Some residents of Betmar Acres, in Zephyrhills, hit the pool three times a week to work out and have fun at the same time.
Laughter, cheers and good-natured teasing fill the air at the heated pool, while the players hit large colorful balls around, in water volleyball games.
About two dozen players jump, dive, swing and swat — in friendly games that give participants a nice workout, too.
Ninety-five-year-old Goldie Klebowski is one of the best players in the pool.
Besides playing water volleyball, she also manages a full schedule — volunteering at the Hospice thrift store and her church.
She offers this advice for aging well: “You need exercise, the more the better. Keep doing something, and feel good by helping others.”
Betmar Acres, in Zephyrhills, is a manufactured-home community for residents age 55 and older. In the 1960s, there were just four mobile home parks in Florida, and Betmar founder M.H. Meengs saw the need for one in Zephyrhills.
Meengs turned his vision into an opportunity for development, when he bought 200 acres of former farm land along State Road 54.
He and his partner honored their wives by combining their first names — Betty and Mary — to christen the community, Betmar.
Today, Betmar Acres consists of nearly 440 acres, 1,700 homes, three clubhouses, 27 holes of golf, tennis and pickleball courts, two swimming pools, and a world-class shuffleboard facility. Residents at Betmar always have lots of recreational opportunities, including Bingo, ballroom and line dancing, live music shows, bocce ball, water aerobics, card games, computer and creative writing classes, block parties and garden clubs.
Published April 24, 2019
