March 4, 2008

Campbell Adult Center offers fitness and fun

By Jeanne C. Carbone
Editor

Trish Boesel, right foreground, teaches line dancing two mornings a week at the Campbell Adult Center.

Whether you desire to write your memoirs, paint, line dance or learn Spanish, there’s something for everyone at the Campbell Adult Center.

“We are so blessed,” said Donna Rice, Campbell recreation coordinator, who has been on the job 24 years. “Our seniors are so sweet. And we have lots of volunteers. It’s like a second family here.”

The Campbell Adult Center [CAC] is like an extended family. Need help with income tax or notary service? Want a nutritious lunch? How about becoming computer savvy? Or if you’re due for a vacation, there’s a three day excursion to the Wonder Valley Dude Ranch or day trips to the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, Filoli in springtime and even Bay Meadows Racecourse to try your luck. Whatever your interests CAC offers a variety of services and programs with their fitness, wellness, educational and cultural programs for those over 50.

If you stop in the office at Campbell Adult Center, you’ll see the smiling faces of Gail Foss, office manager, and Donna Rice, recreational coordinator. Photos by Jeanne C. Carbone

“I have learned so much by working with older adults and have received so much love and support throughout the years,” said senior services supervisor KC Whitcomb who has been with the city of Campbell for 31 years. “Coming to work is an extension of my family. The work and the participants have changed dramatically; however there are still some seniors who are still participating that were here when I first began in 1976. I have aged along with them and have benefited from their wisdom.”

Whitcomb reports that there are over 1,800 registered members at CAC. That figure doesn’t include those who dine at the Café Lunch Program or who access the center for programs like adult legal assistance, health insurance and long term care counseling, notary, income tax, homeowners/renters assistance, case management, pharmacy hotline and others.

The American Association of Retired Persons [AARP] has over 100 members. Other programs include California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, the Second Harvest Food Bank’s Brown Bag Program that supplements food for low-income Campbell seniors. Whitcomb says that CAC has approximately 65 senior volunteers as well. Their most popular programs are the trips, strength training and the line dance classes.

“There’s always lots of laughter here,” said CAC line dancer instructor Trish Boesel who along with husband Bob teaches seniors all the right moves.

But line dancing has changed. It’s not just for the Country Western aficionados. The class starts their review of steps with Johnny Mathis’ “Foolish.”

“This is so much fun and its good exercise,” said one senior between dance steps. “And it’s very social—we go out to lunch sometimes and we call each other.”

I’m not a jock,” said Campbell resident Ramona Wilson who attends the strength training class at CAC.

Some of the movers and shakers at the line dancing class start their day with strength training where you hear remarkable stories of the improvement in their lives that exercise has made. One senior was recovering from a stroke and has “improved so much.” Another had high cholesterol and high blood pressure and her readings are low now with her weekly fitness regime.

“I had arthritic knees,” said Jean Leonard. “I don’t need surgery now because of the strength training.”

And that’s the stories you hear, people in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and even a 102-year-old improving their lives and proving the adage that exercise is good at any age.

“I’m not a jock,” said Ramona Wilson. “My husband talked me into the class and now I’m an exercise addict.”

The Campbell Adult Center is located at 1 West Campbell Ave., #C-33. Office hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call (408) 866-2146 or visit their Web site at cityofcampbell.com.