Episode 149
Swim Lessons for Days: Dive into Fun at the Jones Center!
Grab your coffee, folks, 'cause we’re diving into a whole world of community vibes and learning at the Jones Center! 🎉 This week, I’m chillin’ with my buddy Jeff, the programming wizard over at the center where I’ve been getting my improv on. We’re talking about how this place is not just a hub for comedy classes (though those are super fun), but it’s also a full-blown learning center that dabbles in everything from theater to swimming to adult ballet! Yeah, you heard that right. So whether you wanna unleash your inner Shakespeare or just learn to stay afloat, they’ve got your back. 🏊♂️💃 Jeff spills the beans on their awesome programs, especially the ones for grown-ups. Adult improv? Check. Learn to skate? You bet! And let’s not forget the crucial life-saving adult swim lessons. Jeff’s all about making sure everyone can swim, and he drops some serious stats about drowning risks. Spoiler: it’s a big deal! He’s got this rad initiative called “Every Child Swims,” where they test third graders and offer free swim lessons to those who need it. Talk about making waves in the community! 🌊 As we rave about the center’s bustling atmosphere, Jeff shares some cool insights about the ice rink and all the activities that go down there. Seriously, they’re the only ice rink in Northwest Arkansas! From hockey teams to curling, if you love ice, you’re in for a treat. The center’s always buzzing with birthday parties and community events, making it a hotspot for family fun. Don’t sleep on checking out their website for tickets and classes – it’s super affordable and totally worth it! So swing by the Jones Center, where the fun never stops, and let’s make some memories together!
Takeaways:
- The Jones Center offers loads of cool classes for all ages, like improv and ballet!
- Learning to swim is super important; it can literally save lives, so don't skip it!
- Every child in Springdale gets free swim lessons if they fail a swim test, how awesome is that?
- The ice rink at Jones Center is always packed, hosting events from hockey to curling!
- Family jam events are a hit with fun shows and free passes to skate or swim included.
- Tickets to events at the Jones Center are super affordable, making fun accessible for everyone!
Transcript
Good morning.
Speaker A:It's Haystack and got a buddy Jeff here in studio with us this morning.
Speaker A:And Jeff's the director of programming at the Jones center where I've been taking some improv comedy classes.
Speaker A:And we were talking about how it's, it's really a learning center.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like I'm kind of learning some basics for improv.
Speaker A:But you guys do.
Speaker A:You do theater, you do music stuff, you do skating and swimming and what, what.
Speaker A:All classes are available right now there.
Speaker A:And we're talking about.
Speaker A:This is family friendly.
Speaker A:But you also have some stuff that are kind of geared towards adults specifically too.
Speaker B:Oh yeah.
Speaker B:Some of our really popular adult classes are adult ballet.
Speaker B:Adult learn to skate does really well.
Speaker B:Our adult improv classes are obviously very popular.
Speaker B:And then adult learn to swim.
Speaker B:So swimming is one of my passions.
Speaker B:I am very passionate about us teaching as many people to learn to swim as possible.
Speaker B:I feel like it is the great equalizer.
Speaker B:We keep talking about how our state needs to be the best state in natural outdoor resources and how are you going to be a boater or a canoe or if you can't swim.
Speaker A:Absolutely.
Speaker B:And it's a life saving skill.
Speaker B:They say you're 75% more likely to drown if your parents can't swim.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:So it's something we, we really.
Speaker B:Oh yeah.
Speaker B:Did not know that one.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:We have a problem called.
Speaker B:We have a program called Every child Swims and basically it is.
Speaker B:We're.
Speaker B:We take a third grade Springdale class and we swim test every kid in the third grade and anyone who fails gets free swim lessons for 12 weeks.
Speaker A:That's amazing.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So if you want to take advantage of that program, it's all@the JonesCenter.org just go through there.
Speaker B:Yes, it is.
Speaker B:JonesCenter.org those adult classes are on Mondays and we have three levels and honestly we started with one when I started two years ago and we're up to three and they sell out almost every time now.
Speaker A:I love.
Speaker A:So the JonesCenter.org is where you can find all the information.
Speaker A:Now.
Speaker A:One of the beautiful things about northwest Arkansas, we have such a constant influx of people.
Speaker A:If you have 40 new people every single day moving to northwest Arkansas.
Speaker A:So if you're not familiar, the Jones center is in Springdale.
Speaker A:So it's pretty easy to get in and out of.
Speaker A:It's a big, big facility and it's, it's, it's just wonderful.
Speaker A:There's such like excitement in the air the second you walk in the building.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:The Jones center is A place that there is always something going on.
Speaker B:It is truly, I mean, we have, I think they said 31 birthday parties there this weekend.
Speaker B:Just to give you an idea.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Our ice rink.
Speaker B:You know, we're the only ice rink in northwest Arkansas.
Speaker B: in the morning till: Speaker B:Wow.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:So, I mean, because you talked about the University of Arkansas hockey, they have three teams.
Speaker B:A division two, division three and a women's division three team.
Speaker B:Then we also have our jchl which is our recreational league hockey, plus our learn to skate program, plus curling, which has been very popular right now with the Winter Olympics.
Speaker B:So that, that ice rink, besides the ice rink in the pool, they stay very, very busy.
Speaker A:The JonesCenter.org Again, we mentioned a little bit ago, JJ Barros is coming, great stand up comedian.
Speaker A:You guys have great stand up comedy.
Speaker A:What is it?
Speaker A:Center stage comedy.
Speaker A:And then you've got Pete the Cat coming as part of Fam Jam.
Speaker A:That's a lot of fun.
Speaker B:Yeah, our Fam jams are great.
Speaker B:So we, we do those once a month and those are different, you know, family style friendly things.
Speaker B:So we've had Pete the Cat, we had Magic School Bus, we've had the Yuck show.
Speaker B:So it is a great way to spend a Saturday.
Speaker B:If you buy a ticket then you get a free pass to either skate or swim that day, depending on the weekend.
Speaker B:And so it's a really cool way for you to come, bring the kids and spend a couple hours in the best community center in northwest Arkansas.
Speaker A:There's no doubt it's the best community center.
Speaker A:Now he's talked about buying tickets a lot.
Speaker A:The JonesCenter.org is the website.
Speaker A:And just realize tickets are really, really reasonable.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:The Jones center is not there trying to make a ton of profit.
Speaker A:That's not what this is.
Speaker B:No.
Speaker B:Our whole goal is to expand the offerings in Springdale.
Speaker B:You know, we want you to feel like you don't have to drive to a Fayetteville or a Bentonville to see a great show.
Speaker B:We really want everybody in the area to be able to experience that.
Speaker A:And again, as a guy who drives from basically Farmington to go there, there's a lot of classes and things and events that are happening that'll draw folks from all over.
Speaker A:So take the time to Visit the website.
Speaker A:Thejonescenter.org want to say thanks to Jeff for coming by.
Speaker A:We appreciate your time, bud.
Speaker B:Hey, thanks for having me.
Speaker B:It's been a blast.
