The Tri-County YMCA is opening its doors to those looking to offset the inevitable extra calories that accompany Thanksgiving meals.
The Scott Depot-based center is providing a free Thanksgiving Day workout to anyone who wants to use its facility between 8 and 10 a.m.
Executive Director Cathy Stark said the Tri-County YMCA has been open on Thanksgiving for the past 20 years or so, an outreach effort made possible through a grant from Dow.
The wellness center, gym and racquetball courts will be open to members and nonmembers, and staff will be on site to help people through their workouts, she said. The aquatic center and the facility's child-care services will be closed that day. Those who participate are asked to bring a donation of two canned food items for The Church at The Depot's food pantry, according to a YMCA news release.
"On a day we would normally be closed, we do it so we can give back to the community for the food program," Stark said. "People know they are doing something good for their health and helping needy people at the same time."
A special group-fitness class will be held from 8:15 to 9:50 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Stark said, in which instructors will lead sessions of classes, including Zumba, step strength and boot camp.
Residents also are welcome to bring visiting family members from out of the area, Stark said, "to come in and experience everything we have."
West Virginia has the second-highest rate of obesity in the United States. Since 2000, the state's adult obesity rate increased from just under 24 percent to 35.7 percent in 2014, according to the 2014 State of Obesity report, which is a project of the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. West Virginia closely trails Arkansas, with a 35.9-percent obesity rate.
In 2014, 14 percent of adult West Virginians were living with diabetes, while more than 40 percent had hypertension, according to the report.
"We all usually overindulge at Thanksgiving," Stark said. "If people come and at least work out for that time, maybe they'll counter some of those calories."
Reach Elaina Sauber at elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow @ElainaSauber on Twitter.