Registered dietician Monica Nelson of Marquette General Hospital , at left and above, sprinkles sesame seeds into a wok as she starts preparing an Asian stir fry dish during her “Nutrient-Dense Cooking for Two” at the inaugural Baby Boomers & Beyond expo held at the YMCA of Marquette recently. (Journal photos by Steve Brownlee)

MARQUETTE — About 150 senior citizens and those nearing that age learned and had fun at the same time at the Baby Boomers & Beyond expo held at the YMCA in Marquette on Nov. 9. The same could be said for the staff at the “Y.” “A full 25 percent of our membership is 65 (years) and over,” said Lisa Coombs-Gerou, chief executive officer of the YMCA of Marquette County. “But we don’t have a lot of fitness programming geared specifically for older adults, and we’d like to change that.” “Y” staff were able to gauge which of a dozen events that lasted from a half-hour to an hour were most popular with attendees, while asking attendees to fill out survey cards about services they’d like to see. And just talking to them in the hallways around the YMCA and next-door Lakeview Arena. The “baby boomers and beyond” who attended could try out water aerobics, yoga and aqua therapy, receive a massage, and learn about healthy cooking, active minds and strong bodie.