tw-mature4-19-13

Let the good times

BY EMILY HEDGESCONTRIBUTING WRITER

For the seniors who meet weekly at Skateville, it can feel as though each pass around the oval-shaped wooden rink turns back the clock, reversing the aging process.

Manager Florance Adams fi rst began the “Active Older Adult” skate at the Burnsville rink almost 24 years ago to share her love of the sport. Since then, it has grown into a twice-a-week mainstay in the lives of regulars who come from all around the Twin Cities.

“We’re the only ones offering this type of entertainment,” Adams said. “It began

with eight people and grew from there. Five or six of the original members are still here. Over the years we’ve gained some and lost some.”

“Active Older Adult Skate” takes place 7-9:30 p.m. Monday evenings and 9-10:30 a.m. Wednesday mornings. Seniors of all ages may be found lacing up their own skates and hitting the rink to a varied ar-ray of traditional and contemporary mu-sic, including ‘50s and ‘60s rock and roll, waltzes, polkas, marches, foxtrots and tan-gos.

At the end of the skate on Mondays, the seniors take off their wheels and put on their street shoes for line and ballroom

dancing. Once a month, a big band per-forms live and allows the seniors to try out their steps.

When Adams isn’t managing Skateville, she is probably on the rink practicing her own skills. For more than 22 years, she has competed all around the country in team dance, solo dance and fi gure skating. She was inspired to take up skating after tak-ing her kids on a fi eld trip to the skating rink.

“I had no idea that grown-ups skated,” she said. “I stumbled around for a few years, but pretty soon I was one of them.”

The seniors who regularly attend the Skateville senior skates are more than

sharing the fl oor with one another. They’ve grown into a family.

“The camaraderie is wonderful. It’s a social gathering. We have pot lucks a cou-ple of times a year,” she said. “Sometimes young whippersnappers in their 40s join us.”

Betty Finnie of Apple Valley has at-tended the Active Older Adult skate since it began. She believes the welcoming at-mosphere makes Skateville a special place for seniors.

“We are a senior group; however it is not unusual to have younger skaters join us,”

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SKATING - TO PAGE 6

Jack Cotter and Betty Finnie dance-skate together during Active Older Adult skate at Skateville in Burnsville.

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Steve Streff likes to get in a quick nine holes after work or on the weekends. From the fi rst tee, he judges the distance to the hole, reaches in his bag for a driver, positions his feet to give the maximum distance, and lets it go.

A fl ying saucer of white plastic spins through the air, landing a few feet from the metal basket. It’s a nice shot.

For golfers like Streff, trading in clubs for discs makes for the ideal sport.

“I can drive to the course, play a round and drive home in an hour,” the Golden Valley resident said. “You buy one disc for $7 and you’re set. A few courses are start-ing to charge, but the majority are free.”

Disc golf is a sport that can be played either competitively or just for fun. A player aims a disc similar to a Frisbee at targets with baskets attached. Similar to traditional ball golf, the player will keep track of how many attempts it takes to get the disc into the target basket.

Discs fall into three main categories: putters, mid-range discs and drivers.

“Each has different edges on the lip,” Streff said. “Putters are more squared off so they fl oat. He explained that driv-ers have different stability ratings. If you throw a disc on a straight, fl at line and it continues to fl y straight, it has a stability rating of zero.

Discs that fade right (“understable”) are given a negative, numerical rating based on the degree of turn; and discs that fade left (“overstable”) are given an positive numerical rating.

As with golf clubs, the player selects the best disc to reach the target. Discs are made out of several different types of plastic, but are usually thicker and fi rmer than a traditional Frisbee.

As a kid, Streff recalls playing around with Frisbees, but he didn’t discover disc golf until he moved to Minnesota 20 years ago.

“My family hadn’t moved here yet,” he said. “Someone suggested disc golf, and I took to it. It gave me something to do that was cheap and got me out of the house.

Now two decades later, he still loves to play, especially new courses when he trav-els.

“I’ve played 72 courses, mostly around here. I’ve played a lot in the Midwest re-gion and some in California,” he said. “I almost played in Alaska, but the taxi was

going to cost me $40 each way.”Streff ’s favorite place to play is near his

home at Bassett Creek Park in Crystal. He especially enjoys going there with his four sons and their families.

“My sons play disc golf, and a couple have their own discs,” he said. “We love to go to the park. We’ll throw Frisbees. Sometimes we kayak. It’s just a lot of fun.”

Rick “Viper” Sanders shares Streff ’s love of Bassett Creek Park’s nine-hole course. He has served as tournament di-rector for the annual Bassett Creek Open disc golf tournament for fi ve years.

The tournament, sanctioned by the Pro-fessional Disc Golf Association, offers the lowest tier competition level to all ages. This year it took place on April 6.

Sanders became interested in the sport back in 2002, when he noticed that the pond at North Valley Park was full of discs.

“I put on my waders and pulled them out of the water for fun. Most had names and numbers on the back, so I started call-ing the owners and returning them.”

Sanders said that the golfers he met paid him back with knowledge.

