Comments on: Saddleback College defends senior fitness classes

By: Bettylou Schauer

Bettylou Schauer — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:41:50 +0000

After 3 strokes, i have attended OUR GYM 3 times a week in the evenings. Our PCM paid trainers have done a great job getting me back to lifting weights, treadmill and the bikes! I would love to go in the mornings to OUR GYM, but cannot because I refuse to sign up for Saddleback courses, which aren’t worth crap! And after joining a voice group through Saddleback program, I found out what a rip off we are being exposed to!! Never a full class, give concerts to Assisted living residences in the area and charge them $150.00 to listen to “has beens that never were.” And the director gets paid by the Assisted Living Residence and gets paid by Saddleback, too! That is not cheese you smell in the air! The perfect morning would be, : work out at 9 am and swim at 10 am

By: jean isaacs

jean isaacs — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 03:04:06 +0000

Now we know why California is bankrupt. Get Saddleback out of our Laguna Woods Gym. We already pay thru out association dues and now California is getting a cut. My understanding is 85% to 90% live here in the Woods. Why are we paying California? We have the best instructors, certified, etc, who are on the payroll of PCM.. Is this double dipping? \\The state of California is getting $13.00 per enrollment…alot of those enrolled are not even attending these so called classes (no instruction given).

Please investigate this rip off.

By: Daryl

Daryl — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 04:23:24 +0000

You are right! This is an amazing example of waste. The OC register would be wise to keep digging. California’s education was once the model for the nation. Now the state will spend $7,806 per K-12 student in 2009-10. That is almost 10 percent less than two years ago, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office! Talk about misplaced priorities. Those seniors who think this class is so important to them that it is ok for public education funds to be used should be required to observe class rooms at their local schools before being allowed to attend these “Saddleback” classes. It will be interesting to see what they think of class rooms with more than 40 students.

By: JR

JR — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 05:40:59 +0000

If saddleback is offering classes that are benificial to people, that is great. They should not be signing people up as students though to use their own gym that they are already paying for. As well as not receiving any instruction to do so. All the time taking monies from the California Education school fund. That is what is wrong!

By: Glenn Samuel

Glenn Samuel — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 04:28:09 +0000

The Saddleback Emeritus Program is very beneficial for my wife Karen and me. We participate in the water aerobics at Palmia on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We attend the yoga class in Laguna Hills senior center on Tuesday and Thursday. These exercise classes have made a great difference in increasing our physical fitness. The person that signed me up for these classes was my wife at my request. I have truly believe the tax dollars are well spent restoring seniors to good health.

By: JR

JR — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:25:44 +0000

I want to to know why this is happening!

By: Doug Goforth

Doug Goforth — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:43:23 +0000

To “I want my free class”

Thanks for the encouragement, I will “keep going”

By: DEC

DEC — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 04:28:32 +0000

School districts are losing money to educate children and then we hear about the misuse of education funds. Children are no longer allowed to attend summer school, the teacher / student ratio is going up to 40 students for 1 teacher and then you have (CJean) being upset that education funds are being taken away for his/her so called gym membership that he/she already pays for through HOA dues!

How many times CJean do you need to be shown how to use the equipment ? And if you need attention get a pet!

Take away your opportunity? Those misused funds are taking away opportunity for the children. Is your so called gym membership more important than a child’s education?

By: Christine Lopez

Christine Lopez — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:13:59 +0000

Mr. Goforth exposes yet another example of the waste and abuse of our tax dollars. I think that Saddelback College owes it to the California tax payers to provide an accounting of just how much money they have taken in from these so called “college students”, how much they have receieved from the state for each “college student” and what they have done with those funds. Lastly Laguna Woods needs to come clean with how much they have made off of this deal, because I would bet that they are not allowing Saddelback College to use their facility for free. I think we would all be shocked and outraged!

By: Cathy

Cathy — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:35:47 +0000

As a teacher and a concerned citizen I have been following this story for some time. Educational funds are very scarce, everyone is trying to get a piece of the pie but forcing residents to register for something they already have and have paid for so that the local junior college can collect state monies seems beyond creative financing. This may only be the top of a very large crevice which is eroding educational financing in California. All schools need more money but it must be distributed fairly and under honest conditions.