Engage Coordinator Melia Stevenson, center, leads a Line Dancing class with Engage participants in the basement of the Holmes Theatre in December. (Marie Johnson / Health Beat)
It’s like a summer camp for seniors Detroit Lakes’ new Engage program focuses on fun and wellness — mind, body and soul BY MARIE JOHNSON | MTJOHNSON@DLNEWSPAPERS.COM
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hey say it’s like being back at kids’ summer camp — but even more fun. The roughly 30 or 40 seniors who regularly join in activities through the Detroit Lakes Community and Cultural Center’s Engage program have an array of things they can choose to do throughout the year, from the tried and true — like the weekly Crumbcake and Coffee events that draw strong crowds every Monday morning — to the totally new, like tubing down the Otter Tail River, which a few of them had never done before. The Engage calendar is chock-full of camp-like events and outings: Group hikes, bike rides, games, crafts, dancing, field trips, fitness classes, learning opportunities, and lots more. Then there’s the social aspect; the chance to share new experiences with friends, meet new people, and make new friends.
“If you like to keep busy, this is the place to be. I love to come for the camaraderie, the fellowship. I’ve made a lot of new friends.” -Kay Schiller Open to adults ages 50 and up, Engage activities are focused on overall wellness — mind, body and spirit. The program is intended to help seniors maintain a healthy lifestyle, healthy relationships, and a positive outlook on life. It kicked off last February, and by all accounts, the program is meeting its mission. Every senior spoken to for this article (and there were many) had nothing but good things to say about Engage. “It brings people together,” said Kathy Mickelberg, an active participant. “You establish friendships, and it oftentimes just
fills a void that isn’t necessarily always filled when you get older. It’s a place to come together, share, and develop new friendships. Some of these people have lost their spouses...” Henrietta Malchow, for example, lost her husband in December 2018, and she credits the Engage program with bringing her out of her shell. “Engage got me out of the house,” she said. “It was just what I needed, the fellowship.” Newly widowed, she found that the program’s group outings — in particular a bus trip to Chanhassen to see the musical “Mamma Mia” — “showed me, ‘I can do it.’” Newcomers to Detroit Lakes have also found Engage to be a welcome social outlet. SUMMER CAMP continued on page 4
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