Jewish Community Center in Harrisburg shows off new look after ...

The fresh sea-blue paint in the spinning room, new weight equipment in the fitness center and the refurbished pool at the Jewish Community Center are only a clue as to what occurred here a year ago during flooding caused by Tropical Storm Lee.

Evidence of the devastation remains, such as the two racquetball courts and spas that haven?t reopened.

?There were fish in the racquetball courts ? it was sad,? said Andrea Weikert, JCC program director.

?It was one of the most depressing days,? said Terri Travers, the sports, fitness and recreation director.

The good news is it?s all behind them, and the center is celebrating its newly renovated facility, welcoming back members and trying to attract new ones with an open house 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 9.

?A New Day at the J? is the theme for the JCC?s reopening kickoff, Travers said. ?It?s a chance to reinvent ourselves and improve on what we?re doing,? she said.

Task forces have been formed to reach out to the community and attract new members, Weikert said. New programs have been planned, such as young adult ?happy hours,? new fitness programs and a ?Dancing With the Stars? gala in November.

Ron Plesco of Lower Paxton Twp., a leader of the programming task force, said one of their goals is to spark a resurgence in membership. ?The JCC is for everyone ? you don?t have to be Jewish,? he said.

About 65 percent of the membership is from the Jewish community, compared with about 80 percent 10 years ago, Weikert said.

Still, many people in the Harrisburg area don?t know what the JCC is, or think it?s only for the Jewish community, Plesco said. ?Really, it?s like a YMCA,? he said.

The center has about 600 members, and lost about 130 after the flood, which caused about $1.6 million to $1.7 million in damage to the center, said Carl Braunegg, JCC chief financial officer.

It?s a time etched in the memory of the center?s staff.

?It happened very fast,? Travers said. ?The predictions kept changing,? she said, from minimal impact to even worse than what occurred, which was about 4-4? feet of water in the lower level. ?It still did horrible damage,? she said.

They mobilized for the worst, with hundreds of volunteers moving everything they could from the fitness and early childhood program to the upper level and auditorium before the waters rose.

The pool was flooded and the early childhood wing, fitness center and locker rooms, racquetball courts and spas had 4 to 5 feet of water, with 7 feet in the boiler room on the lowest level.

The building sat for two days before they could get back in, and then it was closed for a month for cleanup. The early childhood program was shifted to area synagogues until it could be moved to temporary quarters in the center. Fitness classes were on hiatus for about six weeks. It was April until those programs resumed.

Weikert even temporarily moved an afterschool program into her home.

Most families kept their children in the early childhood program, Weikert said. ?People had faith in us and trusted us.?

While the pool and fitness areas have been refurbished and reopened, there wasn?t enough money to redo the racquetball courts and spas.

?We?re hoping, one of these days, we?ll have these two rooms back,? Weikert said of the racquetball courts. ?We?ve lost members over it,? Travers said.

To pay for the damage, the JCC has received about $500,000 from flood insurance, received a $425,000 loan from the Jewish Community Foundation and is seeking bank loans.

Braunegg said they?re hoping the annual JCC campaign also brings in funds to help cover some of the costs.

There was no coverage for $400,000 in contents loss for items below grade, for example. Staff had moved as much to the upper levels as possible, but they couldn?t move everything, such as the heavy weight equipment.

It would take about $150,000 to replace the spas and racquetball courts, Braunegg said. There?s no discussion on redoing the spas, he said, but there is a proposal to redo one of the racquetball courts.

IF YOU GO

Upcoming programs at the Jewish Community Center, 3301 N. Front St., Harrisburg: ?

• Open house, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 9. Fitness class samplers, water classes, wellness programs, basketball and entertainment. Free baby-sitting 9 a.m.- noon; free lunch 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. ?
• Demonstration and tasting of Rosh Hashanah cuisine <lf>and wine pairings with Faith Wolf, Sept. 10. Cost is $50, $25 for members. ?
• Big Kids Night Out, 8 p.m. Sept. 29 for ages 21 and older. ?
• 5K run/walk, 8:30 a.m. Sept. 30. ?
• Dodgeball tournament, for all ages, Oct. 6-7. ?
• Pickleball clinic, 1-3 p.m. Sept. 23 and new leagues forming. ?
• Corporate health fair, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sept. 19. ?
• Evening with Sidney Friedman, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18. ?
• Dancing With the Stars, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17. Cost is $45, $20 for members. ?

Information: www.jewishharrisburg.org or 717-236-9555.

Source: http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/09/jewish_community_center_in_har.html

casey anthony video diary lamarcus aldridge jeremy renner justin timberlake engaged bluefin tuna jonestown john dillinger