Here we are again - it's almost Thanksgiving, my favorite time of the year.

The Auburn YMCA-WEIU's preschool program is planning on celebrating with their annual Thanksgiving feast. Everyone who comes to the Auburn YMCA today and tomorrow will get to smell the Thanksgiving dinner. Believe me, the staff has a hard time focusing as we smell the stuffing and turkey throughout the day.

The preschool teachers have a great time preparing this meal and they all have fun finding unique ways to celebrate with the kids. I am sure Betsy Dralle, one of the preschool teachers, will use her creative juices to find something very special to teach her students about Thanksgiving.

Many of our members work especially hard leading up to Thanksgiving so that they can eat a little more on the big day. On Friday, everyone who doesn't go out shopping can be found here working off all the calories the inhaled on Thursday. It's so much fun to see all the people who came home and catch up with everyone on what they are doing with their lives.

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The YMCA has collaborated with Reva Rollerdrome to offer a skating fitness challenge.

This is a great way to stay fit, have fun and listen to some great music.

Did you know that one hour of moderate skating(six miles per hour) burns around 330 calories? You can burn calories as well as give yourself a good cardio workout.

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Our Dashing All the Weight program begins Dec. 8 for those of you who are interested in maintaining or losing weight during the holiday season. We weigh participants once a week and anyone who stays the same or loses has a chance to be in a drawing for a gift certificate to Dick's Sporting Goods.

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Our Silver Sneakers programs are picking up with new classes. We've gotten a good following with our range of motion/balance classes which are offered on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We also added a Yoga silver class, which is yoga stretching, breathing and posing done on a chair.

Many people who have tried this class have been surprised by how much better they feel after.

We're also going to be offering Silver cardio for the older adult who isn't quite up to step aerobics but want sto combine music and movement for a good cardio workout. This class will begin in January.

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There are so many reasons for all of us to be thankful this time of year.

I think that any of us who are members of the Auburn YMCA are thankful for all the people who work here that help to provide good programs, a welcome atmosphere and a clean environment.

I am thankful to be a part of the Auburn YMCA staff and for all of the people that I work with.

I am also thankful for all the of the members that we have here that make my job so enjoyable.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Hansinger is the assistant fitness director at the Auburn YMCA