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Longfellow Life
Our Monthly Newsletter
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A Letter from Longfellow's President  | |
Dear Members and Friends,
We hope you enjoyed our first "Mandala Day" on Leap Day 2012, when we officially introduced the Longfellow Core Values that the management team and staff have been developing and refining for the past eight months. You can read more about this in the article below. Our next Mandala Day will be on March 29th when you can expect to have another opportunity to have some fun. Also, in another article we report on the exciting progress we've made to "Make Longfellow Sparkle". Literally every day we're making an improvement in how the club looks and feels. Many of you have come up to me and shared your happiness with our improvements, and have also offered suggestions that will enable us to "Make Longfellow Sparkle" even more brilliantly. We appreciate both the praise and the suggestions, please keep letting us know how you feel!
The Management Team is really looking forward to Teresa's next game of fun, challenges, and great exercise. It's called the "Core Values Game!" Most of the Management Team will be playing this game. We urge you all to sign up, and get sparked and ignited to get in the best shape of your life.
Caroline Donahue (Natick Assistant Manager/ Children's Program Director), Susan Hiit (Natick Assistant Manager/Sales Rep), Myke Farricker (Co-Owner/General Manager) and I just returned from Los Angeles where we participated in the International Health and Racquet Sports Association (IHRSA) Convention, which is the annual gathering of the international health club association. We're proud to say that Longfellow was a founding member of IHRSA, and this was my 31st consecutive IHRSA Convention. The Convention was incredibly inspiring and we heard some spectacular keynote addresses, networked with many industry leaders, and learned so much! We learned a multitude of ways to "Wow our members with extraordinary customer service every day!"
The Longfellow staff is now getting geared up for another fantastic summer of camps and programs for young people of all ages. The Longfellow Camps have been running for forty years and kids love them! You can check with our web site ( www.longfellowclubs.com) or at the front desk for all the information you need for helping the children in your life have a great summer at Longfellow! Sign up before April 1, 2012 and receive substantial savings.
After months of unseasonably warm weather, the days are getting longer, we've changed our clocks to Daylight Savings Time, and Tuesday was the official first day of spring! Our daffodils are in full bloom about three weeks earlier than ever before. There is definitely more energy in the air, and we encourage you to use this energy to keep focused on your New Year's Resolutions and enjoy the wonderful benefits of consistent exercise and good health! Have fun!
Happy Spring! Yours in health, Laury Hammel, President 
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Club Renovations Update!
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We've been hard at work continuing the progress of making the club sparkle.
- In the Women's Locker Room wet areas, we have completed all the showers and changing rooms, all of the interior walls have been tiled, and the new tile floor is being installed throughout the room. In the dry areas, we have installed new carpet in the family changing area, have started the painting, and will soon be adding new countertops and mirrors in all three of the dressing areas. Our contractors are working long hours to be able to complete the full project as soon as possible. We will post an update every Monday on the bulletin board outside of the entrance to the Women's Locker room to keep you up to date on the progress we are making each week.
- Soon we will be starting the renovation of the cafe, with new cabinets and countertops. This will be just what the cook ordered, as the cafe furnishings will be rising to match the high level of our fantastic chefs at the Longfellow cafe!
- Our dynamite tile and rug contractor John LaCava has installed new rug squares in all areas of the club except for the ladies locker room, and those will be completed soon.
We thank you for your patience and understanding as we work hard to get all of these projects completed as quickly as we can.
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Check Out Longfellow's Facebook Page by LIKING Us!
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Do you like to be inspired and have your day uplifted!
Join the Longfellow Facebook Page and be inspired every Monday with a Quote of the week.
The Longfellow Facebook page continues to gain interest as more and more people "like" it. You can find us on Facebook under "The Longfellow Clubs - Wayland and Natick." "Liking" the Longfellow page means you'll have access to an excellent resource to support your health and fitness goals and give you a boost of inspiration.
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A New Era for Longfellow!
