New owner for Health Club
Paul Hopkins (right) looks forward to working with the current health club staff including Margaret Bell (left) who has been with the club for 20 years.
posted 11/28/2007
Paul Hopkins purchased San Juan Fitness Club from Maggy and Dan Danley at the stroke of midnight on Halloween after working at the club for three months.
Hopkins, well known for his commitment to fitness, is excited about the possibilities owning a health club provides. "I really believe in fitness," he said. "This place is here to be used - kind of like the body."
He is open to suggestions. "Like the Disney model, imagine it and you can make it happen," he said. Many people consider the health club more of a community asset than a business. While it does serve the community, "Obviously, it is a business," he said. Additions to programs have to make fiscal sense.
While the floodgates of ideas have opened in his head, he's taking six months before implementing any major changes.
Short term changes under consideration include a Kids Night Out. Parents could drop kids off at the club where they would be supervised.
Providing more opportunities for youth, growing existing programs especially the swim teams are high on Hopkins list. Holding triathlon camps are another idea.
He praised the Danleys for the hard decisions they had to make which put the club into a stable position. In addition to their straightening out of policies and rates, they systemized procedures and the maintenance programs. He also had high praise for the staff which has been with the club for years.
"I knew what I was walking into," he said. "But it is even better than I thought."
San Juan Fitness is open seven days per week. Call 378.4449 or visit for more information.
San Juan Fitness introduces the Express workout
posted 1/8/2006
San Juan Island Fitness has a new program offering called the Express. This is an ideal work-out for those who don’t have a lot of time or who want to introduce resistance training (weight lifting) into their daily routine.
The 30-minute circuit works every major muscle group. The equipment is easily adjusted to each individual’s shape and size. The Club’s friendly, trained staff will give the new member an initial training and is available for additional training and consultation. New members are also given a pedometer so they can chart their progress in a fitness walking program.
Regular participation in resistance training provides many health benefits. It not only reduces the effects of osteoporosis, but has been found to increase bone density. It increases strength and endurance. Exercisers report greater self-confidence. Activities of daily living are more easily accomplished. In short, there’s not a down side! It’s an investment in good health.
Express workout members may upgrade their Health Club membership should they decide to attend some or all of the more than 36 classes offered each week, want to use the cardio equipment, or to use the pool.
To join, or to find out more information, contact the Fitness Club at 378-4449, or stop in for a tour at 435 Argyle Ave. The hours are 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays.
New owners for fitness club
posted 03/16/04
Don't expect big changes to San Juan Island Fitness Club when it changes ownership April 1, 2004. Three years to the day after she purchased the San Juan Island Fitness Club, Seanene Kennedy will turn it over to Maggie and Dan Danley. "We want to keep it going," Maggie said. "It is real important to the community."
The 18-year-old institution plays a vital role in the community. People come into the club and leave feeling good, Maggie said. "It elevates the quality of life for the entire community,"
From youngsters learning to swim through the partnership between Island Rec and the fitness club, to athletes building muscles in the weight room, to older people improving their mobility through water aerobics, the club meets the needs of a wide range of islanders.
The club opened in 1986. Kennedy purchased it in 2001. The Danleys know the club inside and out since Maggie has been managing the club and Dan has been in charge of maintenance or as he said - he's been head pool boy.
"Seanene has brought this place a long way," Maggie said. "She put a lot of money into maintenance upgrades."
While the Danleys don't expect to make any big changes in the club, they did make a big change in their personal lives a few years ago. They both grew up in Columbia, Missouri. Their grandfathers had adjoining bottom land in the river valley. The Danleys attended school together and lived in Columbia until Dan retired from the fire department in 1997. Maggie taught interior design at the University of Missouri. After Dan retired, the couple wanted to live in a cooler climate.They packed up and moved to San Juan Island.
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