Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz Joins Queens Center for Gay Seniors Hybrid Exercise Class

NEW YORK (April 2022) – On April 20, Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz joined older adults at the Queens Center for Gay Seniors (QCGS) in Jackson Heights for their weekly hybrid exercise class.  

QCGS is a drop-in senior center where LGBTQ+ older adults and allies can engage with peers, keep physically active, make new friends, enjoy hot meals, learn new skills, explore new interests, and give back through volunteer opportunities. QCGS is a program of Queens Community House (QCH), one of the borough’s largest social service organizations.  

The “Train with Tony” exercise class has been active at the center for 15 years. “Members come from all over the city and online to take part in Tony's class,” said Chynna Pitlock, QCH Director of QCGS. “The class focuses on strength, balance and stretching, which helps older adults function in their day to day lives.” 

“One of the activities I enjoy most here at QCGS is this exercise class,” said Sandy, a program participant at QCGS. “It’s been somewhat tricky because it’s held in a hybrid manner, but it helps to keep us all connected, whether in-person or at home.” 

“Assemblywoman Cruz was so delighted to see how our program was able to connect with older adults in person and online for the class,” said Pitlock. “Implementing hybrid activities are some of the adjustments we’ve made during the pandemic to keep our older adults active and engaged.” 

After exercising alongside the older adults and observing that in-person participants didn’t have any weights to use for the class, Assemblywoman Cruz announced that she will be purchasing weights for them to have at the center. All of the older adults at the center applauded and thanked her for her continued support of the community. 

“I love visiting the Queens Center for Gay Seniors,” said Assemblywoman Cruz. “It’s such a fantastic place for everyone to get together and stay connected.”  

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Queens Community House (QCH) is a multi-service settlement house committed to serving the diverse neighborhoods of Queens. QCH serves more than 26,000 children, youth, adults, and older adults every year. Our mission is to provide individuals and families with the tools to enrich their lives and build healthy, inclusive communities. Through a broad network of programs operating out of 34 sites in 14 neighborhoods, we offer Queens residents a needed support system at every stage of life, helping them to develop the knowledge, confidence, and skills to change their lives for the better and become active participants in their larger community. 

CONTACT:  

Thomas Cruz  

Director of Communications  

Queens Community House  

tcruz@qchnyc.org