photo by Roger Lee

Roland St.Laurent is the oldest active member of the Summerville Family YMCA Wellness Center.

Roland St.Laurent has been a fixture at the Summerville Family YMCA Wellness Center since the facility opened.

St.Laurent, who celebrated his 93rd birthday in January, is the center’s oldest active member and one of its most dedicated. Since the center opened in 2002, he has worked out there three days a week and he rarely misses a work out.

“Some mornings I sit in my chair and think, I’m not going to go in today,” St.Laurent said. “Then I think what else am I going to do; I might as well go to the gym.”

When he was hospitalized for a bleeding stomach ulcer approximately 18 months ago, he stayed home for a couple of weeks, but returned to the gym as soon as he felt he could.

Workouts haven’t always been such a priority for him. In fact, he didn’t belong to a gym until after he began having medical problems. Now he sees them as essential.

He doesn’t claim to know the secret to longevity, but does think he has found a system that is beneficial for him.

“How I keep on living I don’t know,” he said. “I had cancer, open heart surgery, a bye pass and stomach surgery. You have to keep your sense of humor and, in my case, I have to stay active.”

For St.Laurent, remaining active includes 15 minutes on the treadmill and 45 minutes or so with the Y’s weight-lifting equipment three times a week. He also keeps busy reading, collecting first-day imprint stamps and nurturing his orchid and bonsai plants.

“I read about two books a week to keep my mind occupied,” he said.

A retired jeweler and photographer with an interest in etching and scrimshaw, on the weekends St.Laurent maintains a booth at the Charleston Market.

He says that while a healthy lifestyle is important, so is taking advantage of modern medicine.

“I’ve got a pace maker and I’m on various medication,” he said. “This medicine they have today seems to help people pull through.”

Contact Roger Lee @ 873-9424 ext. 213 or rlee@journalscene.com.

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