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Alleghany Wellness counts on volunteers
Center struggles to pay for its day-to-day operations
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Published: December 30, 2007
SPARTA
In a small rural county, residents rely on each other to get things done.
There are few other places where that rings more true than at the Alleghany Wellness Center -- a nonprofit gym with only one full-time employee that offers preventative medicine and rehabilitation to 967 active members.
Volunteers make up most of its staff, spending hours writing grant proposals, organizing fundraisers and making sure that the center gets what it needs. Recently, they helped get bleachers for the pool area that in addition to water-aerobics classes is used by the high-school swim team.
"We depend on volunteers to keep things going," said Kay Choplin, a member of the center's board of directors.
There are about 24 part-time staff members who are lifeguards, receptionists and program instructors. The center has an indoor six-lane pool, a therapy pool, aerobics and fitness area, health-resource library, massage room, children's area and locker rooms with showers.
Although a series of small gyms have existed in town from time to time, they have not provided structured programs and oversight from health professionals.
Residents said that when the center opened in 2004, there were few other options for indoor recreation in this county of about 10,000 people.
"We had lots of winter days, where no one went anywhere," Tom Gentry said.
Although schools let residents use the halls for walking, most people were isolated during the winter months, especially seniors, said Beth Lyon-Smith, a doctor in Sparta.
The county hospital, Alleghany
Memorial, does have a full rehabilitation department with speech, occupational and physical therapy, but it is not a place for patients after they have been released from physicians' care.
So, more than 10 years ago, people in the community put together a plan to raise about $1.7 million that it would take to build a building.
Community leaders and doctors formed a board to acquire nonprofit status. They applied for grants and asked organizations and individuals to donate money. One of the largest single donations was $600,000 from a person in Sparta who wished to remain anonymous.
The 23,800-square-foot center opened in March 2004. It was paid for in full using the money that was raised.
But it is a struggle to pay for daily operating costs with about 500 memberships. The membership fees range from $40 a month for individuals to $58 a month for families.
The wellness center has learned to keep organizing annual fundraisers, such as a golf tournament.
This month, the center plans to honor one volunteer who has seen to it that the fundraising continues -- Linda Lyon Turner.
Turner, who lives in Winston-Salem and also has a home in Alleghany, has given her time and money since the beginning, Choplin said.
"Linda is the motivation behind so much of what has happened here," Choplin said. "I don't think there's an aspect in the wellness center that she hasn't touched. She was instrumental in getting seating in the pool. She took on the golf tournament."
Turner also worked to promote a summer day camp at the center.
Before the wellness center opened, the high school didn't have a pool to use for a swim team.
"I like young people having opportunities," Turner said.
Someday, residents want to expand the center and build an adjoining basketball gym and teen area. But there are no immediate plans.
For now, the wellness center will maintain what it already has. It has become a kind of social network for good health and community, said Joe Potts, the center's executive director.
"Because we're a small community, everyone knows someone who comes here and has benefited from coming here," he said.
■ Sherry Youngquist can
be reached in Mount Airy at
336-789-9338 or at syoungquist@wsjournal.com.
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