Recreation manager adds wellness to the plan
A long-time professional in the fields of recreation and wellness, Joan Glubczynski is happy to be working in her own back yard. The new Recreation and Wellness manager for the Property Owners Association is a resident of Bella Vista with a unique perspective.
Glubczynski is a former POA board member and an active POA volunteer. Her new position is one more way to “play it forward,” she said.
She grew up in the Midwest and graduated from Western Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in corporate fitness. She completed her master’s in sports management from Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis.
Early in her career she worked for YMCAs and universities, she said. She came to Northwest Arkansas to work for Walmart, where she was director of employee health and wellness overseeing programs for 1.2 million associates. She also managed the Walton Fitness Center in Bentonville.
She’s lived in Bella Vista for 11 years and has been an active
user of the amenities. In 2014 she was appointed to the Recreation Committee. She also taught fitness classes. Later that same year, she was appointed to fill a vacancy on the board.
In May 2015, Glubczynski was working as a consultant and traveled 40 percent of her time. Since she couldn’t make all the board meetings, she decided not to run for the seat.
She’s excited about the new position because she’s working with entire families, which is unusual in her field.
The Recreation Department has a good foundation that she will build on, she said. Although staffing is always a challenge, she expects to find some creative ways to get the help she needs. She’ll use volunteers and maybe look into an internship program.
There will probably be some new events on the calendar related to the new trail system. They are already planning a running/ biking event for December, she said.
New classes at the fitness centers are another possibility. She’s looking for the right teachers for interval training or boot-camp-type classes. The successful classes will continue, she said. Everything from
dancing to yoga is now offered.
Recreation is not just fun, she said. It’s also about taking care of yourself. Wellness is important for a
good quality of life, so her position will broaden to include wellness.
“It’s about helping people enjoy their best quality of life,” she said.