Alamo wellness center offers programs for all generations

The Alamo Community Wellness Center is more than just a gym—it’s a vital community space where people of all ages can stay active, learn cultural traditions, and connect across generations. Located in the Alamo Navajo community, the center is led by Recreational Specialist Virgil Sandoval, who will help organize over 13 different activities for youth, adults, and elders this month alone.

Working with youth to give them a healthy foundation and teach them cultural resilience and self-sufficiency is especially important to Sandoval, who said they are working against an excessive screen time epidemic amongst the younger generation.

“We’re fighting against diabetes, obesity, and mental health issues,” Sandoval said. “We want to keep the kids motivated, keep the kids growing, and where there’s not just sitting around.”

From sports activities like volleyball, basketball, and archery to pottery making, weaving and moccasin making classes, the Wellness Center has a full calendar Monday-Friday.

“If you don’t have anything to do, we’ll find something here, like teaching them the process of fiber arts – shearing sheep to processing wool to making it into yarn, dying it and then weaving a rug and selling it for good money. The supplies are all free. It’s all from Mother Earth.”

The center also includes a weight room, aerobics and boxing spaces, art classrooms, bike riding, corn hole, and a kitchen used for healthy cooking classes. Sandoval says they are working to reopen a daycare to help parents find time to participate in wellness programs, and are looking for daycare workers. An indoor batting cage is also in the works, and the center is preparing to relaunch its running club and introduce rock climbing.

The Alamo Wellness Center is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Programs are free or low-cost, and volunteers are always welcome—especially to help with the community garden or assist with elder activities. Donations of supplies for seniors, such as snacks, coffee are appreciated, as well as basic furniture pieces and art supplies.

For more information, follow the center on Facebook at “Alamo Wellness Center,” find the calendar of events at www.ansbi.org/news-event, or listen for announcements on KABR 107.5 FM.

“I have a lot of dreams for these kids. Even if I can help one out of a hundred kids, it’s worth it,” Sandoval said, adding. “Anybody that wants can come and enjoy the Water Center, even if it’s just to chit chat and have coffee.”