Scott Park Garden Club

Scott Park Community Garden is excited to announce that we have been awarded the Food Well Alliance 2022 Community Garden Grant! Decatur Active Living applied for the grant in November 2021 and will use the funds to fix and update our 3 bin composting system.

Established in 1992, this urban oasis, hidden away in the “backyard” of the Decatur Recreation Center, features an organic community garden that brings residents together, keeps them active, and provides urban greenspace therapy. The composting system was well used and started to age and deteriorate. Composting has so many benefits, not only to the surrounding garden but to the environment as a whole. The soil becomes more nutrient dense and helps the plants grow. It combats erosion, reduces greenhouse gases and helps to filter local water sources. By maintaining a well working garden the benefits of having a community garden can shine through. Community gardens strengthen community ties, educate not only about gardening but interacting with community members from various backgrounds.

Be sure to stop by the garden and watch our progress as the new composter is being built!

Today is GivingTuesday

GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. Over the past nine years, this idea has grown into a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. Check out some ideas listed below to participate and have a wonderful #GivingTuesday

Happy Veteran’s Day

Thank you to all who have served our country.

Just Keep Moving with Bobbie Elzey

Bobbie Elzey is living an extraordinary life. From a schoolteacher and dancer to a pioneer for dance aerobics, Bobbie has paved the way for many females in the health and fitness industry. Beginning her fitness journey in the 1970s at a local YMCA, she built a dance fitness program with five participants to 1,000 participants. She ventured her way to Russia to teach across the country and to judge the National Competition for Aerobics eventually making her way to teach in Decatur in 1985.
Bobbie has taught Dance Aerobics and Functional Exercise for Seniors with Decatur Active Living for the past 36 years. Bobbie quickly became a staple and champion for health and fitness as well as our older adult population. We had the opportunity to sit down with Bobbie to hear her advice on how to prioritize health and wellness, especially for the older adult population.

Bobbie’s Health and Wellness Advice:

  • Age and disease should not be a roadblock to exercise!
  • To be successful in staying active, be sure to find activities that you enjoy. Think about what fitness activity you enjoyed during your childhood and do that now.
  • Every day movement and balance is important. Older adult populations can develop muscle quickly and gain confidence.
  • Challenge yourself with movement, balance, and strength activities daily. Get up and get moving!

Just Keep Moving with Bobbie’s classes at Decatur Recreation Center. Visit our website to learn more about our programs and be sure to contact Bobbie at www.lzaerobics.com to learn about her weekly classes and pricing.

Third Friday Bike Ride is Friday, August 20

Join Decatur Active Living for this social-paced bike ride around Decatur neighborhoods. We bike approximately six miles and no-one will be left behind. Please wear a helmet and mask. This ride is not appropriate for children.

Meet in front of the Decatur Recreation Center and be ready to put wheels down at 6:30 pm.

Mayor Patti Garrett joins Active Living’s Walking group for Parks & Recreation Month

As part of our Park & Recreation Month festivities, Active Living’s Walking group will visit a local park and have a special guest for each walk. This week we were pleased to have Mayor Patti Garrett join us for our weekly walk around Glenlake Park. Want to hear more about the walk? Click here to read The Champion article.

Active Living’s walking group meets weekly on Wednesday at 9:00 am. All walks will begin and end at Decatur Recreation Center (231 Sycamore Street). No registration needed, just meet us at the rec!

Congratulations to our Century Challenge Bicyclists!

Lucas Dod accompanied his dad David on his rides.

In September,the City of Decatur challenged bicyclists of all ages to bike a total of 100 miles during the month. Participants received a Bike Decatur bandanna.

Cogratulations to:
Mark and Diana Mandelbaum
Paul Powers
Alice DeMille
Shawn Slemons
Mark Karell
Gael Doyle
Toni Hetzel
Neil and Naomi Norton
Clay Scarborough
David Dod (and Lucas)



Free! Art in a Bag Halloween Craft

Enjoy making a fun Halloween craft that you can use to decorate your home with. Using a balloon, glue and yarn, you will create a 3-D spider web. The directions are included, as are all the supplies you will need. Pick yours up at the Glenlake Tennis Center. Supplies are limited, so stop on by today!

For more information, contact Sara.Holmes@decaturga.com.

October Outdoor Classes and Fun!


Free Classes on the Square

Tai Chi/Qi Gong – Tuesdays, 9 -10 am, on the Square.
Class is limited to 10. Masks and registration are required. Register here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0e48a8ab29a2ff2-taichi

Yoga – Friday, 9 -10 am on the Square.
Class is limited to 10.Masks and registration are required. Register here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a0e48a8ab29a2ff2-yoga

Wellness Wednesday – Wednesday, 2 – 3 pm on the Square.
Fun and exercise for elementary age children, limited to 10. Masks and registration required. Contact Stacy.Green@decaturga.com to reserve your spot.