“They were all helpful and friendly and taught me about the game,” he said.

Getting to meet good people is one of the main reasons Sanders loves playing disc golf.

“The interaction with the public is the biggest reason. It’s great to see new people out trying the sport. It’s a great sport to get into and it doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg,” said Sanders. “It’s competitive, but it’s really about having fun.”

Bassett Creek Park is located 6001 32nd Ave. N. in Crystal.

Contact Emily Hedges at [email protected].

Disc golf: a sport that is challenging, fun and cheap

Steve Streff lines up his shot on a local disc golf course. The Golden Valley resident fi rst became interested in the sport nearly a decade ago.

DISC GOLF TERMS• Ace: known as a hole in one in ball

golf.

• Anhyzer: A disc’s fl ight arc that fades to the right for a right-handed backhand throw.

• Drive: any throw off of the tee pad, or a throw from the fairway designed for maximum distance.

• Hyzer: A disc’s fl ight arc that fades to the left for the right-handed back-hand throw.

• Mini/Marker: A small disc used to mark a player’s lie.

• Pole hole or basket: The target for catching the disc

• Putt: The fi nal throw(s) of the hole aimed at getting your disc to come to rest in the trapper basket. Any throw within the circle (10 meter radius).

• Roller: A rolling disc advance (e.g., the disc rolls along the ground).

(Source: Disc Golf Association web-site, www.discgolf.com)



Carol Mills confesses to being surprised when she encounters a professed theater lover who has never heard of the Mounds View Community Theatre (MVCT).

As house manager and member of its Board of Directors, she expects this sum-mer’s musical offering will bring much-de-served notoriety to the group, which is cel-ebrating 30 years of quality performances and community enrichment.

Opening on July 12 is the regional premiere of “Les Misérables,” the longest-running musical in history, and one that has not been available to community the-ater until now.

“Where else can you see ‘Les Misérables’ performed for less than $20?” Mills said. “It’s an old story that is still relevant today. This will be an exciting, commu-nity-building event.”

Fellow board member Sally Cameron shares Mills’ hope that “Les Misérables” will further the theatre’s reputation for quality performances.

“It’s quite a feat, and great for the act-ing community. They have not been able to be in this show, so they are excited for the opportunity. We will have amazing talent,” Cameron said.

According to Cameron, when the board found out that the rights were fi nally avail-able for “Les Misérables,” they jumped at the opportunity.

“The Orpheum is doing it in August,” Cameron said. “They asked for the rights after they had been granted to us, so we got to keep it.”

Both Mills and Cameron got involved with MVCT through their children. Mills’ daughter, who is currently training with famed comedy outfi t The Second City in Chicago, performed in multiple shows with MVCT before going on to earn an MFA from the Art Institute of Chicago. After her daughter moved, Mills, a local school teacher, stayed on the Board of Directors and became house manager.

Cameron got involved the second year the theater was open when her son per-formed in “Oklahoma!” She could see him maturing and growing through the experi-ence, and that’s when she realized the im-pact that community theater could have on people of all ages.

“We look at the theater as intergenera-tional,” she said. “As mature adults, we want to share our experiences with the next generation through all areas of the-ater. Whether it’s volunteering to sell tick-ets, putting up posters, building sets, gath-ering props or selling ads, volunteerism is important.”

Diane Wuori, operations chair for MVCT, credits the age diversity of its par-ticipants as a key to the longevity of the group.

“We often observe younger volunteers learn-ing new skills from the more experienced volun-teers. Our patron survey shows that seniors are a large percentage of our au-dience and are involved in all aspects of our produc-tions from actors and musi-cians to light operators and ushers,” said Wuori.

It is Mills’ job to coordi-nate volunteers to meet the needs of each summer pro-

duction. She believes this is one important way MVCT is able to achieve its mission to provide quality musical theater at an affordable price for people in the metro area.

“I work a lot with volunteers,” Mills said. “Seniors love to come and usher. They do a gracious job greeting people and taking tickets. I have seniors who have dibs on certain performances. If you didn’t call them for help, they’d be very disappointed.”

In addition to offering senior discounts and hearing-assistance devices, MVCT caters to its senior patrons by hosting “Senior Appreciation Day” each summer with complimentary punch and cupcakes.

“We love to pamper and take care of them when they come. We get lots of groups –the Red Hats, retirement commu-nities,” said Mills. “Seniors are the ones who really appreciate musical theater.”

For ticket and casting information, go to www.mvct.org. The Mounds View Community Theatre performs at Irondale High School in New Brighton. “Les Mi-sérables” runs from July 12-28. The pro-duction is made possible in part by a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council. Additional donors or sponsors are always welcome and appreciated.


(Above) Seniors frequently take on leading roles in Mounds View Community Theatre performanc-es. Pictured here is Mounds View resident Mary Kay Walsh-Kaczmarek performing as Mrs. Potipher in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” (Below) Here is Edina resident Rick Treece as Jacob in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

Community theatre allows seniors to grow, share life experiences



Virginia Vonhof never knew retirement could be so much fun.

