MANITOUWADGE -- The Manitouwadge Community Services got the ball rolling last night with the first of weekly drop-in activity nights.
Every Tuesday evening in the month of April, from 7 to 8 p.m., adults are welcome to come down to the Rec Centre auditorium for a fun, healthy hour of badminton, basketball, pickleball or, for the less athletically inclined, cards and boardgames.
Pickleball, for the uninitiated, is a racket/paddle sport that was created by combining several racket sports. The court has a similar layout to badminton, where perforated whiffle ball type balls are volleyed over a tennis-style net with a stylized ping-pong paddle. It’s a great exercise for your mind and body, allowing you to work on your balance, agility, reflexes and hand/eye coordination. It’s an ideal sport for older or less mobile adults, as it offers light exercise without putting excessive strain on their body. The smaller courts are perfect for socializing, too, giving the players a chance to bond with family, friends or potential friends-to-be. There is such a great demand in Manitouwadge for more of this game, that you can go twice a week! There’s a second drop-in pickleball game on Thursday mornings from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
In addition to the adult drop-in activities, the Community Services department has other age-appropriate activities, including a ‘Little Learners’ program for parents/caregivers of children four years of age and under, taking place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, a Grade 5 and under youth drop-in on Saturdays from 11 to 12 p.m., and a Grade 6 and over youth drop-in on Wednesdays, from 7 to 8 p.m.
“We wanted to create programs for people of all ages in the community,” states Nickie Chik, Community Services programmer. “We’ll start here, and see where it goes.”
There is no cost or registration required for any of these programs. Just sign the guestbook, slip into your gym shoes, pick your activity, and have fun!
For more information about these and other activities at the Rec Centre, go to the Manitouwadge Community Service Facebook page or call Nickie at (807) 826-3227, extension 237.