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Thanks to everyone who made our first "Mandala Day" such a great success! W e officially presented these eight core values to the world on Leap Day, Wednesday, February 29. You can't have missed our new Mandala gracing the (freshly painted) walls of our clubs. This circular symbol is the combined effort of much deliberation and soul searching of Longfellow's management team and staff, and the Mandala gives equal weight to each of the eight Core Values listed thereon. We printed some amazing shirts with the Mandala on the back, and each of these eight different shirts further elaborates on each value, listing it's "Call to Action" on the front. We offered these shirts free on Wednesday to members who were willing to take part in the festivities that day, and 34 members joined in and earned one of these shirts for their own. If you would like one of these Mandala shirts, we will be selling these shirts soon at a Longfellow near you. Come join us on our next Mandala Day on Thursday, March 29th, when we will be offering another game for members to play and learn more about our Core Values.
Below are just a few of the great things some of our members said on February 29th about how Longfellow has emulated these values. Thank you for taking part!!!
"WOW! 5 years ago, the Children's Center enrolled my 2 Russian-adopted kids. The staff members learned Russian words to speak with them and hosted their first-ever birthday party. Our kids were, and remain, happy every time they set foot in the Center. They do after school now and are having their parties their next month!"
"Gratitude to all early morning employees who make my life better."
"Life has been "sparkling" as a Longfellow member."
"The sense of community in the ladies locker room early morning - WOW - it is extraordinary!"
"I'm keeping my resolution. In just 6 weeks at Longfellow I've regained strength and stamina."
"Feeling better when I leave than when I came in- a WOW experience."
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Tennis News
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Spring Leagues are coming! Spring Leagues are coming!
Sign up now for Ladies Spring League. Longfellow will be sponsoring seven Spring League teams. Practices start in mid March and matches start in late April. We have teams for all levels from Intermediate to Advanced. Please contact Lorie Gochenour for more information. 508-358-7355 or lorie@longfellowclubs.com
 Are you a Player? The Longfellow Club and Natick Racquet Club Championships wants you! Each spring, Natick Racquet Club and Longfellow join together to host a Club Championship Double (with back draw) Elimination Singles Tournament. We usually have both men's and women's flights in the A, B and C levels battle it out for the title of Club Champion. Matches start in Mid April and usually finish by mid June. If you are interested in playing in the tournament or want more information, contact Lorie at 508-358-7355 or send e-mail to lorie@longfellowclubs.com
USTA Leagues are now forming! Please join us and join the fun!
Longfellow is planning to offer a 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, Ladies team in the USTA Summer Leagues. We will also be offering 3.0, 3.5 4.0 Senior Ladies teams and a 7.0 super seniors team. Each team match consists of 5 matches per week: two singles matches and 3 doubles matches. Singles are played at 6:30 pm and doubles at 8 pm. There are approximately 10 matches during the season, which runs from mid May through the end of July. You are not required to play every week. It is our goal to be flexible enough to let people play as little or as much as they like. If the team wins their division, they can qualify for playoffs in early August. To join the team you must be a USTA member - you can join USTA through their website. It costs approximately $30 for a yearly membership. For more information, contact Lorie Gochenour at 508-358-7355 or Phil Parrish at lftennisdirector@hotmail.com.
Junior News
We still have Junior Clinic and Zip Clinic openings in the spring for all ages and all levels. Let this be the year you give your children the chance to learn tennis with the Longfellow Pros. For more information, please contact Jamey Finchum or Phil Parrish at the club.
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USTA Tournament News
Congratulations to Michael Gill, who won his first Green Ball Tournament in 12 and under in Nashua! Congrats to Katie Chen who won the Longfellow Orange Ball 10 and under tournament, as well as the Natick Orange
 | | Katie Chen |
Ball 10 and under tournament. Her twin sister, Elizabeth Chen, mirrored her win at Natick in the other 10 and under flight! Congrats to the twins! John O'Brien also won his flight in the Longfellow 10 and under Orange Ball Tournament.
