Stretching out for 20 golden years

Parks and Recreation marks two decades for county’s senior exercise program

Modena Kirk was presented a certificate recognizing her as the longest attending member of Walton County Senior Fitness. Kirk has been involved with Senior Fitness since its second class 20 years ago.  Special to The Walton Tribune

Two decades ago, the Walton County Parks and Recreation Department was on the cusp of a new era.

With the Special Purpose Local Options Sales Tax beginning, the county consolidated its parks and rec offerings, which had previously been organized by the individual cities, into one countywide office.

But Kevin Little, Walton County chairman at the time, had a grander vision than just having the county run parks instead of the cities.

“We promised voters, whether you are 0 or 100, we’ll have something for you,” Little said.

So in 2006, the county started a program for its older residents and 20 years later, Senior Fitness is still going strong.

“It means a lot to me to see the program still going,” Little said.

Senior Fitness was spearheaded by Valerie Toof, who began conducting classes for people 55 and older several times a week with the idea of getting aging residents active through aerobics and other exercise.

She’d only been with Parks and Rec for a short time before she started conducting the fitness classes.

“I was looking for a job and didn’t know where I was going to go,” Toof said. “My prayer was to find a job surrounded by good people.”

Prayer answered. Toof said conducting the fitness class, which she did for years before handing over the reins to Jane Beeco, was like gaining an entire extended family.

“I’ve been surrounded by good friends in Walton County,” Toof said. “I loved doing something that could help other people.”

Toof no longer conducts the main classes, where residents do stretches, strength exercises and other routines to music, some sitting, some standing.

But she still leads the program’s classes aimed at Parkinson’s disease and said she’s excited to still be involved.

“I’m so proud of this program,” Toof said.

This month, to mark the 20th anniversary of Senior Fitness, the county held a pot luck dinner at noon after a Wednesday class session, with class members old and new, as well as friends and guests.

Beeco and Toof honored class participants who had been with them for a long time, including Modena Kirk, who has been attending the class since only the second session over the entire 20 years of its run.

“You started on Tuesday,” Kirk said to Toof, “and I started on Wednesday.”

Jody Johnson, director of Walton County Parks and Rec, said he was continually impressed with how successful Senior Fitness had been.

“Little did I know it would grow into this,” Johnson said.