Outdoor Walking Group is back! Wednesday, 9 am
Join Sara for a socially distanced 2-3 mile walk around Decatur neighborhoods. Masks and registration are required. Limited to 10 walkers. Register here:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050E48A9AD2BAAFB6-decatur


Introduction to Dog Obedience Training – Saturday, October 24  – Old Courthouse Square
This one time class introduces the basics of training dog obedience cues and polite manners to your dog.  Dogs must be at least 5 months old. The focus will be on learning and practicing the fundamental dog behaviors of Sit/Watch/Stay/Release.  This class is not appropriate for dogs reactive to other dogs on a leash. For questions contact Terri Kruzan at tkruzan@bellsouth.net or 404.510.3113. Please register through Rectrac.

New! Mobile Rec Center
Decatur Active Living is to offering small group activities  directly in Decatur neighborhoods. Staff will re-introduce recreational games and activities that are fun  such as hula hoops, corn hole, ladder toss, jump rope and hopscotch. Each game will follow social distancing guidelines. Hand sanitizer will be given to each participant and masks will be required. Limited to 10 children per visit.
To find out when the Mobile Rec Center is coming to your neighborhood and to register, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B054EA4A62CAAFE3-mobile.
 

Paid Outdoor Classes

 Tai Chi Flow – Saturday, 11 am – Legacy Park
For those already familiar with Yang-style Tai Chi 24 forms, this is an internal advancing Tai Chi class.  To join this class one must have permission from the Instructor, Stephen Dorage, 404-617-0071.  This class explores the myriad possibilities to assure one’s Tai Chi form practice flows like water, and one maintains connectivity throughout.  

Tai Chi-Qigong  – Saturday, 9:30 a.m.  – Square
A fun way to de-stress and regain health, balance and fitness. Join your neighbors and friends at Decatur’s newest park – Legacy Park – for beginner’s Tai Chi-Qigong.  These ancient internal arts are full body, brain and energy cleansing and enhancing methods.  Come out and try the process and see how it works for you!  Contact Neil Norton for further information and to register, 404-271-6526.  

Youth Karate – Wednesday, 6 pm; Saturday, 11:30 am – Decatur Rec Oval
 Registration is now open, class limit is 8 students Social distancing guidelines will be followed and masks are required. This is a no touching class by teacher or fellow students. Contact Sensei Adesi (adesi2274@comcast.net)  for information.
Classes start on Saturday October 3rd or Wednesday October 7th, depending on registration.
 Use your household ID and password to register with this link,
https://webtrac.decaturga.com/webtrac/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/wbsearch.html?xxmod=AR&xxtype=YREC&wbsi=8cace619-5acb-0ea8-7114-c860345bdb82

Basic Dog Obedience Training
Terri’s Training for Dogs and People
Saturdays, November 7, 14 & 21 from 10 – 11 AM
$84 for the 3-week session
This 3-week class helps owners work together with their dogs to become confident and happy companions.  The focus is on learning and practicing basic dog obedience manners as well as solving behavioral problems such as jumping, pulling & barking.  The course will also focus on ways to stimulate your dog’s brain to build your dog’s confidence and calmness.  Dogs need to be at least 5 months old and have all their vaccinations.  The class is outdoors and limited to 5 dog/human teams – humans will need to wear masks at all times – no sharing of training equipment – and we will practice social distancing of 6-10 ft of separation between participants. This class is not appropriate for dogs reactive to other dogs on a leash. For questions contact Terri Kruzan at tkruzan@bellsouth.net or 404.510.3113..Register here: https://webtrac.decaturga.com/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/wbsearch.html?xxmod=AR&xxtype=SENOR&wbsi=e282e3ac-f030-3db7-7114-e9cacc6da98d

Biketober -FREE
Sign up to be part of the Atlanta Bike Challenge in OCtober. You could win some great prizes.It doesn’t matter how far you ride, just that your ride!  Learn more and register at atlbikechallenge.com

Dance Your Way to Better Fitness

From our friends at #MoveItMonday:

We dance to celebrate; we dance to express ourselves; but we can also dance to improve our conditioning and to get into better shape. Dancing — whether it be hip-hop, tango, or jazz —is an excellent form of aerobic exercise that’s easy to do and accessible to all ages, abilities, and fitness levels. Even the US Department of Health and Human Services is on board, citing dancing as a useful way to help meet the physical activity guidelines for aerobic activity.

Plus, if you work on your skills, you’ll be able to impress friends and family at the next shindig. 

Read more here.

Not sure where to start? Try this Dance Workout for Dummies on YouTube.