Batesville Community Center and Aquatics Park is pleased to announce that it is now participating in the Silver&Fit program’s network of fitness facilities. This allows Batesville Community Center and Aquatics Park to provide no-cost membership access to Silver&Fit members who choose to work out at the facility. Silver&Fit eligibility is required and a small annual fee may apply.
The Silver&Fit program is one of the nation’s leading exercise and healthy aging programs for Medicare members. The program contracts with top-name national fitness chains, as well as smaller, local exercise centers, offering members a broad choice of affordable fitness options. Silver&Fit’ s national network includes more than 13,000 fitness centers nationwide.
The Silver&Fit program is an exercise and healthy aging program providing unique, evidence-based fitness and health education activities for Medicare beneficiaries and group retirees. Silver&Fit members have access to: no-cost or low-cost memberships at a participating, contracted fitness club or exercise center, or to the Silver&Fit Home Fitness program for those who prefer or need to work out at home; SilverandFit.com, a website providing health tools and resources specifically designed for older adults; The Silver Slate ® newsletter; and a toll-free customer service hotline. For more information, visit www.ASHCompanies.com or call 800-848-3555.
Cathy Drew is a lifelong resident of the region that she loves to promote. She was born in downtown Batesville in the late ’60s, located in one of the eight counties she now enjoys encouraging people to visit.
Drew became associated with the Ozark Gateway Region in 1990 while working at the ad agency (The Media Market Inc.). The agency handled marketing for the regional association, where she and her co-workers produced an annual tabloid publication. She began working as the Ozark Gateway Region director in June 2000.
After Drew became director, she took the region to the next level by helping the tourism organization create a new website and moved it from the old newspaper paper tabloid publication to a color magazine format. She helped open a visitor center for the Ozark Gateway, allowing visitors to pick up information from the entire state 24/7. Over the years, Drew has helped the organization meet new marketing goals, such as in- and out-of-state marketing, assuring that all 100,000 copies of their magazines are distributed each year.
In 2016, she assisted in creating the first Ozark Gateway Region Golf Classic. The tournament continues to grow each year, allowing the organization to expand its co-op program and helping each county have dedicated promotion. Drew stays busy at Ozark Gateway as the ad sales manager, magazine editor, day-to-day office operations, trade show representative, and magazine distribution representative, all while ensuring that the region is represented all over Arkansas and southern Missouri.
Drew was featured in several local and statewide publications over the years, as well as the 1997 cover of the Ozark Gateway Region tabloid, along with her then 4-year-old son, Jon. She has received several awards, such as the Batesville Rotarian of the Year in 2010 and a three-time Paul Harris Fellow.
She also has served as an Independence County election commissioner for several years. She now serves as their co-election coordinator, helping with behind-the-scenes management of voting equipment, day-to-day election deadlines, and poll worker training.
Drew serves on the Arkansas Travel Council Board of Directors, is Batesville Rotary Club Past President, and is the Rotary Clubs’ current publicity chair.
In March of 2018, Drew was honored with induction into the Arkansas Tourism Hall of Fame for her many years of dedicated service to the tourism industry.