102-year-old Peggy Roberts attended senior exercise classes for more than a decade. She’d get on a bus and arrive to class on time every week up until she died last summer. Her community at the gym called her an inspiration.
But when staff at the group’s gym ended their senior exercise class after years in May 2024, around 35 seniors were left without a facility to do their work outs.
The group tried a class at a new gym, but within four months it had changed ownership twice. After ownership changed, staff decided to do away with the chairs that the seniors used in their exercise classes. Once again, the senior fitness group was left without a gym that worked for them.
But longtime member Linda Rearden is happy to share that the group has found a new home: Premia Fitness in Fort Myers.
“The owner just started up the class as a favor to one of the people in our group,” Rearden said. “We really like it and would like to see our class grow back to around 25.”
Right now, the group has an average of 10 people per class. But the group members are hoping to find some of their friends from their previous classes.