Longfellow Tournaments
Longfellow hosted another 10 and under Orange Ball tournament, and an 8 and under Red Ball Tournament on Saturday, March 17th. On the weekend of March 23rd, 24th, and 25th, Longfellow will be hosting the best 14 year olds in New England. Longfellow has more kids ranked in the top 10 in New England in Boys 14 than any other club, so come on out and support the home team!
 Zip Zone News
Join us for Tennis and a Movie on Saturday March 31 at Zip Zone! This will be a fun evening consisting of pizza, tennis, a movie, and of course popcorn! Call the Zip Zone at 508 358-9675 or email us at info@zipzonetennis.com for additional information, or to register for this event.
Registration is now open for the 2012 Hammel Tennis Camp - reserve your spot now! Register by April 1st to receive a discount. Applications can be picked up at any of the Longfellow Clubs or click on the link below for registration. Please contact Phil Parrish the Camp Director at hammeltenniscamp@hotmail.com for more information. - To register , please click on this link Hammel Tennis Camp Application, then open the Hammel Tennis Camp Application form, print it, and send it to the Hammel Tennis Camp, 524 Boston Post Road, Wayland, MA 01778
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New Replacement Solar Panels Installed!
|  We have just completed the installation of the set of new solar panels for our roof-top solar hot water system, and are back on-line soaking up the sun's rays! Our original set of solar panels, which were installed in December of 2008, were damaged in last year's series of heavy snow storms. The new solar panels have more support than the previous system to ensure that they will withstand any future snow accumulation. We're looking forward to substantial energy savings because much of our hot water for showers and the pool will once again be coming from our friend the sun! This is another project that is in alignment with one of our Longfellow Core Values - the core value of Sustainability.
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Little Longfellows
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 The Longfellow Children's Center is so excited to be celebrating our new Mandala and Longfellow Core Values! We have created our own special bulletin board, with the help of our Art teacher Erin Patterson, which depicts each of our Longfellow Core Values as they relate to our school, along with photos of our students modeling each value. Our teaching staff has developed a curriculum unit based on these important guidelines, and our preschool students are enthusiastically learning about each of the eight values as they apply them to their everyday lives. Our staff is embracing these core values as well, and is thrilled to be able to relate them to what we do each day in a meaningful way! We are all proud to be part of the Longfellow family.
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Kids Fitness News
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Kids Yoga
Kids Yoga is happening at Lumina on Wednesdays 4-4:45 pm for 10-14 year olds,
and 4:45-5:30 pm for 6-9 years old. The new session runs March 7th - April 11th, so call Lumina for more info & pre-sign up at 508-358-6022.
Middle School Program
We're looking for midd le school kids to workout and learn about cardiovascular exercise and strength training for their age. Keep your kids active! Days are Mondays at 4-5 pm. Call Teresa at 508-358-7355 x317 for more info. Session starts February 27 - April 9. Minimum is 3 students. Pre-Sign up at the front desk.
Kids Basketball
Kids Basketball will begin the week of February 29th, and run to April 11th. The ages of 6 & 7 are Wednesdays from 4-5 pm, and ages 4 & 5 are Thursdays at 1:30-2:15 pm. Pre -Sign up at the front desk.
Trifecta Class for ages 8-11
Basketball, Hockey & Soccer will be played in Studio 1 on Tuesdays
from 4-5 pm on Tuesdays February 28th - April 10th. Open to all boys & girls 8-11 years old. Pre-sign up at the front desk. Call Teresa at 508-358-7355 x317 for more info.
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Group Exercise News
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 New Group Classes
Adding to the Group Exercise Classes at Lumina is a Power Bar Class on Wednesdays at 9:30 am with Linda Wright & Saturdays at 9:35 am with Teresa. This is a sculpting class using a ballet bar, balls, light weights & bands.
Another Zumba class is being added March 1 on Thursdays at 9:45 am at Longfellow
in Studio 2 with Linda Wright.
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Aquatics News
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 The pool has been a very exciting place this winter! We have had a great session of swim lessons, with more and more kids learning to swim every day. We will be offering a six week swim lesson session starting April 2nd. The lessons range from parent-tot and preschool, to stroke technique classes for older kids. We have a lesson for every age and ability. Be ready for summer swimming by starting lessons now. Get a few friends from school and come have fun improving your swimming! Call Cordelia at 508-358-7355x238 for more information on the classes and swim levels. We offer classes seven days a week.
