The Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center is celebrating five years in business this year.
The center officially opened to the public in February 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the area.
Looking at the membership numbers year to year, however, the number of users always sees a steep increase with the beginning of the winter months of January through March, and then slowly tapers off during the summer when more activities are available outside.
Matt Siders, Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation director, said over the past several years, daily attendance numbers, much like membership has increased.
In January 2021, the center averaged 180 people per day. In January 2022, that increased to an average of 270 people per day. This January, average people per day was 413.
The most popular programs at LBC have been pickleball; the morning group fitness classes like cycling, Fit For Life, Total Body Blitz, Better Faster Stronger, Deep Peace Yoga, and Barre; the kid’s night out activities and the Thursday speaker series.
Mondays and Wednesdays are the busiest days for the center, and peak times of people visiting include 5:30-6:30 a.m., 9-11 a.m., and 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Many long-time members and supporters of the center, however, note that the community they build has been one of the positives for them with the center.
Jason Pershing said that playing basketball with his girls after school almost every day has been one of the things he looks forward to every day.
“It just makes it so easy for us all to get a workout in after school and have great family time,” Pershing said. “The girls are able to easily walk over to the LBC and we’re able to get in 30 to 45 minutes of play time right there.”
Pershing said that to do that at other centers, it would easily mean adding 15 to 20 minutes of travel time to get to an indoor court that’s available.
“And suddenly, that 30-to-45-minute workout that you planned for, it turns into an hour and a half to two hour commitment to getting a workout in,” Pershing said.
Pershing also said that the staff makes every visit worth it.
“So many of them know my daughters names and really make it a community based experience,” Pershing said. “We have a huge love for the center in our area.”
Delores Strieb said the community of friends she has built in the community because of the LBC has greatly added to her quality of life. She’s involved in many of the activities for senior citizens at the center, from senior tai chi to yoga for senior citizens and Qi Gong classes.
“Aside from all the exercising, it is the social and fun elements that has really improved my life,” Strieb said. “When I moved to the area three and a half years ago, I didn’t know too many people, but attending classes and things at the LBC has made a huge difference in my life.”
Strieb says she frequents the center four or more times in a week. Where she lived previously, she did frequent a gym with a friend on occasion.
Strieb said she is now one of the regulars at the LBC who explains to new attendees all that there is to do.
“I’ve definitely seen improvement for me physically from the classes I’ve taken that help me with things like balance or dealing with the arthritis in my knees,” Strieb said. “But getting to know so many more people has also given me so much more in this community.”
Katrina and Joel Anderson and their family have been long time members at the facility as well.
“Joel gets in pick-up basketball games with other community members throughout the week,” Katrina said. “For me, it’s early morning workouts. For our children, it’s the activities geared for them, like pickleball youth leagues, the e-wall, the climbing wall or things like kids’ night out activities.”
Katrina said prior to the LBC, they were busy just raising their young children, so their use of centers was less frequent, maybe some opportunities at First Street Community Center.
“This has become like a second home for our family,” Katrina said. “We see so many of our friends and neighbors at the center. There’s so much for all generations and ages to do at the center, that it’s hard not to see this as an important part of our community now.”
Brad Haverback said that his family gets so much use out of the LBC in general.
“One of the big ways has just been having family time on the court with my family,” Haverback said.
Haverback said that because their family has so many age ranges, they use different portions of the facility. Olivia, as a pitcher, might get some pitching in the green room during the winter months.
Haverback said that prior to the LBC, his family was just less active in the winter months, as there weren’t spaces designated like the LBC for a wide range of activities.
“It has just filled such a void in our community, especially during the winter months, and we see so many of our friends there,” Haverback said. “It has greatly added to our quality of life by making healthy life style choices easier. Even if it is just stopping up for a quick workout during winter break.”
Haverback said it’s not unusual to see many families in the space, especially during the winter months.
“As our communities have grown, so has this center become such an integral part of the community,” Haverback said.
Diana Corcoran has been a long time member of the facility, and said some of her favorite activities have been the classes she takes in the evening and the weight lifting area.
“Prior to the LBC, we on occasion utilized the weights at the First Street Community Center,” Corcoran said. “It’s so nice to have the LBC, which is focused on so many different exercise options, from numerous class offerings to the weights.”
Corcoran said her mental health has also drastically improved with having so many people to interact with at classes or when working on weights.
“That’s the thing with being part of exercise classes that you don’t realize, is just how that social interaction and seeing people every day benefits you,” Corcoran said.
She said things like the craft programs and adult speaker series also help build that sense of community at the center, or the center hosting the Heritage Days kick off events in the community.
“It’s not just the physical aspects you gain, it’s also those social aspects they help build,” Corcoran said. “It’s been a wonderful addition to our community, having this space here.”