SPFFC programs aim to encourage community

Finding a meaningful reason to make regular visits to Southern Prairie Family Fitness Center can vary from person to person. From age differences to exercise goals, a fitness journey looks different for every individual.

Therefore, when creating programs which will hopefully encourage repeated patronage to the fitness center, SPFFC Program Coordinator Brandon Rafferty has a unique challenge.

“I’m here to start some programs and hopefully that draws some attention [to SPFFC],” Rafferty said.

Rafferty joined SPFFC earlier in August and is relatively new to Creston, moving with his family here in 2024 from Colorado. Having experience working with the YMCA organization in Colorado, Rafferty hopes to bring unique ideas to SPFFC’s programming.

Signing up to revitalize SPFFC’s programming comes at a time when community support is louder than ever. SPFFC has received notable contributions from the city of Creston and Greater Regional Health ($60,000 from both in 2025, with $120,000 to be added over the next two years).

It’s a show of faith in public health and the center’s capabilities. Yet these contributions do not guarantee the survival of SPFFC. The focus turns to those willing to sign up for memberships, with Rafferty in charge of creating programming to entice them and others who could become new or returning members.

“Reintegrating into the community is step one,” Rafferty said. “How we do that exactly is still on the drawing board.”

Rafferty understands SPFFC’s struggles, particularly with how some services aren’t as accessible as they could be. Drawing from his background working with aquatics in Colorado, Rafferty said SPFFC’s pool is “underutilized” and the facility’s “greatest asset.” He said seeking out movement and activity is one of the keys to longevity.

“I want the community to have a place to go,” Rafferty said. “There’s a population of older people that I think want to have some consistency... It’s nice to have these programs that rejuvenate life a little bit.”

The swimming pool and indoor courts make SPFFC a notable space of exercise, especially during winter months. Three branches of programming are covered by SPFFC: health and wellness, sports and aquatics. Within each branch, different programs have ability to target different demographics in Creston.

Aiming for youth participation and in turn encouraging families is a goal for Rafferty, who hopes that the facility’s sport branch of programming will encourage kids to be active.

Using swim lessons for younger kids as an example, Rafferty said an ideal scenario in SPFFC would see kids returning year after year to improve their swimming. Higher-level swim lessons or swim camps can spark competition in new swimmers. After repeat visits to improve, moved along by encouraging programs, lifelong lessons of exercise can be taught all within SPFFC’s facilities.

Listing a few programs in development for kids, Rafferty described a monthly kids night on Fridays where families can drop their kids off for an activity-filled evening, including a Nerf war with foam darts encouraging strategy and teamwork and a diving game where kids swim to find pumpkins on the floor of the pool.

One program which Rafferty called a “youth sports sampler,” will take kids at ages 5-8 through five different sports, spending two weeks on each. Sports scheduled for the camp include T-ball, flag football, basketball, soccer and field hockey.

The goal of the program will help inspire kids to build teamwork week after week with each other while also giving kids their first experiences with competition.

Rafferty said the best way to support SPFFC is to have a membership and visit regularly, whether it’s through youth programs, exercise classes, events or a quick workout.

“The more people we can get through the door; if the community is supporting keeping the door open, the members’ money is going to give us the ability and flexibility to try new things and expand to offer new programming,” Rafferty said.