For adults we are offering a masters group that meets Thursday mornings at 6am as well as Wednesday mornings at 9am. Drop in and try this great workout and make some new friends. If you are new to swimming, we have a beginner adult class offered on Friday afternoons. We also offer private lessons for all ages and times to better fit your schedule.
During school vacations and at the start of summer we are offering Red Cross Lifeguard, Lifeguard re-certification and Water safety Instructor courses. Now is the time to be planning for an awesome summer job! Call Longfellow at 508-358-7355 for schedules and pricing.
We have an amazing variety of classes and activities going on at the pool this year. Come join in or just relax in the pool and hot tub!
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Taking Control of Your Joints
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Joint mobility is a fairly new concept to North Americans. Most people mistakenly equate it with stretching and flexibility. There are certainly some elements of stretching involved in joint mobility drills, but those are side effects of the movements. Simply put, joint mobility is the active pursuit of joint health through movement. It is generally accepted that as we age, the cartilage in our joints degrades, as does our ability to move them in a full range of motion and with ease. In our society, arthritis and joint degeneration are simply accepted as a price we pay for aging.
 Of course many doctors know this is not necessarily the case, but nonetheless the majority of society is in the dark on the matter. Age is not the enemy here. We are! As we age, we tend to slow down for a variety of reasons. In today's world, with technology being what it is, we as a society are becoming more sedentary. Interestingly enough we are seeing joint related problems in much younger people these days. Normally the treatment of choice is painkillers and patients are told to take it easy for a while. Problem is, that's the reason they are in pain in the first place! The result? They get worse!
Anatomically and physiologically here is what is going on: The joints in our body that allow movement are lined with cartilage. This waxy looking substance protects the joints and allows for shock absorption during activity. But unlike all other cellular structures in the body, it does not have its own blood supply. Instead, the body secretes a fluid called Synovial Fluid, which carries oxygen and nutrients to the cartilage and lubricates the joint. These joints are called Synovial Joints. As we get older, joints become a dumping ground for all sorts of toxins and excess material. This can lead to degenerative joint disease processes and joint infections. The way to avoid these problems is to have healthy joints. So get to the gym and get moving today, and on your way to a lifetime of strong and healthy joints!
If you are interested in learning more about joint mobility, please see one of the Longfellow personal trainers in the fitness room.
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Top 10 Reasons To Come To Water Exercise Class
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 1. Your muscles need to recover from land workouts but you still want to stay active
2. You need to rest a nagging injury and still stave off frustration
3. Your body is asking for a change
4. You haven't been in a pool in 20 years
5. You want a great cardiovascular workout with a FABULOUS instructor
6. You want to get stronger and look toned
7. You want stronger abdominal muscles
8. You are training for a triathlon or a road race
9. You need classes that start early in the am or as late as 7 pm
10. You want to meet some new friends and have fun
Check out our updated schedules for Natick and Wayland for a complete list of classes. Our schedule has a new look, designed by Children's Program Director in Natick, Caroline Donahue - Thank you, Caroline!
If you have any questions, contact Jane Polley at JPolley@Longfellowsportsclub.com
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Nutrition News
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 Jane Polley MS RD, LDN presented "Winning Nutrition For Teens" this month. The workshop focused on a positive relationship with food as a combination of healthy eating habits, food enjoyment, and relaxed meal times with family and friends. There is a direct connection between these topics and developing a healthy body image,as well as maintaining a healthy weight.
This session provided education and strategies to guide teens in making winning food choices when they're at home, in school, or "out on the town". Topics included blood sugar basics, after school snack ideas, and a "non-diet" approach to portion control and selective eating. These concepts gave teens the tools to make food choices they'll feel good about now and for all their years to come.
"Winning Nutrition for Teens" was held at the Wayland Wellness Summit at Wayland High School on Sunday, March 18th from 1 pm - 4 pm. The 45 minute session was offered three times throughout the afternoon.
