News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Shannon Rackowski has joined the SPRD team.
Shannon Rackowski has a lot of energy.
The fitness instructor and dancer has been out in the Sisters community for the past couple of weeks introducing herself in her new role as Sisters Park & Recreation District (SPRD) adult program manager.
"I've hit the ground running," she said. "My biggest thing is getting out and meeting people."
Rackowski is originally from Hawaii, and lived in Newport for the past 34 years.
"I've been coming to Sisters and Central Oregon for over 30 years," she said. "My husband has wanted to live here for 35 years."
That wish has been realized, and Rackowski is brining some of the work she did in Newport to Sisters. In addition to coordinating adult programming for SPRD, she will also be teaching some fitness classes. She loves teaching fitness to people of all ages.
"I've taught children and my oldest client for the last four years is (now) 94," she said.
She'll be teaching a stretch-and-flex class that is ideal for older folks or for those recovering from an injury or surgery who are slowly getting back into physical activity.
"There's no going down on the floor," she said.
She'll also teach a "multi-fitness" class that blends a variety of activities to achieve full-body effects.
"It's a combination of all the things I've taught through the years," she said.
That class will be held on Tuesday afternoons in order to be convenient for local school teachers to participate.
In addition to her work with SPRD, Rackowski and her husband are also raising their 12-year-old grandchild, who is the child of frequently-deployed military parents.
Rackowski noted that SPRD now has a new 15-passenger van, which will facilitate field trips for the SAGE (Senior Activities, Gatherings & Experiences) group, such as an April 17 field trip to tour Deschutes Brewery.
To contact Rackowski or to inquire about SPRD programs, call 541-549-2091.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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