At 79, Cenith Evans is living on a replaced shoulder, hip and knee.

And thanks to the aerobic classes held twice a week at the Suffolk Senior Center, she’s feeling great.

&uot;It’s important for anybody to be physically fit, especially when they’re in the shape I’m in,&uot; she said Thursday morning, warming up for class on a leg machine. &uot;My joints feel better when I work them out. I still use a cane to walk, but I feel better on the days that I come here.&uot;

From 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, instructor Betty Figg-Cartwright brings the participants together into a large room in the Main Street building to help them feel good in those golden years. The class is free.

&uot;We should all be in shape from our first breath to our last breath,&uot; said Figg-Cartwright, who taught the class at Birdsong Recreation Center until it was demolished earlier this year. &uot;This helps people live longer and gives them a better quality of life. More strength and more life gives them a reason to get up in the morning.&uot;

Before class, Helen Thompson can usually be found treading on a treadmill.

&uot;I can’t wait for class,&uot; she said. &uot;I’ve been coming here for about three months.&uot;

Ellen Gay has a few other reasons for coming.

&uot;I work out to keep my cholesterol down,&uot; she said. &uot;It’s been high for about five or 10 years, and this helps keep it down. I like coming here and meeting other people and socializing.&uot;

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com