This event was sponsored by WaylandCares and Friends of Wayland Youth and Family Services.
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Jed Hammel Enters New Phase in His Career
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Jed Hammel, long time staff member, Sales Coordinator, and son of Laury Hammel, has moved on from his current full-time position at Longfellow to get back into the film and media industry. Beginning this week he will be an Instructor at Boston University's Center for Digital Imaging Arts teaching courses on film production. Jed is an award-winning film maker and is the director of an independent film festival called Filmshift. If you'd like to support this festival please go to this link http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/183494457/3rd-annual-filmshift-film-festival
Jed will continue with his role as director of Longfellow's social media work - friend us on Facebook and you'll keep in touch with Jed's Longfellow contributions. We'll also be seeing him playing basketball and working out at the club. Jed will be sorely missed and in particular the groups of Longfellow kids who stop by his office and compete for who can yell: "No, you are" the loudest. We wish you best of luck Jed, and we'll miss you.
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Longfellow's Legendary Birthday Parties
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 Need a fun, active and engaging place to have your child's next birthday party? At the Longfellow Children's Center and The Longfellow Club we provide just that with many different options to choose from. Our talented, enthusiastic staff will do all the work and we provide all the components of a fabulous party, leaving you free to sit back and enjoy the fun (and take pictures, of course!)
At The Children's Center, we utilize our huge indoor playground with the "Amazing Maze" and treehouse structure for lots of active fun. Our Party Coordinators know lots of age-appropriate awesome games, and our staff does all of the set-up, clean-up and everything in between, including pizza, drinks, decorated paper goods and party favors.
At The Longfellow Club, kids can choose to swim in our heated, year-round pool and play games on the basketball floor. Parents may also combine the pool with the maze at the Children's Center for the best party ever. Consider us for your next party. Tell us you read about us in the newsletter and the birthday child is free! Call us today at 508-358-0710 to schedule your child's next birthday celebration.
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Did you know - if you refer a friend who joins Longfellow for an annual membership, then you get a free additional month added onto your membership? The more new members you refer who join, the more months you get FREE! Your friend just needs to mention your name when they join, for you to get your free month. |
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| The Longfellow Purpose, Mission Statement, and Core Values |
 The Longfellow Purpose- To build a world where everyone's basic needs are met, and people experience love, happiness, and satisfaction.
- To create a model organization, through the development of successful health and recreation businesses, that works toward the fulfillment of our global vision.
The Longfellow Mission Statement
The Longfellow Clubs is a locally owned and independent business committed to the health and well being of our community, and provides extraordinary fitness, recreational, and educational programs for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. We honor all Longfellow stakeholders and appreciate all they do to make us the vibrant community we are. All management decisions consider the needs of Longfellow stakeholders, and it is our intention to:
- Love and care for our customer and to create a caring and compassionate culture committed to providing the highest level of customer service by exceeding expectations and saying yes if we can.
- Support every staff member in reaching their full potential as human beings - physically, mentally, and spiritually. We engage them in the management process and make every effort to pay a living wage with fair benefits to all staff members.
- Preserve our environment, minimize our carbon footprint, and join with others in our community to build a sustainable and just world.
- Work closely with individuals and nonprofit organizations to promote healthy, sustainable, and inclusive communities.
- Support the locally owned and independent business partners in our community and in our industry so that they can be financially successful and outstanding community citizens.
- Manage a profitable business that is a leader in our industry and provides a fair return to the owners and investors.
The Longfellow Core Values Mandala
We work to support the Longfellow Purpose and Mission Statement, embody the Longfellow Core Values, and lead by example as we:
- Wow our members every day with extraordinary Customer Service
- Foster a caring and inclusive Longfellow Community and treat others with Respect and Dignity
- Create experiences that result in life-long Health and Transformation
- Contribute to our Community and our environment
- Express Appreciation with affirming words and deeds
- Make Longfellow Sparkle
- Share what we Know and Seek to learn more
- Deliver Happiness and have fun doing it
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