The Alfond Youth & Community Center is offering online fitness classes for its members through Zoom, daily workouts for nonmembers on Facebook live, and youth programs on Facebook as well while its facility is closed to the public due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Emma Gallagher, 6, from left, Lahla Brann, 7, Emma Chaput, 8, Anderson Phinney, 8, nd Xavier Bernardini, 7, show off their freshly cut chard in the greenhouse at the Alfond Youth Center in Waterville April 17, 2018. The center is closed because of the pandemic, but offers online courses through Zoom and Facebook for members and non-members alike. Morning Sentinel file photo by Michael G. Seamans

Beginning on Monday, the center will hold five fitness classes a day using the video conferencing site Zoom. These classes are exclusively for members of the center or members of Silver Sneakers, a fitness program for people 65 and older who receive Medicare.

The Zoom fitness class schedule falls in line with the normal schedule at the center.

“It follows the group fitness class schedule that people already know if they attend classes at the center,” said Sawyer Boulette, director of the wellness center. “And it’s taught by the instructors that people normally see and have that connection with, so it’s great.” 

Boulette said the center is encouraging Silver Sneaker members to participate in the classes because it helps support the center’s meal program.

“We’re encouraging Silver Sneakers members because it’s a free program for people who have Medicare so their membership here is free,” Boulette said. “But we get revenue every time they sign up and attend the fitness classes, and right now we’re not bringing in that revenue that we normally do so the people who are keeping their memberships going and are part of Silver Sneakers are helping us meet those needs of serving 1,000 meals per day.” 

The center’s meal program launched last month and requires $25,000 a week for operations. It relies on donations and funding from the Maine Summer Food Service Program, a statewide program that provides meals to children in low-income areas during the summer months.

For nonmembers, the center has been posting daily workouts on Facebook live.

Boulette is also the host of “Coffee Talks with Sawyer and Friends,” the center’s new talk show that is broadcast on Facebook Live every weekday from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

“The show was something we wanted to start because we have a lot of seniors that hang around in the morning after they work out,” Boulette said. “They drink their coffee, socialize … so since they’re not at the center, we thought it’d be good to have them tune in so we just went with it.”

The show covers topics that are suggested by viewers and features special guests, according to Boulette.

“It’s so important for us as an organization to stay engaged with the community,” Boulette said. “We want to keep that momentum going so it’s like they never skipped a beat. That’s our mission.” 

The center has also moved its after school program online since schools statewide have shut down due to the coronavirus.

The programs provided on its Facebook page are available to nonmembers and include drawing lessons; story times; science, technology, engineering and math activities; and “just plain fun,” according to Crista Lavenson, director of advancement for the youth center.

“Everyday we’re trying to come up with new stuff,” Lavenson said. ” We’re trying to provide activities for everybody.”

Both Boulette and Lavenson said they’ve received positive feedback from the community regarding the online programs.

“We’ve heard back from people. They’re thanking us for the programs,” Lavenson said. “It’s been a great response.”