Paris Rec Center

NEW CLASS ALERT! (First class begins in the morning)

We’re excited to introduce Form First, a brand new strength training class, now on the schedule and led by our new instructor, Emily Thomas!

🗓 Tuesdays
⏰ 9:35–10:20 AM

Build a strong foundation with this beginner-friendly class focused on proper form and technique. You’ll learn essential movements like squats, presses, rows and hinges using bodyweight and dumbbells, all in a supportive group setting.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your technique, this class will help you improve strength, posture, stamina and CONFIDENCE.

Join us in welcoming Emily and come see what Form First is all about!

For our final ShipREC’d gratitude post, we would like to thank our entire Auction Committee and Co-chairs Julee Dennis and Danielle Colvin. Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough to cover the collective time, effort, intelligence, hard work and heart and soul that these ladies and this entire committee as a whole put into this fundraiser.

The Auction event is a monstrous undertaking, and there are many facets to manage in producing a successful fundraiser year after year.

Julee and Danielle start planning group meetings in September, with regular meeting times scheduled all the way up to the Auction, and complete everything with a wrap-up meeting following the event in March.

Two-thirds of the year is spent shaping up the Auction event in some way or another. This year’s committee worked so well together and went above and beyond to create another fabulous evening! Without the commitment, hard work and months of preparation, solicitation and coordination from these amazing people, this event would not be possible.

The 2026 Rec Center Auction Committee:
Julee Dennis, Rec board member and Auction committee co-chair
Danielle Colvin, Auction committee co-chair
Debbie Benefiel
Erin Hutchison
Millie Arp Hamilton
Callie Keys Cannady
Meghan Creech
Johna Todd
Tonya Westerfield
Tammy Hess
Shannon Jones
Jeni Lueken
Katie Schopmeyer
Kadie Boland

I would like to extend an extra special thank you to Steve and Debbie Benefiel. They graciously open their home for our meetings, and Steve provides invaluable behind-the-scenes support to our committee. With decades of experience, we rely on their knowledge and guidance every step of the way. This event would not be the same without these truly generous and wonderful people.

We are already looking forward to next year, when we gather under the lights for a Parisian soirée filled with charm, laughter and a touch of magic.

Photo credits are a mix of Moreschi Images, Julee Dennis, Danielle Colvin and Victoria Leitch/The Prairie Press

For today’s Auction fundraiser gratitude post, we would like to thank our beloved Rec Center employees. I consider myself blessed beyond measure to work with these beautiful, kind-hearted, committed and loyal individuals.

The Rec is fortunate to have such hard-working employees who enjoy what they do and love where they work. Not all Rec employees could work, attend or help specifically with the event itself, but regardless, their impact was and is felt in other vital ways behind the scenes that contribute to the whole.

Special thanks goes to our janitorial and housekeeping crew who worked extra hard to clean prior to the event and afterwards – Doug Johnson, Susan Scott, Abigail Maynard, Andrew Scott, Ruth Maynard and Emma Scott. Cleaning floors, toilets, messes and spills is a thankless job sometimes, but we could not be more grateful for these folks and their dedication to providing a clean atmosphere for our members and guests, not just for the Auction event, but every single day.

Thank you Angie Huffman for working the front desk on Auction day, and bringing us homemade cream cheese cookies to enjoy!

Special thanks also goes to our Rec Board of Directors. This group put their pocketbooks together to help purchase the restaurant and hotel gift card for the Fair Oaks Farm Adventure. All of our Board members attended the event, with the exception of one, who could not because they were out of town. But we felt them in spirit! Many board members sponsored tables for their employees, friends and families, and helped in one way or another. Thank you:
Drew Griffin
Steve Benefiel
Carol Jones
Bethany Wagoner
Julee Dennis
Mandy Neal
Susan Punzelt
Glenn Strow
Pete Dayton
Paula McClain
Stacie Hasler
Robert Morris

Thank you Doug Johnson, Traci Kissack and Brett Block for being at the Rec early Sunday morning and kicking tail on tear-down duties. You all worked quickly and efficiently, and it was quite impressive!
Thank you Whitney Haase and Susan Scott for getting in extra photos of our staff. We all had a ton of fun dressing to the theme and interacting with all the Pirate props!

Photos are mixed from Moreschi Images, Whitney Haase, Erin Hutchison, Victoria Leitch/The Prairie Press

We have one final gratitude post to wrap up our event, so stay tuned!

We had all sorts of opportunities for individuals, couples and friend/family groups to get some beautiful photos taken at the Auction!

Just inside the gymnasium doors, Diana Thomas framed Kailey Young’s treasure map with balloon-constructed pillars to create a perfect posing site.

Huge thanks to The Prairie Press for attending and covering the whole event from start to finish, and to Victoria Leitch/The Prairie Press for capturing all these happy attendees!