90-Year-Old Dale Turner Family Y Member Receives Healthy Living Award from YMCA of Greater Seattle

Anne Sola giving her acceptance speech

For four years, Anne Sola has enthusiastically attended Zumba Gold® classes twice a week at the Dale Turner Family Y. She is also 90-years-old and sharp as a tack. Anne was honored for her positive attitude and inspirational lifestyle with the 2014 YMCA of Greater Seattle Healthy Living Award on April 2nd at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Seattle.

“I feel like I won an Oscar,” Anne said as she accepted her award in front of a room full of YMCA board members, employees, donors, and supporters at the 2014 Annual Campaign Victory Celebration. 

Anne posing with her family and Zumba Gold
instructor Rene De Los Santos

Each year, three Y members chosen from the 13 local Y branches are honored by the YMCA of Greater Seattle for exemplifying the spirit of one of our areas of focus. The three areas of focus are Healthy Living, Youth Development and Social Responsibility.

“After my son kept nagging me to join the Y, I finally did and it was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Anne said. “The Y is such a wonderful, friendly place and I’m most grateful for all of the people who have made it possible for me to be this healthy at this age,” she added. Anne’s favorite part of Zumba Gold® is the water break and the instructor, Rene De Los Santos, describes the participants, whose ages range from 50 to 90-years-old, as “the out of control bunch.” As she nears her 91st birthday in the coming weeks, her advice to others who want to live a healthy lifestyle is to “just keep moving and think positively.”

Anne with the Youth Development Award
and Social Responsibility Award recipients

The mission of the YMCA is to promote youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility. The spacious 52,000-square-foot Dale Turner Family YMCA facility features a two-level parking garage, a gym, a four-lane, 25-yard pool, men's and women's locker rooms, and an upstairs weight and fitness area.

For more information, contact Kathryn Zielony, Marketing and Communications Manager, 206.569.7027.