Pearce Community Center was founded by members of the community who were passionate about making the transformation from an empty school into a thriving community center. 35 years later, Pearce Community Center is led by a dedicated team of individuals, from management staff to board members, who are passionate about growing and keeping Pearce Community Center around for the next 35 years and beyond.

Pearce Community Center has evolved into something quite special for the community of Chillicothe and neighboring communities. When you walk through the doors at Pearce, you will instantly be greeted by one of the friendly front desk attendants. Just beyond the front desk you will likely find a gathering of folks sipping coffee and socializing in the members’ lounge, and while that may seem simple, that socialization is the highlight of their days. Beyond the front desk, members and guests will move along to other areas of the facility that have grown greatly over the past 35 years. They might be heading to one of the many group fitness classes offered that day, to workout on their own in the modernized fitness areas, to the indoor track to walk laps, or maybe even off to the pool to swim laps. 

The evolution doesn’t just end at what is contained in the walls of the building, the programs that have grown over the past 35 years are what make Pearce Community Center special. The youth leagues draw hundreds of kids from all over the area to learn the fundamentals of soccer, basketball, volleyball, and most recently pickleball. Sports appreciation doesn’t just end with our youth, Pearce also boasts year-round badminton and pickleball leagues for adults. And there is always a game of pick-up basketball to be enjoyed by members of all ages. The aquatics department is a facility favorite. Between open swimming, group exercise classes, teaching kids how to swim, and birthday parties the pool is truly a prized amenity of Pearce Community Center. One of the largest departments at present is our youth programs department: offering summer camps, school’s out day camps, before and after school care, and many other programs for families in this community to enjoy. What a treat to have so many options available for the young people of this community to do right here in Chillicothe. The fitness department has been a staple of Pearce Community Center from day one and continues to evolve with the times offering group fitness classes, personal training services, specialty fitness classes for youth, adults, and seniors, and fitness equipment to achieve all fitness desires. 

Something that started early on at Pearce Community Center that continues to this day is hosting events for the community. Pearce is proud to celebrate 32 years of hosting its annual Run for the Health of It 5k, 2 mile walk, and kid’s fun run. Other long-standing events include the annual Spooktacular event and Breakfast with Santa. These events are truly a labor of love for the staff to put on but are such a thrill to host for the community. Newer to the lineup of events include the Indoor Triathlon, Vino & Vinyasa, and most recently Aqua Sound Bath. The staff loves to find new events to bring the community together. 

As Pearce Community Center celebrates 35 years of serving the community, they invite you to join them on Wednesday, April 23rd for Pearce Community Center Day. Events will include coffee and donuts from 11am-12pm, family gym time fun from 4-6pm including pickleball and WooshBall, family scavenger hunt from 5-6pm with a prize given to all who participate, cocktail hour (21 and older) from 6-8pm including a cash bar and hors d’oeuvres, and a proclamation at 6:30pm. Join us in celebrating 35 years of community fellowship—while looking ahead to an even brighter future! Come be a part of the celebration, reconnect with friends, and share stories or memories you have from over the years.