Focusing on what we do have

When asked what might be missing most from amenities in the area, a gym continues to easily roll off the tongue of many.
Its true. A gym in the traditional sense of a place for adults to go and get in a great workout with all of the bells and whistles places easily found in nearly every corner of other bigger communities, does not exist currently anywhere in Moody County.
Adults looking to swim, run, bike, take classes or lift weights and find community all in one place and under one roof currently have to head to Brookings, Madison, Sioux Falls or Pipestone to find it.
But if you simply are wanting options to meet up with others, get some exercise and have fun while youre at it, find your own downtime in a series of weights and other exercise equipment, lose weight or simply just feel healthier in 2024, there are increasing options available to you locally.
More are coming.
Weve told you in recent weeks how the Flandreau Public School Board approved use of its weight room to members of the public. Restrictions apply, but anyone 18 and older and that is a taxpayer in the district is eligible to apply for a membership to the schools weight room starting this month. Check in at the high school office for more information.
Weve also outlined the preliminary reboot of the Flandreau Santee Siouxs new gym space in the Tribal Community Center on Broad Avenue. Its an abbreviated version of what used to be their gym but its a start.
Tribal health officials are hoping those eligible (IHS eligible users) take full advantage of the services and facility. Check in with the program at Wacicioga Otipi Community Center for more.
But thats not all that is available to you, and if not for free, at a drastically lower price than youd find traveling elsewhere.
There are exercise groups meeting in other spaces and inviting you to join, from early morning workouts to pickle ball league. We plan to introduce you to these in the coming weeks.
The Colman-Egan School District plans to provide its residents with a weight room as well once a new addition is complete.
If nothing else, chances are a neighbor or friend could use a walking buddy. All that takes is your own sincere motivation to dress warmly this time of year and lace up. With any luck, a collaborative project in the works between the Flandreau Development Corporation, City of Flandreau, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe and County will move forward for your use this year as well.
Small rural communities like the ones we live in may not be able to provide us with big, new, state-of-the-art comprehensive gyms. Not yet, anyway.
But it is obvious from the conversations Ive been able to sit in on over the course of the year that those in a position to help foster change are working diligently to look at quality-of-life improvements that will have us living longer, healthier lives in these communities that we love.
If a goal youve set for yourself this new year is to sincerely improve your health or get into better shape, dont let the absence of a formal gym be among the excuses you allow to derail you.
Get out there and enjoy what we do have within reach.
Make it a good year, friends and take good care.
We look forward to continuing to walk with you and share your stories down this dusty trail.