise gym for those 55 and older, is a hub for seniors wanting to stay strong and limber as they mature into their golden years. Club 50 provides a complete workout gym, including various types of exercise equipment that can be utilized for a modest fee, and several different exercise classes, many of which are free (with a few exceptions).
At Club 50, success is measured in several ways. Each day members show up for their workout can be counted as a great success for them, Club 50 and WASI. Each class completed creates a feeling of success and accomplishment. And for some, each step in the right direction can lead to actual quantitative, measurable success!
Elsie O’Bryan, longtime WASI member, former Board Secretary, and current Board President, was experiencing issues related to an accident in 2023 and was using some of the Club 50 gym equipment. While working on the equipment, she watched the Strong Seniors exercise class taking place in the gym three times a week. Toward the end of her prescribed rehabilitative physical therapy (PT) after hip replacement surgery, she consulted with her therapist who was familiar with the excellent reputation of the Strong Seniors class and highly recommended it, saying it was a good overlap/follow-up to her PT.
In August of 2024, Elsie joined Strong Seniors. Post-surgery, she had very limited mobility for some time and had to use either two canes or a walker. Her many volunteer duties at WASI don’t always allow her to remain for the entire class but despite this, over the months she’s been participating in Strong Seniors, she has experienced much improved muscle tone, strength, balance, and stability. For the most part, she is no longer using any mechanical mobility aids. Class participants are evaluated periodically to measure progress over time. During the last evaluation, Elsie was unable to perform some of the criteria. This time she was able to participate in all the exercises – now THAT is quantifiable SUCCESS!! Elsie has always been a WASI advocate, and now she has become a strong advocate for Strong Seniors and Club 50, as well.
F. Olson is another Strong Seniors success story! She joined WASI last October for the therapy yoga class and discovered the Strong Seniors class. She has attended regularly on Wednesdays and Fridays ever since. When she started yoga, she had a difficult time just getting up and down off the floor. Over the next few months, it became easier and she attributes that to the Strong Seniors class. Recently on one of our few sunny days, she was hard at work in the yard trying to catch up on chores. Instead of paying attention to what she was doing, she was thinking ahead of what to do next. Suddenly, she tripped over a hose and headed to her knees on the cement parking pad. Luckily she was not broken, only bruised, and her husband was close by. She couldn't get up by herself, but with his help, was able to pop back up. She can honestly say that a year ago she would not have had the strength or flexibility in her legs to be able to do so and that it would have taken a lot more effort on both of their parts to get her upright. “Thank you, Strong Seniors, for not only helping me get stronger, but also for the friendships and laughs that come along with it!
Couples that exercise together get strong together! Kevin and Andi Reider moved to Wasilla after unfortunate circumstances forced them to sell their home on Big Lake in August 2023. Once there, they joined WASI and Club 50 in order to become part of their new community. Over the next 2 years, to their delight, they developed new friendships, interests and motivation to improve their physical and mental health. Kevin and Andi love Club 50; it’s a fun way to keep active as exercising alone at home is BORING! They enjoy the support and encouragement from fellow Oldies such as themselves. WASI is a place of love & laughter, where they continue to find a zest for life and companionship.
Clearly, WASI has found the right formula at Club 50 to keep its members coming back, striving for and finding great SUCCESS! Contact Club 50 at (907) 206-8807, WASI’s main line at (907) 206-8800, or visit their website at www.wasillaseniors.com.