Seniors seek fitness room in NYCHA community center
UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (PIX11) -- There is a senior building on the Upper West Side, where some seniors pooled their resources and created a wellness center.
Every afternoon 82-year-old Anna Salabarria is working up a sweat. She is sassy and full of life. A grandmother of two she retired from working at the Plaza Hotel, for decades she worked in laundry services helping others. Now she says this is her time to shine!
Salabarria finds fitness and friendship here at NYCHA’s Sondra Thomas Senior Building. She comes downstairs every day to be with her neighbors. The saying on the door of the community room says sit and be fit.
It was last November when 70-year-old Margie Gonzalez started an exercise class in what used to be a storage room. She believes if you build they will come and they did.
Cynthia Tibbs the tenant president of a neighboring NYCHA development reached out to Pix11 News to help, touched by their struggle for resources for their new rec room.
So far, the former storage room turned community room has three pieces of used exercise equipment.
In addition to the used exercise bikes, they also take turns using a used stepper. Gonzalez says every day she stretches not just her seniors but resources. Gonzalez says it’s her mission to make her neighbors move and be motivated.
Those who want to help can drop off donations at the Sondra Thomas Senior Building at 102 West 91st Street from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
Potential donators can also reach out to Margie Gonzalez directly at margie.g14@yahoo.com.