More than two decades ago when the Robertson County YMCA was under construction, Glenn and Ida attended an open house. While impressed by the facility, the couple didn’t join.
Glenn traveled for his sales job. Ida balanced her full-time job in a pharmacy while caring for two young children. “Saturdays were spent working on the yard and grocery shopping. We didn’t have a lot of time.” Glenn said.
Free time in retirement
Fast-forward to April 2017 when the couple retired. Glenn and Ida spent their time traveling. But as the couple learned, there were still plenty of hours left to fill. “Ida would wake me up and the first thing out her mouth was, ‘What are we gonna do today?’” Glenn recalled.
Glenn and Ida went back to the place they toured years ago and decided to join so they could work out a few days per week. But their time at the Y has turned into so much more.
Finding community at the Y
“The YMCA is so much more than that. It is like a whole new community to us. We have made so many new friends that will last a lifetime. The staff made us feel welcome from day one,” Glenn said.
The couple met Active Older Adults Coordinator Kitty early in their membership. Kitty opened up opportunities for the couple. She introduced them to group fitness classes and to the AOA activities. That was a game-changer.
“After you work for so many years it’s like ‘What do I do now?’ It’s kinda scary," Ida said. "It’s like a whole new stage in your life, a new beginning. We’ve met a lot of new people. We exercise. We go on trips. We have a dinner twice a month, and we play games. It’s a fun family.”
Glenn echoes his wife’s sentiment. “With the people we’ve met and the friends we’ve made, it’s turned out to be more like a community than just a place to exercise. It’s a blessing to have this here.”
Staying Fit
Ida enjoys walking on the track and going to exercise classes, while Glenn enjoys the cardio machines on the Wellness Floor. The couple knows they are missed when they travel.
“The people who work here are wonderful. They always help you with anything you need. If you don’t come to class, they miss you and call to check on you,” Ida said.
The couple has been to 15 Caribbean islands and Mexico more times than they can count. Glenn gets in his exercise at home, even though most of the resorts offer gyms. “I’m not going on the machine when I’m looking on a beach.”
The couple is originally from Kentucky and moved to the area in the late 1980s. They have two grown children who live nearby. Their next trip is to Jamaica.