Senior Opportunities Abound

By Dana Rasmussen, Trustee

As MAC focuses on nurturing Lifelong Athletes, who better to lead the way than the senior community? Our senior members, both long-standing and new, can model to others the many benefits of the club. Countless opportunities for seniors to stay active, engaged, and connected already exist at MAC.

General Manager Charles Leverton’s most recent columns in The Winged M emphasize the pillars of health as part of the Lifelong Athlete initiative adopted by the board. Those pillars include physical fitness, mental wellness, nutritional balance, recovery, and community.

Staff embraces these pillars and has created a wealth of classes and informal activities tailored to the unique needs of seniors. One only has to look at the past months’ issues of The Winged M to learn more about some of these opportunities.

The Fitness department, led by C.J. Martin, has leaned into health for seniors, in part because of Martin’s interest in senior health. His article on page 44 highlights some of the classes that are accessible to seniors and others who want a different pace in their workouts.

Teddy Martin, the newly designated Fitness Concierge, is there to help all members find their way around equipment and classes and to answer fitness questions. His enthusiastic personality makes the club less intimidating for members of all ages. Seniors often find their way to his desk as they reenergize their fitness routine.

The Events department, led by Erik Anderson, has presented senior community-building opportunities, including last winter’s Senior Happy Hours and this fall’s Senior Live & Learn workshops, which were highlighted in the August issue. These workshops, which start Sept. 9, cover a wide range of topics, from senior fitness offerings to travel, downsizing, storytelling, eating for longevity, and Portland and MAC history. Member participation will help shape future offerings.

In addition, the club also offers many classes and groups that are senior-friendly, from singing groups and book clubs to writing and watercolor classes.

Many of the senior-focused programs mentioned here have started with collaborations involving MAC members and staff. The board and staff welcome members’ ideas, which can be communicated through Sounding Boards. Additionally, more than 500 members participate in the club’s governance system via the 50-plus committees that work with excellent staff to make MAC ever better. Members can fill out a Committee Interest Form at themac. com. Life experiences matter, so the club welcomes applications from seniors as well as younger members for committees.

All in all, the abundance of offerings for seniors enhances the many gifts our senior members bring to the club! At MAC, seniors truly matter!