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                         April 12, 2002

It’s a safe bet that there are few communities in the U.S. more health-conscious than an Army installation, but the U.S. Military Academy has recently lacked a central location to focus communal exercise energies.

Until January that is.

That’s when the new Morale, Welfare and Recreation Fitness Center opened in the old PX building and it has quickly made itself a staple in people’s daily schedules.

Now that the center is really rolling and stocked with dozens of state-of-the-art fitness machines, it was truly made a part of the community April 5 with a huge open-house event featuring door prizes, health-food stands and personnel from Keller Army Community Hospital performing health tests on volunteers.

While some took the opportunity to use the equipment or join an aerobics class, others hobnobbed with sponsors who were supporting the function with free wares.

Sue Hennen, DCFA’s marketing chief, said sponsors included Powerade and Accelerade/EndoroxR4 with their sports drinks, Anaconda Sports of Kingston, N.Y. and Life Fitness of Franklin Park, Ill. -- who manufactured much of the equipment used at the center -- with towels, shirts and collectibles.

Consumables and decorations were donated by Mike’s Sub Shop, Bistro’s Coffee Shop and the PX and Flower Shop.

SatoTravel donated the grand prize -- two roundtrip coach class tickets to any U.S. Airways North American destination, including Mexico, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.

The grand prize was drawn by USMA Superintendent Lt. Gen. William J. Lennox Jr. and won by Carol Dapra of the Directorate of Information Management. First prize was a $200 rental-car voucher and was won by community member Holly Goss.

Community members at West Point, military, family members, civilians and retirees have been waiting a long time for this facility, said Todd Dumoulin, DCFA community recreation chief here.

"Every other Army installation has a gymnasium that is specifically for soldiers and their families," DeMoulin explained. "Arvin gym is primarily for cadet use. It’s been a source of contention here for years because it made everyone else feel like second-class citizens -- unable to work out there while the cadets were using the facility.

"The community really wanted a physical fitness facility of their own, and this has taken care of that need."

He explained the superintendent was instrumental in the utilization of the available space in the old PX building for the new center.

"He basically walked in here and saw the wasted space as a great opportunity. Then he gave us only 90 days to make it happen," he laughed. "We just made it in time -- fixing the building and getting equipment shipped in and set up."

Business has gone very well since then, he said.

"We are now seeing more than 1,000 visitors each week."

Sgt. 1st Class Chris Moore of the USMA Parachute Team said, "When the fitness center first opened, there were about three of us who came here every day to work out on the couple machines they had set up near the front of the room. Now it looks like everyone [comes here]."

"We’re still under construction, but we add something each week," said Fitness Center Manager Brian Szeli, "whether it’s new equipment, new fitness programs or something aesthetic.

"Participation has been outstanding -- every time we add something to the center we increase our numbers, and that’s all I can ask for," he said.

"Our open house was swamped. People were curious to see what we had to offer and it was an amazing day."

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