By Amanda Amsel
Staff Writer
Seniors in Prairie Township are more active than ever before thanks to the new Prairie Township Community Center.
According to Prairie Township Senior Center Director Keith Farrell, the township has seen a dramatic increase in membership at the senior center.
“We have more members than we have ever had before,” he said. “Prior to the community center opening we had around 200 members. Now, we have approximately 1,000.”
Offering package membership opportunities, area seniors have doubled up on their township participation by joining both the new community center and senior center at the same time.
According to Farrell, a combined membership to both centers for adults 55 and over costs $97 a year for township residents and $145.50 a year for non-township residents. Membership for senior couples who are township residents costs $179 a year and $268.50 a year non-township residents.
According to Farrell, the center still offers social membership as well for $15 a year for township residents and $25 a year for non-township residents.
“The center is now accepting Silver Sneakers, which providers free gym memberships to seniors who have certain insurance plans,” Farrell said. “If your insurance offers Silver Sneakers than you can be a member of both centers for free, as a senior center membership comes with your membership to the community center.”
According to Silver Sneakers’ website, more than 65 Medicare health plans offer this program as part of its insurance plans.
“When the community center became an approved Silver Sneakers location, our door was basically bum rushed and we got a lot of new members to the senior center,” Farrell said. “We are located in the community center, so it is easy to work out and then stop by and participate in some of our activities after.”
The Prairie Township Senior Center and the Prairie Township Community Center also are working together to provide combined programming to area seniors. Some of the classes currently only offered to the adults 55 and over include strength and stretch classes, stretch and relax classes and low impact classes.
The Prairie Township Senior Center also hosts a variety of activities on their own for members, including potlucks, arts and crafts classes, chair volleyball and corn toss tournaments.
“We are also looking into having some cooking classes, as well as a quilting class this winter,” Farrell said. “We are also coming up with some other original classes and will hopefully offer more next year.”
To join the center or for additional information, visit www.prairietownship.org.