Joining SilverSneakers at the Eden Prai-rie Community Center is one reason why. She and her husband Al joined 11 years ago as a way to stay healthy. What they’ve gained since then has surpassed all expec-tations. They are functioning at their best, free from many of the aches and pains of their contemporaries, and are surrounded by a network of friends who love to laugh on and off the exercise fl oor.

“You only have so much time in this life. There’s no reason why it can’t be quality,” said Virginia. “This program can inspire anybody to get off the couch and start moving. You are so empowered. What a feeling!”

Joining the Eden Prairie Community Center began as a traffi c consideration. The Vonhofs, who lived in Edina at the time, realized that driving west against morn-ing traffi c would be a lot easier to manage. They were fl oored to learn their member-ship fees were covered by insurance.

“I thought this was too good to be true,” Virginia said. “If you hired a personal trainer that would be so costly. Here the insurance company was offering member-ships gratis as an incentive to exercise.”

When Virginia and Al fi rst signed up, there were only seven members. They at-tended 45-minute sessions three times a week. Over the years, the couple extend-ed that to fi ve days a week, adding Yoga Stretch and SilverSplash (pool exercise) to their aerobics and cardio continual move-ment classes.

According to Virginia, the program has a current membership of 500 seniors, with men comprising one-third of the group. One of them is Roger Haro, who says that SilverSneakers gives him a tan-gible reason to get up in the morning.

“Getting to the scheduled classes gives needed structure to retired life,” Haro said. “Exercise generates a feeling of well-being which encourages further pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.”

The ability to discuss common challeng-es with friends is one of the reasons Patsy Benson of Eden Prairie enjoys attending SilverSneakers.

“People in my class share health con-cerns with one another, when and where to get our fl u shots and other basic health is-sues,” Benson said.

The SilverSneakers Fitness Program is the nation’s leading fi tness program de-signed exclusively for older adults. Health-ways began the initiative more than two de-cades ago. Today, more than 40 Medicare health plans offer the program as a benefi t to members in community centers and fi t-ness facilities across the nation.

“Research points to the signifi cant health benefi ts of regular exercise for older adults,” said Lisa Austen, senior account manager with Healthways. “In addition to helping our members stay physically healthy, SilverSneakers also offers a great way for them to socialize, meet new friends and have fun.”

Whether it’s exercising in Halloween cos-tumes, having martinis and manicures at a local spa, taking organized trips around the area, or celebrating holidays and birthdays together, the group is constantly looking for new ways to have a good time together and enjoy life.

“It enables me to maintain a social life

with classmates who have similar chal-lenges,” Al said. “It has given us a forum to listen, help and enjoy each other’s presence. Good humor and laughter abound.”

Mary Lynn Bechtel says that her doctor is shocked at how much her blood pressure has gone down since joining SilverSneak-ers.

“What if you found the ‘golden key’ to health, friends and happiness? You’d want to share it, right?” she asked.

Some of Virginia’s favorite people she has met through SilverSneakers are the in-structors. She credits the quality of the in-structors who on occasion have taken the time to work in trivia and word games to give their classes a true head-to-toe work-out.

The Eden Prairie Community Center is located at 16700 Valley View Road. For more information, go to www.edenprairie.org or call 952-949-8470.

To fi nd out if you are eligible for Silver-Sneakers visit www.silversneakers.com or call 888-423-4632.


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Finnie said. “We get a lot of compliments about being such a friendly group. It’s a great place to get your exercise and be with people. When people come in alone, they’re not alone long.”

Don Pau of Bloomington will frequently show up to a skate wearing a T-shirt that reads, “I may be getting older, but I refuse to grow up.”

“I’m an active senior. I’m either an old 39 or a young 81 years old,” he said.

Paul started skating as a kid, working at a local rink for $1 a night and free admis-sion. He left skating for 30 years while rais-ing his family, but came back to it 20 years ago. Now he rarely misses an opportunity lace up and go.

“If you don’t get exercise you fade away,” Paul said. “It keeps you young, vigorous. The most pathetic thing is to sit around and complain about aches and pains. My exercise gives me everything my body needs.

If more people understood this there would be fewer people in nursing homes. Keeping active extends life and your enjoyment of it.”

Paul is quick to encourage fellow seniors not to be afraid of falling.

“Medical science proves that the more ex-ercise you do, the stronger you are, and the less likely you are to break something. Keep muscles in tone and your knees won’t wear out,” said Paul. “I’m 80 and I’ve got all my own original parts.”

Jack Cotter drives twice a week from Fridley to take part in the active older adult skates.

“The fl oor is magnifi cent. It’s a nice, big wood fl oor, probably the best fl oor in the city,” he said. “Florance plays really nice music. Between the fl oor, music and nice, congenial crowd, it’s a great social outlet.”

Skateville is located at 201 S. River Ridge Circle in Burnsville. For more information on skate sessions or lessons for all ages, call 952-890-0988.


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tw-mature4-19-13

Documents

active older adult skate

skating rink

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fi gure skating

solo dance