Due to time constraints on the stars, this year’s Gallery of Stars will be featured on screens at the Feeling Great is Ageless Expo rather than in person. They’re featured here at the taping session. (Photo provided)
Each year, Sun City residents and/or staff can nominate another resident who has done something fabulous in regards to fitness and/or overcame a type of challenge and are “living life to the fullest” here in Sun City.
When: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 25
Where: Prairie Lodge
Schedule
8 a.m.: Fun Walk and Fun Walk Breakfast
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Fitness, Fashion & Vendor Fair
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.: Dance Demos in Drendel
3 p.m.: Menswear Fashion Show, featuring the Hoofer Hunks
At the Feeling Great Is Ageless Expo hosted by the Sun City Lifestyles Department, these selected individuals are called the Gallery of Stars.
Tom VanTilburg
What: Lost 100 pounds over the last 2 years.
Why: I lost the weight mainly for health reasons, to get my blood pressure under control, but I also didn’t like the way I looked.
How: Under doctors supervision, I changed my lifestyle to incorporate proper diet and exercise. The Sonoma diet, a Mediterranean based diet, is the one I followed. I’m in the Meadow View Fitness Center after work on most days of the week, working out on the cross trainer first. Then I move on to weight training with free weights and kettlebells. On some days I swim just to change things up.
Benefits: I enjoy hunting and fishing, and I have more stamina and agility, which also helps me as an ironworker. I’ve reached my goal of not taking any medications, plus I purchased a new wardrobe.
Chris Hinde, Neighborhood 34
What: Chris has been physically active since the age of 17, when he was a lifeguard, to today, when he continues to instruct water aerobics. Age 77.
In Between: Life guard; swimming coach; land fitness instructor; water aerobics instructor; special needs for children, who taught me a lot; synchronized swimming instructor; seniors who had mental and physical disabilities and transitioned them to become more independent. Worked with DCFS to rebuild families. Streamwood High School Chris worked as a social worker. Just retired this year.
Pool Director at Elgin YMCA and Aquatic Director at Des Plaines YMCA.
Style: Encourage people to work from where they are at and to work to 100%. Love people and love to help people.
Men’s physical fitness water-exercise class.
Joanie Koplos
What: Swim competitor, race walker, and skier.
When: Learned to swim at University of Illinois. I was terrified at first but grew to love it.
Where: I attend competitive swim meets at Park Ridge, Homewood/Flossmore, and a state meet at Northern Illinois University.
Weekly: I swim three times a week and swim for one mile. I also walk 3-5 miles a week.
Benefits: Have rheumatoid arthritis but no pain and no medications. Neuritis of the scalp since 18 years old.
I live to exercise. I absolutely adore it. I overcome the adversity of life when the endorphins created during exercise take over.
Margaret Hagemo, Neighborhood 30
What: Healthy Exerciser
Why: I workout in the fitness centers 3 to 5 times a week for at least an hour.
How: I go to water aerobics, walk outside in good weather and on the indoor track. When I workout, I use the strength training equipment and I am a FitLinxx member. I can lift up to 6100 pounds in one day. I am proud to also be a 15,000 FitLinxx champion. I also square and round dance here.
Benefits: I don’t have any existing health problems, thankfully, and I credit the workout for my outstanding health. I eat healthy, I enjoy eating oatmeal, fruit, salads, and lots of fish! I was born and raised in Norway and still have a house there, which I enjoy during the summer months. I was raised on fish, salmon, and sardines.
Advice to Others: Just come as often as possible to the fitness centers, eat proper food and drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep. Sign up for FitLinxx, make it a habit; it’s the best thing for your body, mind, and spirit!
Nick Koplos
What: I am a level 2 certified ski instructor rated through the Professional Ski Instructors of America. My experience goes back 50 years. Freestyle skiing is my latest adventure in the mountains of Colorado near Vail.
What Else: I can be seen rollerblading around the neighborhood, swimming a mile three times a week and running in the 10-mile Elgin race and other half-marathons.
Health Benefits: I did not have an opportunity in high school to do sports outside of the school day, but was inspired when I received the senior gym award for Non-Sports ‘Teams’ Participants. I have good endurance, don’t tire easily, and have a cholesterol of 135.
Raul Espinosa, Neighborhood 23
What: Works out everyday – some days twice a day. Working out since the age of 17 in the Air Force. He did cardio exercise at YMCA and lifting of weights for strength training. Worked out at city colleges doing circuit training while attending school for electrical training. Now at age 80, he continues to exercise and takes his wife for a walk around Wildflower Lake nearly every day.
He enjoys calligraphy, woodworking, burning wood, and is a foreman for the Woodchucks. As a Woodchuck, he builds sets for the theatre company.
Only medication is for blood pressure.
Benefit to working out is good health, eating the right foods. He has 5 children, which he trained to eat the right foods. He is very conscientious of healthy teeth.
He uses FitLinxx to make his workouts easier to do as he tracks his workouts.
Head: Who, what, why, and how
Subhead:
Cutline: Due to time constraints on the stars, this year’s Gallery of Stars will be featured on screens at the Feeling Great is Ageless Expo rather than in person. They’re featured here at the taping session.
