A look inside the new Mary Beth Nienhaus Activity Center in Appleton. May 28, 2025. PC: Fox 11 Online
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Pool, pickleball, table tennis and more, all available for seniors at the new Mary Beth Nienhaus Activity Center in Appleton.
The center, located at 3000 E. College Avenue, opened Monday and began offering activities Tuesday.
“When someone asks me about our new activities, you’re opening Pandora’s Box, because we have over 300 unique activities each year,” said Executive Director Dawn Gohlke. “Right now, we’re standing in our fitness room, and in our fitness room there’s yoga, tai chi, strong bodies. We have ping pong for Parkinson’s.”
Community members like Judy Vanevenhoven, who used to attend the Thompson Center on Lourdes, said the new space is a definite upgrade.
“There is just no doubt about the difference that it makes. Not only physically, but mentally,” said Vanevenhoven. “We just could not be more blessed, and once you start coming here, you will not stop coming.”
To Marilyn Gebhart, the new activities are a bonus.
“Just to get out and talk to people, because you know, we’re old,” Gebhart said. “We need to get out there so we can meet people our age and talk about our medical problems and talk about our kids and grandkids, because this is how our life is.”
She continued, “You’ll make new friends and you’ll think, why didn’t I do this sooner?”
Gohlke said the new center is thanks, in part, to its namesake, Mary Beth Nienhaus, who donated $2 million towards the facility, and she isn’t stopping there.
“If you make a donation to the Mary Beth Nienhaus Activity Center, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $400,000,”
The center is currently building an endowment fund to keep activities for seniors going for years to come.
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