Sam's Club

                                                                                          Samantha Gast

Samantha Gast is the best thing to happen to Russellville Park since Chef Ken invented the prime rib French dip sandwich.  Ask any of her mature clients who show up for her exercise classes three or five times a week to follow her conducting that orchestra of creaking joints and screaming muscle stretches.  Like a compassionate mother delivering tough love, Sam (rhymes with BAM) brings on her rapid fire drills that in 30 minutes manage to address all your body parts as well as your mental agility.  Her mantra is, "Use it or lose it."

       And the lady does everything she asks you to do (only better).  With her Golden Oldie music playing in the background, she is laughing and saying, "Rotate your right leg...other direction...now the left leg...other direction," as she works her way through the glossary of Grey's Anatomy reaching all your lazy muscles no matter where they may be hiding.

       Sam was hired seven months ago to help residents improve the quality of their lives.  She was born with an insistent dancing gene that has been an active motivator in her life since taking those ballet lessons while attending Monett High School in Missouri.  After graduating from the University of Missouri with a degree in Wildlife Management, she went to a school of dance in Oklahoma City that included jazz dancing.  An accident that injured her leg ended that dream and she found employment that was in harmony with her Wildlife education by becoming a game warden, protecting wild turkeys and other denizens of the Missouri forests. Poachers should be aware that the lady in the Smokey Bear hat is packing heat.

       Sam got involved with physical training when the Missouri Conservation Department (including game wardens) started training for physical fitness by in-house trainers.  She found her niche.  Sam was working as a Club Manager and trainer in a Portland exercise gym when the Covid-9 pandemic torpedoed that business which led her to send a resume to Russellville Park.

       What are the four memory words today, Sam?          Stance.   Ants.    Pants.    Dance.