Growing older in Colton does not have to mean slowing down or becoming disconnected from the community. At the Hutton Community Center, the City's 50+ Club is filling August with opportunities for older adults to exercise, create, socialize and simply enjoy spending time with friends.
Operated by the Colton Community Services Department, the 50+ Club serves adults age 50 and older through a combination of weekday programming, fitness opportunities, social activities, enrichment classes and special events. The City's stated goal for its special programming is to encourage connection, creativity and active lifestyles.
That mission has been particularly visible this summer.
One of August's featured activities, the Summer Sip and Paint, was held Tuesday, August 11. The guided painting session paired art with light refreshments in a relaxed social environment. The $12 activity was designed for participants of all skill levels, making the experience as much about conversation and trying something new as producing a finished painting.
Just days later, the Club continued its summer schedule with Luau Under the Sun on Saturday, August 15. The annual event featured island-inspired music, activities and tropical treats, providing another opportunity for participants to gather outside the normal weekday routine.
The calendar does not end there. On Wednesday, August 26, the 50+ Club has scheduled an excursion to Rialto's Farmers Market from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The $12 trip is designed to give participants an opportunity to explore fresh produce, handmade goods and seasonal offerings while enjoying an outing with other members. Transportation and waivers are required for Club excursions.
Behind those special events is a much larger schedule that operates throughout the week at the Hutton Community Center.
The center's regular 50+ programming includes a fitness center, strength conditioning, exercise classes, SilverSneakers, gardening, card games, technology support, cooking and juicing activities, karaoke, crafting, bingo, pickleball, chair volleyball, a walking club, Zumba and Lotería. The center also provides weekday opportunities simply described as "Catching Up with Friends," recognizing that conversation and companionship are themselves an important part of community recreation.
Zumba continues on Fridays through August 28 and is offered free with a valid 50+ Club membership. The low-impact class is intended to encourage movement and support active aging.
Together, the activities illustrate why senior recreation has become about much more than filling a calendar.
For older adults, a community center can provide a reliable place to see familiar faces, establish new friendships, remain physically active and maintain a regular routine. A painting class may introduce someone to a new hobby. A walking or exercise group can encourage movement. A game of bingo or cards creates conversation. An excursion gives residents an opportunity to get out and experience something different without having to organize the trip themselves.
The Hutton Community Center also connects recreation with nutrition. A weekday lunch program is offered through Family Services Association and the Department of Aging for seniors age 60 and older. Lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with a suggested $3 contribution for eligible seniors.
That combination of recreation, nutrition and social interaction makes the center an important gathering place for Colton's older population.
The City's 50+ Club operates Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Hutton Community Center, 660 Colton Avenue. Annual membership is $23 for Colton residents, with nonresident fees applying and a veteran discount available. Membership includes weekly activities, court use, member raffles and a free bingo card on game days.
Special events, classes and excursions require preregistration, and nonmember fees may apply. The City also requires waivers for trips and states that activities generally must be paid in full by the Friday before the scheduled date unless otherwise noted.
Residents interested in participating can contact the Hutton Community Center at (909) 370-6168. Additional program and registration information is available through the City of Colton 50+ Club and 50+ Club Special Events calendar.
The August calendar may be filled with individual events, but its larger purpose is found in the connections made between them. For an older resident who discovers a new hobby, meets a new friend or simply finds another reason to leave the house and be part of the community, those opportunities can have value far beyond a two-hour class.
Colton's 50+ Club demonstrates that active aging can include movement, creativity, laughter, learning and friendship. As one summer activity leads into another, the Hutton Community Center continues providing something every strong community needs: a place where residents can remain connected to their neighbors and to the city they call home.