PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Gentile Hall quickly filled with children and their families the evening of March 22, all of them eager to check out what the fitness facility has to offer.
UMPI Family Night marked the final event of The Aroostook Medical Center’s 2018 Fit and Fun Winter Challenge series, which provides free or low cost healthy activities for families.
“We like to promote family wellness and TAMC has some great programs with that mission as well,” said Dick Gardiner, director of Gentile Hall.
Concerning the facility’s continued partnership with TAMC for Family Night over the past several years, he added, “I think having an affordable event like this gives more families access to the facility and the chance to try a variety of activities.”
Families were allowed to use the facility’s multi-purpose gym and walking track, take fitness classes and climb the rock wall for no cost from 6-8 p.m. The most popular activity was the rock wall, with the small space filled to the brim with youngsters ready to see how far up they could climb.
While getting ready to leave after a fun night of rock climbing, Heather Fickel said that she often brings her children Jakob Hafford, 10, and Ella Sparks, 3, to Gentile Hall for swimming.
“We came tonight so that they could try the rock wall,” Fickel said.
The multi-purpose gym became another designated hangout of the evening, with numerous children crowding the basketball court to show off their dribbling and shooting skills. At the other end of the court, instructor Keli Marston led a group of 11 students in a family-friendly workout complete with weights, cardio and exercise balls.
“We thought that this would be a good night to check out what there is to do here,” said Melissa Steven, who attended Family Night with her 7-year-old son Cash. “His favorite part was walking the track.”
TAMC’s Fit and Fun Spring Challenge will begin on Saturday, April 7, with the Spring Run Off 5K, also on the UMPI campus. For more information on the soon-to-be-completed schedule of events, go to www.tamc.org or https://www.facebook.com/aroostookmedicalcenter.
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- Many folks who attended UMPI Family Night at Gentile Hall on March 22 participated in a fitness class led by instructor Keli Marston. All activities during Family Night were free and open to the public as part of TAMC’s final Fit and Fun winter event. (Melissa Lizotte)
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- Many folks who attended UMPI Family Night at Gentile Hall on March 22 participated in a fitness class led by instructor Keli Marston. All activities during Family Night were free and open to the public as part of TAMC’s final Fit and Fun winter event. (Melissa Lizotte)
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- Families enjoyed basketball as one of several free activities hosted by TAMC during Family Night at the University of Maine at Presque Isle on Thursday, March 22. (Melissa Lizotte)
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- Families enjoyed basketball as one of several free activities hosted by TAMC during Family Night at the University of Maine at Presque Isle on Thursday, March 22. (Melissa Lizotte)
