By Laurie Whittier
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

You never know who you’ll find working out at Wind Crest’s fitness center or sitting next to you in one of the Town Center Clubhouse classrooms. It could be a well-known and respected physicist like Bill Koch, who helped research technology used in the atomic bomb and cancer treatment.

Koch was one of the first people to move to Wind Crest when it opened in June. And like any self-respecting physicist, he did his research to find a place that delivered a wide array of features and amenities—including those supporting physical fitness.

No comparison
Koch, who lived in three other retirement communities before deciding on Wind Crest, is still astounded by the scope of the fitness center and the pool, which features mountain views and a saline-to-chlorine conversion system that’s gentle on the skin and eyes.

“I get up at six o’clock every morning and swim 30 laps before sitting down to breakfast over the morning paper,” he says. “Then I work out in the fitness center.”

Physical fitness is nothing new for Koch, but the many recreational options at Wind Crest and the number of quality machines in the fitness center are a refreshing surprise. “Other places I lived didn’t have that,” he says.

Great food, great company
The dining options are another huge plus for Koch, who likens the quality menu at Wind Crest to that of a luxury cruise ship. And the family-style seating at the Fireside restaurant makes it easy to meet others who share his interests and zest for life.

“There’s a younger population here than I was used to before,” Koch says. And the positive, vibrant environment they create has brightened his outlook. “It’s a different world here.”

“Top secret” career
Koch has also discovered that a few of his new neighbors have scientific  backgrounds, which provides him the opportunity to share some of his more memorable life experiences in the world of physics.