AARP Fitlot Celebrates First Birthday With Picnic in the Park

Dozens of Kaua`i residents celebrated aging healthy at a free Picnic in the Park in Princeville’s Prince Albert Park today.

The event also marked the anniversary of the installation of an AARP fitness park, or Fitlot, at the Kupuna Place at the park. The Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay plans to build a kupuna pavilion next to the Fitlot and shared their vision for a Kupuna Gathering Place at Prince Albert Park. Other activities included country line dancing, bingo, information on brain health and instruction on the use of the Fitlot exercise equipment.

“Kauai Kupuna Place will be a gathering place for all generations. Young and old. Parents and children, grandparents. We don’t have that capacity right now and to have that on the island of Kaua`i is a very special thing. We are particularly grateful to AARP for their support and funding,” said Bill Schilling, immediate past president, Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay. “It’s so joyous to see seniors out here exercising number one and number two socializing with people they didn’t know beforehand and that’s the whole key, a gathering place for everybody to be happy, to enjoy the great outdoors of Kaua`i.”

“The Fitlot exercise circle is just the first step," said Maylette Garces, General Manager Princeville at Hanalei Community Association. “More supporting improvements will include a concrete pathway, a walking and running pathway as well as an open air pavilion to build a really wonderful destination.”

“People are living longer and longer lives and they really need to make sure those are quality years and so maintaining brain health and physical activity can make those years worth living,” said Jackie Boland, AARP Hawai`i Outreach Director. “Some of the things we’re doing here today involve line dancing which is basically using your brain and your body to remember steps and be physical… So we’re trying to mix a whole bunch of learning and community service.”

Participants were asked to bring a donation of canned goods or rice for Kaua`i food banks.

AARP Hawai`i, the Princeville at Hanalei Community Association and the Rotary Club of Hanalei Bay co-sponsored the picnic.