In an increasingly separate world, community centers are an essential solution for every town. They offer a unique place to come together and relax. Containing a wide variety of both mentally and physically stimulating activities, community centers are a great place to spend your free time. As well as offering fun activities, community centers are a rallying point for towns. Besides organizing games and clubs, they can also offer classes on several subjects for both children and adults. Waterford’s community center provides a variety of activities to do for the town’s citizens.

The Waterford community center is open from 8 am to 4 pm and has a pool table room, a basketball court, a workout room, a dance studio, a senior lounge, a banquet kitchen, and a banquet room available throughout the day. On top of all of the activities they provide, they also include facilitators. Waterford High School senior Jordon Dunkerley helped facilitate some of the activities available at the center. One of the groups Dunkerley ran was a Dungeons & Dragons club. There was enough support to create a group that was for high schoolers and a separate one for middle schoolers. He enjoys running clubs, and one of his fondest memories was in a mixed media class he oversaw: “one of my favorite memories was when I was in class and two students were having a hard time paying attention and were messing around. I sat them down, folded a piece of paper in three so that there was a barrier between them, and told them we were going to have a drawing competition. I told them both to draw a spaceship, and soon they were having fun drawing and using their imaginations. It was good to see kids having fun off of technology and enjoying theclass.” The impact of these groups is more than just about the things they learn or create, it’s the connections that they form.

Another Waterford student, Bree Smith, helps run a class for elementary school students. “Every week, I teach elementary-aged students a new art technique through different mediums and units,” she says. She wants to make sure that the students come away with valuable knowledge. During this class, they “learn different shading techniques by sketching their favorite superheroes or learn how to enhance watercolors with chemical reactions. The kids say it brings the knowledge they learn in art class at school to a more advanced level and makes them feel as though they have a lot more creative liberty with their projects. I love teaching it.” In addition to providing opportunities for young Waterford residents, the town’s seniors also get to enjoy their services as well. One Waterford senior, Linda Milligan, says that she goes there often: “I use the Waterford community center every day. I go to the fitness room and use the exercise equipment.” The community center has partnered with the Waterford Director of Human Services, Dani Gorman, to help facilitate activities for the seniors. Some of the activities the seniors enjoy most include bridge, canasta, pickleball, pinochle coloring club, cribbage, and quilting. These activities are essential in maintaining the physical and mental well-being of the senior citizens, and the community center plays a crucial role by providing the means to do them.

For students that are interested in the activities available, there are several ways to get involved. If you want a private setting, you can rent the following rooms for $40.00 per hour: the arts and crafts room, the conference room, and the dance room. Additionally, you can rent the large dining room and kitchen or the gymnasium for $65.00 per hour. If you’re not interested in a private room, or would rather not pay, you can also participate in free things. One popular after-school activity is playing basketball, and all you need is someone to play with. 

If you and your friends need something to do on your days off, stop by the community center to form long-lasting connections and maybe even pick up a few skills along the way. It’s full of things to try and is only a short walk from our very own WHS.