Sterling House Community Center is dedicated to serving toddlers, teenagers, young adults, adults and seniors. It hosts various social, educational and recreational activities such as woodcarving, karate, rug hooking, aqua Zumba, sports, summer day camp, nursery and preschool and other programs.
This bustling community center in the Elmwood section of West Hartford serves the entire town with a wide array of classes, leisure activities, trips and special events; it hosts a senior center as well. Elmwood's facilities include an auditorium, a full-sized gym, a billiards room, a dance studio, a pottery and ceramics studio, a library, a lounge, classrooms of various sizes and two kitchens. The facility is also available for rent for events ranging from weddings to business seminars.
The Lakewood-Trumbull YMCA, near the border of Monroe, offers activities including travel basketball league, soccer, basketball, tee-ball and tennis. The outdoor center in Monroe has three separate pools, boating, miniature golf, tennis and basketball on 47 acres of woodland. It is closed after Labor Day. The Trefoil site has a fitness center and conducts dance, gymnastics and aerobics classes. Dawn Dalrymple is the executive director.
The Darien Community Association (DCA) is a non-profit organization committed to enriching the community with a broad array of educational, cultural and social programs. Proceeds benefit its community outreach and philanthropic commitments. Educational and recreational programs offered here include an Art Lecture Series with curators from New York City in the fall and a high level Academic Lecture Series in the winter. Classes offered here include bridge, exercise, cooking, French language, French Literature, financial workshops, painting and more. Other programs include The Mom’s Morning In, Theater Bus and Encore programs.
The DCA has a group for an array of passions and interests. Some of these groups include Blue Notes singers, Book Group’s Meet the Author Series, Page Turners monthly book discussion group, Writer’s Workshop group for budding authors, Duo Piano players, Greenhouse Group and more.
The DCA is located on an 8 acre estate which features a house listed on the National Register of Historic Places, extensive grounds, a formal garden and greenhouse, nature trails and a bird sanctuary that will open in 2013. DCA Volunteers also operate the DCA Thrift Shop, located on 996 Post Road in Darien. Funds from the shop, as well as DCA activities, lectures, membership fees and donations support the DCA’s commitment to Darien youth, providing annual scholarships for new DHS graduates and continuing college students. The DCA is open to all; members receive discounted rates on programs.
Milford Fine Arts Council is a nonprofit organization that provides Milford and surrounding communities with opportunities to hone their artistic abilities and to gain exposure. The Milford Fine Arts Council offers memberships, which provide members with workshops, weekly events, committees and exhibits. The Milford Fine Arts Council has been around since 1971 and is located directly next to the Milford Railroad.
The Waterford Community Center, located next to Waterford High School, houses both the town's senior service and recreation and park departments. The center is open to all Waterford residents and provides a game room, a banquet hall, a computer room and a fitness center. People can rent the banquet hall for Saturday afternoons and all day Sunday. All senior activities are held in the center, including the daily meals for seniors.
Accredited by the National Institute of Senior Centers, Groton Senior Center caters to residents and non-residents 55 years of age and older. The center offers a wide variety of activities and amenities, including a computer room, fitness room and full kitchen, and provides off-site transportation, arts and crafts, dance, quilting, card games, computer classes and more.
The Madison Arts Barn houses the Madison Cable Access Group and a teen center run by Friends of Madison Youth. Neither is a government organization.
The teen center sponsors dances, camps, workshops and after-school activities for the town's youth. It hosts regular Band Nights where local bands show their talent. There is an outdoor skatepark here as well.
The Madison Cable Access Group is a nonprofit, tax-exempt volunteer organization that gives residents the ability to broadcasat non-commercial programs on local channels 18 (public), 19 (education) and 20 (government).
The Elks Lodge #2163 is a Groton-based lodge serving the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. It features a banquet hall and full kitchen, among other facilities, and serves lunch each weekend. The lodge sponsors charitable programs and events in collaboration with the national Elks organization and other community organizations, inluding dinners, contests and karaoke nights. It is available for the hosting of other events.
Erin's Gym is an athletic facility. The 14,000 square foot building features an indoor Astro Turf field, which can be divided into two fields. The facility also offers a 55- and a 75-foot batting cage, a variety of baseball and softball related activities and is available for rent by sports leagues, for birthday parties and other events. Use of the space is provided free of charge to certain leagues and organizations, including the Sterling House Community Center. The facility was created in honor of Erin Babineau, the late 10-year-old daughter of the gym's creators, Jeff and Donna Babineau.
Innovative Autism Network works with children who have autism by providing medical and support services. IAN offers a variety of services, such training, speech therapy, occupational therapy, social skill development, sensory processing and much more. IAN was founded and is headed by Marcela O. Nunez, who is a board-certified behavior analyst.
Wilton Sport & Fitness is a 17,000 square foot gym and community center that offers programs for kids and adults. The fitness club features Cybex cardio equipment and also offers personal training. Programs offered include baseball, field hockey, soccer, gymnastics, spinning, yoga, Pilates, and Zumba. The facility also features a multi-purpose room, which can be used for birthday parties and other special events.
The South End Community Center hosts a variety of special programs and classes for kids and adults. It offers dance classes, tutoring services, kids camps, health screenings, volunteer income tax assistance, a W.I.C. (Women, Infant, and Children) program, which provides women with a supplemental nutrition program, and a community food pantry that is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am - noon.
"Excite Your Life" is the motto of the Greenwich Senior Center, and with a weekly schedule that includes exercise, games, language classes, arts and crafts, health forums, line dancing, concerts, daily luncheons and weekend day trips, the community center certainly provides a means to that end. It also offers a number of social services regarding housing, health and energy assistance.
A nutritious hot meal is served daily during the workweek, between noon and 1 pm. Lunch inside is $3, take out is $3.25, and reservations should be made before 1pm the prior day. There are transportation services to and from the center. Some 400 members participate in Greenwich Senior Center events every day.
The Mystic YMCA, formerly known as the Mystic Community Center, is part of the Ocean Community YMCAs. Members of the Mystic YMCA can also use the facilities in Westerly and Wyoming, Rhode Island.
The YMCA offers adult and child fitness classes and has basketball courts, a swimming pool, beach and tennis courts.