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On Tuesday, Troup County’s The Active Life LaGrange hosted a ribbon cutting to celebrate the facility’s five new outdoor exercise machines, which were purchased through a grant from Heart of West Georgia, a local non-profit organization who aims to raise awareness of healthy hearts to the surrounding community.

All of the machines are in the shaded area of the walking trail behind The Active Life LaGrange.

They are a combo press and pull machine, an exercise bike, a leg press, a rowing machine and an air walker, according to a Troup County press release.

Dan Wooten, director of aging services for Troup County Parks and Recreation, gave a speech before the ribbon was cut.

“All meaningful community projects are a team effort, and the production of these machines being where they are was a group effort,” he said.

“It started off with ideas from the community and staff. Celeste [Garrett] and I had talked about the hope for these outdoor machines for years, and then a wonderful opportunity came about through Heart of West Georgia.”

Wooten said that he and Garrett, wellness coordinator at The Active Life, wrote a grant for the fitness machines, which Heart of West Georgia funded.

“Also coming to our help and aid, of course, is the Troup County Board of Commissioners, and Eric Mosley, the county manager, supported this grant and this funding …” Wooten said.

“Lance Dennis, Parks and Recreation director was enthusiastic about it and rallied the troops. And we had several departments that helped make this possible.”

Wooten gave credit to James Emery, director of engineering and development for the Roads and Engineering department, and the rest of the department for clearing out the areas for the machines and installing concrete.

Jessica Maddox, site manager with The Active Life, cut the ribbon.

The Active Life is a gathering place for adults 55 and up. Its programs are funded through federal and state grants, the Troup County Board of Commissioners, the United Way of West Georgia and self-generated funds.

The services it provides include but aren’t limited to home-delivered meals for homebound seniors, a daily lunch, exercise programs (chair and water aerobics), recreation tournaments, tax assistance, driver’s training, computer training, arts and crafts classes, indoor recreation and games, walking trails and outdoor recreation, fellowship, educational training in topics relevant to senior adults, prescription assistance information, travel, hair care and identity theft prevention.