By Susan Kwasny
Trager Family JCC member Patricia O’Bryan
Sometimes, changing a life doesn’t happen through one big moment. Sometimes, it happens through a series of small moments: a friend who recommends the JCC, a staff member who makes sure there is a place for you in a class, a ride that allows you to get through the doors, or a volunteer opportunity that gives you a reason to come back.
And sometimes, those small moments add up to something extraordinary.
For Patricia O’Bryan, the Trager Family JCC has become much more than a fitness center. It is a place where she has rediscovered movement, friendship, purpose, and, most importantly, a sense of belonging.
In 2020, Patricia’s life changed dramatically when she was involved in a serious accident, ultimately losing the use of her legs. Her recovery brought with it not only physical challenges, but also many difficult personal changes. A world that had once been full of activity became much smaller.
After some time, her doctor encouraged her to become more active. Patricia was already a member of another fitness center, but a friend suggested that she give the JCC a try.
“I’ll only swim,” Patricia remembers thinking.
Swimming became the beginning of something much bigger.
After spending time at the JCC, Patricia was introduced to its AgeWell program. When she met with Director Dara Cohen, Patricia learned that the program offered something she hadn’t expected: transportation.
“I thought the facility was unbelievable,” Patricia said. “And the fact that you have transportation here is even better.”
That transportation helped make the JCC accessible to Patricia, but it was the people who made her want to stay.
Patricia remembers countless small interactions with JCC staff that have made her feel cared for. She specifically credits Dara and Assistant Director Janet DeArk from the AgeWell program, but she also speaks warmly about her interactions with lifeguards, Member Services, the front desk, and many other members of the JCC team.
They care.
They help.
They make things work.
“The Trager Family JCC is so inclusive,” Patricia said.
That spirit of inclusion was evident when Patricia attended one of our sound bath events. When she asked for a spot without a mat, so she could remain in her wheelchair, the response was simply, “Of course.”
“I tried other places and it just didn’t fit,” she said. “In a very short time I feel like I belonged here.”
That sense of belonging has become one of the most important parts of Patricia’s JCC experience. She participates in exercise classes, swims in the pool, attends AgeWell lunches and activities, and embraces opportunities to socialize and learn.
But perhaps most importantly, Patricia has found a way to give back.
“I was always the helper, and now I needed help,” she said. “But Dara has allowed me to volunteer my time and do clerical work.”
That opportunity changed something fundamental for Patricia. She was no longer simply someone receiving help. She was once again someone who could help others.
“Other people look after me here, and I look after other people,” she said.
That reciprocal relationship is at the heart of what makes a community a community.
Over time, Patricia’s physical progress has been remarkable. Through swimming and exercise classes, she has regained strength and mobility and is, at times, able to walk with a walker. She has lost more than 100 pounds.
One of the most powerful moments in Patricia’s JCC journey happened when she walked through the doors without her wheelchair. The people who knew her saw what that moment represented. They cheered. They clapped. They celebrated her progress.
But when Patricia talks about what the Trager Family JCC has given her, she doesn’t lead with weight loss or physical accomplishments. Instead, she talks about her world.
“My world was so small,” she said. “Now my world has gotten much larger.”
That larger world includes laughter, stories, and memories. It includes lunches with friends, exercise classes, swimming, Jewish holiday celebrations and even special programs like the drumming performance that she loved so much.
And there is purpose.
“It is home to me,” Patricia said.
Patricia’s story reminds us that the Trager Family JCC is not simply a building filled with pools, fitness equipment, classrooms, and activity spaces. It is a place that meets people where they are—and then helps them discover where they can go.
“The JCC will always be here,” Patricia said, “but it changes as people need it.”
That may be one of the best descriptions of what a community center can be.
Our community can change lives: not necessarily by doing something extraordinary, but by creating a place where people know they matter—and where, every day, they become a little stronger, a little more connected, and a little more hopeful.
For Patricia, that place is the Trager Family JCC.
And for all of us who have the privilege of serving this community, her story is a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do.
Susan Kwasny is Senior Director of JCC Programs and Operations.