Programs
Although you don't need to be a member to participate, there are several advantages to becoming a member of GENCenter.
Programs at GENCenter
65+
Different Programs
12+
Monthly Events
With the right support network, your senior years can be the best years you’ve ever had. From games built for socialization with friends to exercises tailored to stimulate the mind and body, GENCenter offers numerous outlets for enhancing your health and vitality.
On a monthly basis, the Center offers over 65 different programs – some reoccurring throughout the month, whereas others are more specialized. When it comes to events and activities, GENCenter will help you get the most out of your golden years!
Activities
Wellness
We offer lots of ways to keep your body and mind healthy. You can stay active and independent with our exercise classes and counseling, while expanding your horizons with creative and educational programs.
We offer a variety of exercise classes for every level of ability, including our Zumba Gold, Line Dance, Chair Yoga, Better Balance and Tai Chi. If you prefer information more than action, there are presentations every month that touch on topics related to healthy aging. And, to help you monitor your own well-being, periodic health screenings are also offered.
Looking to get in better shape this year?
Maybe you just want to shed a couple extra pounds?
Look no further than our fitness center.
With an annual membership, you’re allowed unlimited access to the facility during open hours. Take advantage of our equipment assembled to strengthen your upper back, chest, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and leg muscles. For those who have to move, we even have a treadmill and stationary bike for facilitating better cardio. And if you are recovering from an injury, athletic or otherwise, our NuStep cross trainer may be able to help you.
For more information, send us a message by clicking the button below!
Fitness Center
Intergenerational Engagement
Since 2019, we have partnered with the Des Plaines Youth Commission to convene monthly intergenerational activities with representatives of older and younger generations. The goals of the program are to create and support/sustain an “age-friendly” community in Des Plaines and its neighboring communities; encourage lifelong learning initiatives, as all generations have a lot to both teach to and learn from each other; tackle issues around stereotyping and ageism; increase understanding and respect between older people and younger people; provide a mechanism to make new friends and combat social isolation; and organize various events and activities in order for participants to share experiences, enjoy each other’s company, and have fun. We welcome and encourage participation in helping us to grow this mutually beneficial program.
Stay trips, day trips, domestic and international travel offered through the Center, provide a variety of opportunities for seniors to go on a journey. Regardless of your interests, the Center has a day trip for you, including destinations pertaining to the theater, sports, culture, historic, ethnic, gaming, and more!
And for those interested in an extended adventure, we also partner with local tour companies to help members and non-members alike to truly satiate their travel bug.
To learn more, please contact our Trip Coordinator, Sally Thomphsen below:
Trips
March 2026
23
8:45am Ping Pong
9am Woodcarvers
9am Zumba Gold
10:30am Line Dance
11:30am Beginners Line Dance
12pm People's Poker
12:30pm Pickleball
12:30pm Pinochle
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24
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10am Arthritis Exercise Program
11am Line Dance
12pm Chair Beachball Volleyball
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Balance Talk
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Rummikub
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25
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10am Acupuncture (Appts. Required)
10:30am Chair Beachball Volleyball
11:45am Better Balance
12:30pm Canasta
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Quilting Group
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26
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Tai Chi
9am Rep. Mussman Office Hours
10am Mt. Prospect Quilting Group
10am Tech Help
10:45am Advanced Ping Pong
11:30am Upper/Lower Body Exercise
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Mexican Train Dominoes
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27
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
9am Zumba Gold
9am Legal Counsel (Appts. Req.)
10am Mexican Train Dominoes
10:15am Upper Body Toning
11am Better Balance
12pm Fish Fry
12:30pm Line Dance
1pm Cash Bingo
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28
1
2
8:45am Ping Pong
9am VFW Representative
9am Woodcarvers
9am Zumba Gold
10:30am Line Dance
11:30am Beginners Line Dance
12pm People's Poker
12:30pm Pickleball
12:30pm Pinochle
Show all
3
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10am Arthritis Exercise Program
11am Rep. Mussman Office Hours
11am Line Dance
12pm Chair Beachball Volleyball
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Rummikub
Show all
4
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10am Senior Corps. Police and Fire
10:30am Chair Beachball Volleyball
11:45am Better Balance
12pm Lunch and Learn
12:30pm Podiatrist (Appts. Req.)
12:30pm Canasta
12:30pm Acupuncture (Appts. Req.)
