The YMCA hosts Senior Health and Fitness Day on Friday, May 31, from 9 am to 12 pm, one of the free community events that they host every year. The special day is planned in celebration of National Senior Fitness Month, and is made possible by the Y for All Community Outreach Program, funded through annual community donations. The program will allow seniors to sample the Y’s most popular classes, try out equipment, meet the professional staff, and even take a dip in the pool.
“There has been a big focus on reaching out to seniors over the past few years — we’ve even been able to devote more staff,” said Sarah Murphy, director of advancement for the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard. “We want to be able to provide as many resources and activities as possible, especially as the need on-Island has increased drastically.”
The day will begin with registration at 9 am, followed by a variety of class offerings from Zumba to yoga, and everything in between, including spin classes and Broadway dance. Several class options will be offered simultaneously within various half-hour blocks, and activities will end at noon.
To promote wellness, when attendees register they can pick up a registration card to enter a raffle for two free personal training sessions. To be eligible for the raffle, attendees will receive stamps from three different wellness activities offered during fitness day.
“The schedule is packed,” Murphy said. “Seniors will be able to get a sampling of the different activities that we provide, basically, a 30-minute preview of what each class or activity is like.”
The Y will have staff onsite to talk to those at the event about membership financial aid, fitness goals, and more. Several of the Y’s community partners will also be present at the event, including the Center for Living, Healthy Aging MV, and Martha’s VIneyard Community Services, to name a few. They will also have an elder tech table, for anyone who needs assistance with a cell phone, tablet, or computer.
“This event allows seniors to know what resources are available in the community,” Murphy said. “We’ve had a huge increase in our nonprofit collaborators this year.”
The YMCA hopes to reach as many seniors as possible with this event, which is free and open to the public. “There really aren’t a lot of places for seniors to convene on the Island,” Murphy said.
