Don’s Rambles: A Look at Senior Life in Motion

An Adventure in Which a Former Mayor Continues to Seek the “Soul” of His Hometown

Left: The Card Room Full of Happy Bridge Players
Top Right: The Joy Share Club at a Lecture by Attorney Laura Morgan Horton Regarding Estate Planning
Above Right: The Current Events Discussion Group, Co-Chaired by Jim Berlin, Allows Residents to Air Their Views

This month, my ramble around the community has fortuitously led me to the Coral Gables Adult Activity Center, located on the ground floor of the parking garage situated on Andalusia Avenue just a half block west of Douglas Road. Incidentally, I take personal pride in the fact that the construction of this modern building was part of the agreement reached during the negotiations between my Commission and the management team that built The Palace (which was our city’s first senior-living facility).

Our community recreation director, Fred Couceyro, has informed me: “This Center reflects our city’s commitment to enriching the lives of residents who have reached a ‘mature’ age. With approximately a thousand active members and more than 45 differ- ent programs, the center is a hub of activity encouraging creativity and lifelong wellness. Weekly classes include subject matters such as fitness, technology, art, and dance. It serves as a welcoming space where residents can stay engaged and socially connected.” And by the way, I should mention that membership in the Center is FREE!

I was taken on a comprehensive guided tour by Gregory Walters, the Center’s assistant supervisor, who impressively knew the names of all the many persons we encountered. In the middle of a weekday afternoon, it was difficult to believe the frenetic level of activity that was evident throughout the facility.

We first encountered a card room full of bridge players; as we proceeded down the hall, a meeting of the “Joy Share Club” was taking place, which featured a lecture by attorney Laura Morgan Horton regarding estate planning; turning the next corner, we came upon an area set aside for members to utilize computer equipment; and, in a larger conference room, we found the weekly gathering of the Current Events Discussion Group (in which homebound residents can participate by Zoom). Jim Berlin, who has co-chaired these discussions for the past two years, feels that the Activity Center is too often overlooked as a major benefit for the city’s residents.

Thus, he encourages other seniors to become members and add their viewpoints to the informative debates about issues facing our community and our nation. 

A real surprise came when the tour ended at the indoor, air-conditioned pickleball court! Yes – we can now play our country’s fastest growing sport in the comfort of cool air and with the luxury of avoiding skin cancer without the annoying application of sunscreen.

The knowledge, wisdom, and experience of our senior citizens are certainly important components of our community’s soul – and the Adult Activity Center is a recognition of their importance. As President Lincoln observed: “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.” (RIP dear friend and fellow Gator, Mark Trowbridge.) 

This column appears monthly by Don Slesnick, who served as mayor of Coral Gables from 2001 to 2011. For suggestions on where he should next meander in search of the city’s soul, email to: donslesnick@scllp.com