Melissa McCoy instructs a Zumba class at the Kinston Community Center. Photo by Janet Sutton / Neuse News

By Janet Sutton

The Kinston Community Center (KCC) is encouraging everyone to get started right by reducing its membership price by 20 percent and waiving the $25 application fee with their New Year, New Me initiative.

The promotion is geared towards anyone interested in self-improvement as the KCC staff focuses on creating safe and fun ways to get in shape. Known for their friendly customer service and family atmosphere the KCC provides a child care room, fitness equipment, walking track, basketball and volleyball areas and a variety of aquatic and fitness classes such as kickboxing, cycling, yoga, tai chi and more. 

The New Year, New Me promotion is a great opportunity for those who may be hesitant about working-out, to gain access to personal trainers and guided exercise. Carl Cox, chair aerobics instructor at KCC, works with clients as old as 90-years-old. Cox, who’s also a strength trainer, often specializes his routines to meet the needs of those in his class, which are mostly seniors. He thinks everyone can benefit from being more mobile.

"Just move, you have to begin somewhere,” Cox said. "One step going forward is still a greater step than where you were at and steps continuously made forward will create a greater distance, a greater you, a healthier you; especially, we're in the new year, so every step in the right direction is going to be a better step towards your overall health and really the best step is to just do something," he said.

"If you could just start the initial process you're going to be better overall," he said.

Developing healthy habits with consistency and discipline can be done any time and KCC Zumba Instructor Melissa McCoy thinks it's important for everybody to work at their own pace. She uses a mix of medium to low intensity moves in her class and wants attendees to feel comfortable and have fun.

"It doesn't matter what age you are, it doesn't matter how much you weigh, it's just so very, very important to exercise and to try to exercise a minimum of 3 to 5 times a week," McCoy said. "When you start setting a pattern and you get into the habit of it then you can increase your intensity, you can try new things, you can try new classes, you can start working with a trainer but find something that you enjoy that you will stick to first," she said.

KCC Executive Director Kelly Cannon wanted to incorporate the New Year, New Me challenge to the community in hopes they'll join the center. 

"Everything we offer inside our normal membership is included," she said. 

Cannon says the KCC has something for everyone and encourages people to come out and try a class, try different instructors and just have fun. Over the years, she's witnessed members who've had limited mobility be able to transform their well being by using the equipment and classes available at the center.

"We see life-changing stories all the time," Cannon said. "And those are what makes us and drives us to keep going and helping others," she said.

Cannon and the KCC staff want patrons to have a memorable experience and feel welcome at the facility. They thrive on attention to detail and friendly interactions.

One of the first faces you may see when entering the center is Al Jones, he's worked there for more than five years. He goes above and beyond to assist members and thinks of the KCC as a big family.
"I call people by their first name and if I don't know their first name, I'll say, "good morning sir, good morning ma'am," he said.

The personable environment and the classes offered are what keeps members like Jean Ragin coming back.

"I love it," Ragin said. "The people are friendly and the people that you work out with are friendly and I just like it here," she said.

For more details on the New Year, New Me initiative, visit www.kinston.cc.