ACTIVITIES
By Rip Prine
roy.prine@gaflnews.com
Valdosta and Lowndes County, and the surrounding counties of South
Georgia and North Florida offer a little bit of everything for those
who enjoy the outdoors and indoor activities. Whether it be bowling,
equestrian or working out in the gym, both adults and children have
a wide range of activities to choose from.
Lowndes
County
Cook
County
Madison County, FLA.
LOWNDES
COUNTY
Valdosta and the surrounding area offer a little bit of everything
for people of all ages. Valdosta has a bowling alley and numerous
softball leagues run by the Valdosta Recreation Department.
BOWLING
LANES
There is one bowling lane located in the city.
-
Jac’s Bowling Lanes, located at Connell Road, has 26 lanes,
a bar and snack bar. For information call 242-2695.
SOFTBALL LEAGUES
-
The Valdosta Park and Recreation Department offers softball leagues
for adults during the fall and summer. For information on joining
one of these leagues, call
the Valdosta Parks and Recreation Department at 333-1840.
STABLES
-
Indian Ford Stables, located at 2900 Swamp Edge Drive, offers
boarding, trail rides, instructions, summer camp, barrel racing
instruction, and party services are available. It’s owned
and operated by Cathy Dozier. For information, call 247-1442.
-
Winding Way Stables, located on 1221 Lake Drive, offers trail
rides and lessons. In addition, there are boarding rates for people
with horses, and the stable will lease a horse to an individual
on a monthly basis. For information, call 244-
3031.
-
Windy Willow stables, located on 5203 Phillips Road, is owned
and operated by Nanci Kendall. It offers instruction, training,
boarding, riding lessons and summer camps. It also has Jump For
Joy, a riding club for kids. For information, call 247-4399.
- Jacobs' Ladder Therapeutic
Riding Center, Inc., located on 5866 Bradford Rd. N. Hahira, GA.
31632. Leslie Jacobs, Director. Offers Recreational & Therapeutic
horseback riding. Special needs individuals & able riders
are both welcome. For information, call 229-794-1188
HEALTH CLUBS
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Curves For Women 1515 N. Ashley St. 247-7494
Curves For Women is a ladies only club and is open from 8:30 a.m.
until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. The health club offers a 30-
minute workout that includes cardiovascular, strength and endurance.
Nutritional needs are also offered, as well as one-on-one weight
counseling.
-
Health Life & Fitness
1186 Lake Blvd.
Lake Park
559-3373
e-mail: snowbizatsurfsouth.com
Health Life & Fitness is open 6:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday,
6:30-7 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. - noon Saturday. Health Life &
Fitness offers aerobics, Taekwondo for adults and children and
weight training. In addition, it also has a
senior fitness program, weight watchers’ program, kick boxing,
women only and coed classes, two certified massage therapists,
two tanning beds and full service salon for the entire family.
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Legends Fitness Center
1711 Norman Dr.
259-0500l
www.clublegendsfitness.com
Club Legends is open 24 hours beginning at 6 a.m. Monday - 10
p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday.
Club Legends offers aerobics, kick boxing, weight training, free
personal training, sauna and free childcare in 12,000 square foot
area and is affiliated with over 2,000 clubs.
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YMCA (two locations)
Main Center
2424 Gornto Road
244-4646
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Lake Park YMCA
Exit 5
Grand Oaks Plaza
559-8886
The YMCA offers adult programs and facilities that include five
swimming pools, a women’s center, a fully equipped strength
training and cardiovascular center;
strength training aerobic for women only and coed classes, senior
fitness and fitness trainer are available for private consultation
and programs. In addition, racquetball, basketball, sauna, steam,
whirlpools, massage and tanning.
Programs for children include gymnastics, karate, prime time after
school, swim lessons, swim team, water aerobics and summer day
camp.
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Boys and Girls Club of Valdosta Inc.
The administrative office is located at 215 W. North St.
Executive Director - Robert L. Soper 242-0676
There are two units in Valdosta:
Toombs St. Unit - 614 N. Toombs St.
-
Lake Laurie Unit - Boys and Girls Club Parkway
Programs offered:
After school and school holiday program - ages 6-18
Summer program - ages 6-12
Seasonal youth sports - Basketball, soccer, baseball, softball,
football, and cheerleading - ages 4-18 A $10 yearly membership
fee is required. Registration for all programs is conducted at
the administrative office at W. North St. For
more information call 242-0676.
