By Paige Grzenia

Contributing Writer

KEWAUNEE – Kewaunee Health and Fitness is a member-owned and operated not-for-profit with a mission to “create a healthy community.”

Along with offering basketball, volleyball, an indoor track, a pool, and hot tub for members, the center also offers various classes including cardio, yoga, water, pickleball, martial arts, and a popular class among many members — SilverSneakers.

SilverSneakers is a class geared toward the senior crowd “led by a trained instructor using a chair for sitting exercises with hand weights, resistance bands and balls to work your upper body,” said Director Mary Novak.

Eight-year member, John Rieben, took his commitment to fitness to a new level recently.

When he heard about the center’s need for a new logo in 2021, he jumped at the opportunity to be the one to create one.

Rieben is an internationally-recognized designer who loves spending his days reading, painting, hiking, and working out at the center with his wife.

Rieben owes his start in graphic design to a Czechoslovakian professor he had in graduate school.

Before Rieben started graduate school, he was stationed in Paris for two years for military service, where he was exposed to beautiful works of art.

After viewing art he’d never seen before, he knew he wanted to do something artistic.

Rieben said that his professor basically told him, “Quit messing around and here’s what you should do.”

So, Rieben began his graphic design career.

Although Rieben has been artistic since he was young, his professor gave him the push and materials to get started in graphic design and from there he soared.

As he began his thought process for creating the Kewaunee Health and Fitness logo, Rieben recalled meeting with their board to get their input and remarked, “I don’t think any of them had ever been asked before about logos, what they like and didn’t like.”

Being a member of Kewaunee Health and Fitness made it easier for Rieben to understand what type of logo the center would appreciate.

He thought about important aspects of Kewaunee and the lighthouse is what stuck out to him.

“I started thinking, what are all the attributes of a lighthouse? How would that convert to a health center?” said Rieben.

His goal was to combine the human form with the lighthouse, and from there he started designing the current and beloved logo of Kewaunee Health and Fitness.

The center feels fortunate to have Rieben and his wife as members and realizes they are privileged to own one of John’s original creations.

Although Rieben isn’t working on graphic design projects anymore, he is currently painting a series of his favorite jazz artists, which he hopes to feature in a show.

SilverSneakers classes are offered on Tuesdays from 9-9:45 a.m. and Thursdays from 9:30-10:15 a.m. at Kewaunee Health and Fitness, to improve strength and balance while having a fun time.