Class is in

JACKSONVILLE RESIDENTS HAVE OPPORTUNITY FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Continuing education can be a valuable tool for those looking for enrichment and entertainment.

Whether people are looking to expand their knowledge or slim down their waistlines, there are many classes available in Jacksonville to fit any interest. The following are just a few examples of the classes available in the city.

The Jacksonville Community Center, at 5 Municipal Drive, is a hub of activity in the city, and the center’s fitnessclass offerings are designed to appeal to people of all fitness levels, experience and age.

For those looking to work up a sweat, a fitness class might be a great place to start. The Jacksonville Community Center offers aerobics, yoga and Pilates. The center also offers a variety of aquatic fitness classes, which provide a fitness experience that can help those who may have difficulty walking.

“Health and fitness are very important and are getting more and more notoriety for a very good reason,” said Andre Thornton, Jacksonville Community Center manager. “One of the things that I’m really proud of is the fact that we have this available at a really decent price for all of our patrons. People who are citizens of the community and people from beyond the community can come in. They can work on their bodies, they can work on their self-esteem, and they can all feel good about themselves. When you work out, you just seem to feel better.”

For the city’s senior residents, the Silver Sneakers program is designed with exercise classes for those who might have mobility issues. There are many types of Silver Sneakers classes that offer variety and can help a senior’s flexibility and cardiovascular health in a fun social setting. For more information on Silver Sneakers, visit www. silversneakers.com.

The community center’s aquatics classes can also be great for those who may have difficulty with their joints. Using a person’s natural buoyancy, the water takes pressure off the hips and knees, and the water also provides resistance. Aquatics program manager Diane Novotny said she has seen great results in those who have participated in aquatics classes.

“There’s one little lady who comes in, and she was on her walker when she first came in. She was all crippled over, and you could tell that she had no confidence, even on the walker,” she said. “She’s walking now. You can definitely see a difference.”

In addition to fitness classes, community-center members can sign up for swimming lessons. For more information on classes and membership, visit www. jacksonvilleparks.com.

For a high-caliber class, the Jacksonville Shooting Sports Complex offers several trap-shooting classes in the spring and fall. Taught by Arkansas Trap Shooting Hall of Famer Doyle Gaskin, the Trap Shooting 101 class is designed to teach the basics of the sport. The class covers a variety of topics, including safety, shooting fundamentals, firearm basics, foot placement on each of the five stations and some advanced instruction.

Gaskin said trap shooting provides a lot of opportunity for lifelong enjoyment because the sport is challenging and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

The class is about six hours long and costs $75. The complex provides the ammunition and the targets for the course, which is a $40 value, he said. Classes are limited to 10 students, and Gaskin said there is usually a waiting list. Students can bring their own firearm, or they can check out one from the range. Gaskin recommends that students have their own gun so he can help them set it up to fit them.

“This [sport] teaches you more discipline than either the game of basketball or football,” he said. “Once you learn the disciple and you learn how important discipline is, it just makes a better student out of a youngster.”

The Esther Dewitt Nixon Library in Jacksonville also has a wide range of classes available for patrons. The library hosts a variety of classes and events, including adult painting classes, sewing classes and knitting classes. In the fall, there will also be English as a Second Language classes. As part of the Central Arkansas Library System, the Nixon Library also hosts instructors from the main branch in Little Rock on topics such as resume writing and job-hunting skills. Patrons of the Nixon Library can also take advantage of classes that are available in other branches in the system, as well as online classes for library card holders.

“We want to provide stuff that people would like to do that would bring them into the library and would, hopefully, make them realize that there is more to the library than books,” said Opal Mitchell, assistant manager.

For more information, visit cals.org/nixon-library.