POINTS OF INTEREST
If you’re looking for a cultural experience in the arts, entertainment
and history, it’s often just a short drive away. Valdosta,
Lowndes County and the surrounding
area have a wealth of historic sites for those wanting to learn
more about the region’s unique history.
-
The Lowndes County Historical Society Museum
The Lowndes County Historical Society was established in 1967.
The Society is a non-profit organization chartered for historical,
education and research purposes.
The Historical Society supports a museum located in the former Carnegie
Library at 304 W. Central Ave. The Museum includes exhibits displaying
artifacts from early Lowndes County families. An interpretive exhibit
Lowndes County:
Past, Present and Future is housed in the newly renovated basement
and gives a thematic view of the county’s evolution. In addition
to exhibits, the museum houses a collection of manuscripts, maps,
photographs and photographic slides. The Hugh Vallotton Genealogical
Library provides resources for those doing family research.
The building, constructed in 1913, was designed by Valdosta architect
Lloyd B. Greer. Placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1984, the structure is a good example of adaptive reuse.
The Museum is open to the general public nearly every day with a
curator on duty to aid any research project or to cater to any interest.
Noteworthy accomplishments of the society include: An annual membership
of 700 members and 238 charter members.
Annual blueprinting of programs. Bicentennial programs are centered
on the contributions of various ethnic groups to the history of
Lowndes County. Publication of a monthly newsletter, since Nov.
15, 1971. Annual publication of the Piney Woods Journal of history,
a collection of historical writings by local authors. An Annual
Old Fashioned Christmas Open House. Annual historical tours; one
day tours of sites of historic interest in the area.
For additional information contact:
Alan Morgan, P.O. Box 434,
Valdosta, Ga. (229) 247-4780, or email
www.valdostamuseum.org.
VALDOSTA
DRIVING TOUR
Valdosta has four National Register Historic Districts:
Downtown, Fairview, North Patterson St., and Brookwood North. This
driving tour offers you an overview of our city’s growth and
landmarks. Stop by the
Tourism Office at One Meeting Place and pick up a copy of the brochure.
- Converse-Dalton-Ferrell
House, located on 305 N. Patterson St., was built in 1902. It’s
a handsome Neoclassical mansion, completely restored to its former
glory by the Valdosta Junior Service League. Call 244-8575 or
245-0513 for reservations, rate and tour information.
- Lowndes
County Courthouse, located in downtown Valdosta was constructed
in 1904-05. The three monuments on the grounds are Confederate,
Spanish American War Veterans and Eternal Flame. Open 8 a.m. until
5 p.m. Monday- Friday. For more information, call 333-5118.
- The Crescent,
located on 904 N. Patterson St., now serves as the home of the
Valdosta Garden Center. Built in 1898, the house gets its name
from its rounded porch. Attractive features include large mirrored
fireplaces, gold-leaf tiled bathroom, ballroom, quaint chapel,
octagon-shaped school house, and lovely gardens. Open to the public
from 2-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and by appointment. Call 244-6747.
COOK
COUNTY
- The Delle
Beamguard Community Center located on 210 East 8th St., in Adel
offers a variety of activities for adults and children. The following
activities are now offered at the center.
- Youth Dance:
Mondays and Wednesday at 3:30 p.m., ranging from ages from Pre-K
- 15 years old. Christina Long is the instructor.
- Aerobics:
Monday-Thursday from 6-7 p.m., range from ages 13 - adult. The
fees per class are $2 per person. Susan Darby is the instructor.
MADISON
COUNTY, FLA.
Points of interest and activities: Historical Walking Tour: Corner
of Range and Base St., 105 North Range St. A walking tour through
19th Century Madison over 30 exhibits of Greek Revival architecture
and commerce located within five
blocks of the center of town. For more information call (850) 973-
2788.
- Four Freedoms
Monument Corner of Range and Base Street, Madison, Fla. The Four
Freedoms were the cornerstone of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
State of the Union Speech to Congress in January 1941. A monument
depicting the Four Freedoms was designated by Walter Russell and
dedicated to America’s First World War II hero, Madison
native Colin P. Kelly.
- Treasures
of Madison County - Old Jail Museum (850)973-3661
405 West Pinckney Street, Madison, Fla. The Old Jail museum exhibits
artifacts depicting Madison County history and life in early times
as well as the work in timber, turpentine, cotton and tobacco.
Open Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
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