When seniors signed up for NEP Advisor Beth Scholer’s Eat Smart Live Strong class at the Anderson Public Library’s Lapel Branch, they had no idea about what they were getting into.The curriculum is designed to help seniors add more produce to their diets, movement to their days, and community to their lives. For Beth, that meant innovative recipes and fun activities.

“The ladies arrived each week enthusiastic to learn and move,” Beth said. “They sampled recipes like pumpkin oatmeal, chicken quesadillas with black bean and corn salsa, smoothies with fruit and greens and ramen noodle cabbage salad.”

For participants Judy Arnold and Deb Witcher, the class was revolutionary.

“Judy was thrilled to learn how to make healthy quesadillas,” Beth said. “She now makes this recipe at home and even brought in more bean recipes that she shared with the group.”

Deb told Beth: “I have started to pay attention to what I eat and getting my fruits and vegetables in my meals more every day.”

What her class loved most was cardio drumming.

“All participants agreed that cardio drumming using pool noodles as drumsticks was their favorite activity,” Beth said.

Anne, one of her participants, told her, “I bought pool noodles and took them to the office and encouraged my co-workers to drum with me.”

The group has already made a request to schedule more NEP classes at the library in the future.

“I learned so much information and I want to learn more,” said Tammy Songer. “The food samples were very good, and I like learning new recipes.