Martha: I’ve been coming here a long time, maybe ten years. I used to go in the pool to swim laps, years ago. But now I go upstairs. I used to do some of the classes and some of our grandkids would come with me.
I’m the oldest of 12 children. And he’s the oldest of seven. We have five children and 12 grandchildren. So you’re always going to have family around!
Guy: One of the things Martha took up on her own was walking. That was outdoors. When we came here, this was an easy connection to make because you have the machines upstairs and it was something we could do together.
Martha: I’ve been active most of my life.
Guy: My wife is a pretty athletic person. She plays tennis, but tennis is either indoors or nice weather. And I was coming here every day. And there were some classes we went to, but then we just sort of gravitated upstairs [to the fitness center].
Martha: I do some of the machines like the arm bike, the stationary bike and the treadmill. I don’t have any particular goals; I just gotta keep moving. And if I don’t….[laughs]
I’ve always been sort of a mother to my siblings. I would bring them to basketball practice Guy was my brothers’ and sisters’ basketball coach at St. Augustin’s in Larchmont. And that’s how we met. You never know where it comes from!
Guy: It was a healthy way of meeting! We didn’t meet in the dark! [both laugh]. So I got introduced to this large family. I had five younger brothers and an older sister so we had that in similarity; we came from large families. We both had family responsibilities, but I passed all my responsibilities off to my sister!
As a youngster growing up I didn’t belong to a Y. But I heard, when we moved to Rye, that the Rye Y was an active place. So when I came and explored, I found that it was true. I enjoy coming in here and seeing some of the regulars, both the people who work here and the people upstairs. Our social relations are limited to here, but that’s fine. The only exception to that is George, the trainer, with whom I occasionally play golf. When you’re retired, your social life–unless you belong to a country club, which we don’t–shrinks. So this provides a social atmosphere that I find very congenial.
The Rye Y is important to our health and spirit! It’s a wonderful place.
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