Besides all of the center’s daily activities and special programs, the Active Life offers single-and-multiple day trips for their members.
On Jan. 24th, members took off to Columbus for an evening meal at Cheddar’s Casual Cafe and to the Springer Opera House to see a production of “Steel Magnolias.”
On the afternoon of the trip, all of the participants gathered in the center’s main dining hall. Active Life director, Dan Wooten took attendance, and Nancy Purdue said a short prayer before everyone boarded one of the Troup County mini buses. Taking the driver’s seat, and after turning on the GPS, Wooten started the bus towards Columbus.
During the ride to Columbus, everyone engaged in conversation with the person who they were sitting with, and around them. Cheddar’s menus were passed throughout the bus so people could make their culinary decisions before arriving at the restaurant.
Betty Cook has been an Active Life member for 18 years, she joined after she had retired from working at Milliken. Cook is also the center’s western line dance instructor and is a frequent participant of the various trips.
“At the center, there is something for everyone and you get to meet so many people,” Cook said. “The trips are great; in the fall Dan takes us to see the changing of the leaves and to go apple picking. We all come back with our apples loaded onto the bus.”
Once at the restaurant, everyone had another chance to interact with each other, sharing their stories of previous trips and activities that the center sponsored.
In the restaurant, Cook was sitting at a table along with Jean David, Judy King, who sometimes goes by the nickname Jose, Martha Thomas and Wii Bowler of the Year, Vestal Thomas.
“I love it all, I do come as often as I can,” David said. “The fellowship is what I really enjoy.”
“We always have a good time, I look forward to the trips and I especially love the water aerobic classes,” King said.
Thomas volunteers at the center, she is the one who organizes the overnight trips with Wooten.
“Dan and I decide where we are going, I set them up and then members sign up with Dan. We figure out all of the costs and then set a price for the trip. It’s one price for everything, hotel, travel, breakfast and dinner, just not lunch. There is no money made,” Thomas said. “We do something everyday except the day we arrive or leave, those are travel days.”
The next two overnight trips that are planned are to Myrtle Beach, S.C., in May and to Cape Cod, Mass., in September. The Cape Cod trip is already sold out, but there is still limited space on the Myrtle Beach trip. While in Myrtle Beach, the group will be seeing five different shows and eating at three different well-known restaurants.
While Thomas volunteers to arrange the longer, overnight trips, Shirley Lear is the one who is responsible for booking the day trips.
“Dan and I try to pick places where everyone wants to go. We also try to have a mystery trip once a year. Nobody knows where we are going except me and Dan,” Lear said. “We never have a problem filling those.”
After dinner everyone boarded the bus for the short ride to the Springer Opera House. Wooten pulled the bus right up to the theater’s door and let everyone out. He then handed the tickets out according to who wanted to sit together.
“Steel Magnolias” was a quality show that many of the members who were on the trip would not have had the opportunity to see if it wasn’t for Wooten and the caring volunteers who work at the Active Life.
Further information on the Active Life’s trips and activities may be obtained by visiting the center at 140 Ragland Street, calling 706-883-1681, visiting the center’s website at theactivelife.org or by going on Facebook at The Active Life.
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