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Quilting Group
Show all
5
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Tai Chi
10am Mt. Prospect Quilting Group
10am Tech Help
10:45am Advanced Ping Pong
11am Veteran's Roundtable
11:30am Upper/Lower Body Exercise
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Mexican Train Dominoes
Show all
6
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
9am Zumba Gold
10am Mexican Train Dominoes
10:15am Upper Body Toning
11am Better Balance
12pm Fish Fry
12:30pm Line Dance
1pm Cash Bingo
Show all
7
8
9
8:45am Ping Pong
9am Woodcarvers
9am Zumba Gold
10:30am Line Dance
11:30am Beginners Line Dance
12pm Des Plaines Art Guild
12pm People's Poker
12:30pm Pickleball
12:30pm Pinochle
Show all
10
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
11am Line Dance
12pm Chair Beachball Volleyball
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Rummikub
Show all
11
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10:30am Chair Beachball Volleyball
11:45am Better Balance
12:30pm Podiatrist (Appts. Req.)
12:30pm Canasta
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Quilting Group
Show all
12
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Tai Chi
9:45am Power Punch (Trial Class)
10am Mt. Prospect Quilting Group
10am Tech Help
10:45am Advanced Ping Pong
11:30am Upper/Lower Body Exercise
12pm Lunch and A Movie
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Mexican Train Dominoes
Show all
13
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
9am Zumba Gold
9am Legal Counsel (Appts. Req.)
10am Mexican Train Dominoes
10:15am Upper Body Toning
11am Better Balance
12pm Fish Fry
12:30pm Line Dance
1pm Cash Bingo
Show all
14
15
16
8:45am Ping Pong
9am Woodcarvers
9am Zumba Gold
10:30am Line Dance
11:30am Beginners Line Dance
12pm Trivia
12pm People's Poker
12:30pm Pickleball
12:30pm Pinochle
Show all
17
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10am Veteran Services Rep. Office Hrs.
10am Hines VA Rep. Office Hrs.
11am Line Dance
12pm St. Paddy's Luncheon
12pm Chair Beachball Volleyball
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Rummikub
Show all
18
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10:30am Chair Beachball Volleyball
11:45am Better Balance
12:30pm Podiatrist (Appts. Req.)
12:30pm Canasta
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Quilting Group
Show all
19
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Tai Chi
10am Mt. Prospect Quilting Group
10am Tech Help
10:45am Advanced Ping Pong
11:30am Upper/Lower Body Exercise
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Mexican Train Dominoes
4pm Intergenerational Program
Show all
20
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
9am Zumba Gold
10am Mexican Train Dominoes
10:15am Upper Body Toning
12pm Fish Fry
1pm Cash Bingo
Show all
21
22
23
8:45am Ping Pong
9am Woodcarvers
9am Zumba Gold
12pm Des Plaines Art Guild
12pm People's Poker
12:30pm Pickleball
12:30pm Pinochle
Show all
24
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10am Arthritis Exercise
12pm Chair Beachball Volleyball
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Rummikub
Show all
25
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Ping Pong
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10am Acupuncture (Appts. Required)
10:30am Chair Beachball Volleyball
12:30pm Dear Evan Hanson
12:30pm Podiatrist (Appts. Req.)
12:30pm Canasta
1pm Quilting Group
Show all
26
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Tai Chi
9am Rep. Mussman Office Hours
10am Mt. Prospect Quilting Group
10am Tech Help
10:45am Advanced Ping Pong
11:30am Upper/Lower Body Exercise
12pm Lunch Bunch Book Club
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Cannoli Demo
1pm Mexican Train Dominoes
Show all
27
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
9am Zumba Gold
9am Legal Counsel (Appts. Req.)
10am Mexican Train Dominoes
10:15am Upper Body Toning
12pm Fish Fry
1pm Cash Bingo
Show all
28
29
30
9am Woodcarvers
9am Zumba Gold
12pm People's Poker
12:30pm Pinochle
Show all
31
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
10am Arthritis Exercise
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Rummikub
Show all
1
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
9am AARP Tax Aide (Appts. Required)
11:45am Better Balance
12pm Lunch and Learn
12:30pm Canasta
12:30pm Acupuncture (Appts. Req.)
1pm Chair Yoga
1pm Quilting Group
Show all
2
8:30am Illinois Dept. of Veteran's Affair Rep
8:45am Tai Chi
10am Mt. Prospect Quilting Group
10am Tech Help
11am Veteran's Roundtable
11:30am Upper/Lower Body Exercise
12:30pm Pinochle
1pm Mexican Train Dominoes
1:30pm God's Creatures
Show all
3
8:30am The Facility is Closed Today
4
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