Members of her aerobics class gather round Ann Merrill (standing third from the right) at the Oasis Pool to celebrate her birthday.
Carrie Mataraza
Although Ann’s birthday is really in May, it’s become an annual party held in March, so that those leaving for summer can attend. We all want to be there to show her how important she is to us.
Merrill’s fitness groupies love her classes and the way she brings sparkle and merriment to them by mixing up the moves with lots of humor and creativity. No one session is ever the same as another, except that you always feel so good after you’ve done the work.
Eight o’clock in the morning is hardly a time most want to be jumping around hefting weights, tossing exercise balls, stepping, jogging, or grape-vining around the gym, but if you get yourself to the Fitness Center, you forget it is still kind of dark outside or that the temperature will get to 100 plus that day. You do it just because the camaraderie of your classmates is special and Ann makes all that activity actually fun. The hour flies!
Working up a sweat with Ann Merrill in the lead is the best way to start the day and we want to be sure she knows how much we appreciate her, purposely celebrating her birthday two months early. Happy birthday, Ann. We wish you many more.