Join today for lifelong benefits and wellness.
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Customer Service
Whether you are a new member just getting started or a returning member for many years, excellent customer service is always guaranteed. From our friendly volunteers at the front desk to our dedicated team, everyone is here to support you on your fitness journey and help you achieve your goals.
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Atmosphere
The family-centered atmosphere is what sets us a part from your typical gym. Members often say that their favorite thing about coming to the Orthwein Center is the camaraderie. Here at the Orthwein Center you’re not just another member; you’re seen, you’re heard, you’re family!
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Equipment
Our facility offers a wide range of accessible equipment, including standing frames, high-low mat tables, a Paramill® treadmill, Krankcycles®, parallel bars, a VitaGlide®, MOTOmeds®, and MORE!
Orthwein Family Donation
Thanks to the Orthwein Family gift, our center was able to make upgrades to our facility and purchase critical exercise equipment. Learn more about the Orthwein family’s vision and their impact in this video.
Dream it.
Dr. David Gray, PhD is remembered for his countless achievements, including his work in the disability community. Dr. Gray was a powerful voice, advocating for civil rights of people with a disability, and was influential in the dream for an accessible gym, right here in St. Louis, MO. In 1995, Dr. Gray joined the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University. Ten years later, Dr. Gray and the Program in Occupational Therapy secured funding from the Missouri Foundation of Health for the development of a health and wellness center at Paraquad. Dr. Gray’s vision for a fully accessible gym that would eliminate barriers to physical and emotional wellness for persons with a disability began to become a reality.
Build it.
The Health and Wellness Center started off small with big dreams, located in a basement on the Delmar Loop. Before long, memberships grew and it was time to expand. The Health and Wellness Center moved to Paraquad’s main office on Oakland Ave., with limited space and an annual membership capacity of 100 people. Over the years, a waitlist developed, and it was time to expand one more time. In 2014, Paraquad announced plans for a new location for the Health and Wellness Center that would feature more than 40 pieces of accessible exercise equipment and serve up to 500 people annually. After an extensive capital campaign and renovation project, the Health and Wellness Center on Berthold Ave. held its grand opening on January 26, 2017.
Grow it.
In 2020, the Health and Wellness Center received a generous gift from the family of Stephen Orthwein in his honor. This gift has been critical in transforming the Health and Wellness Center from a solid local resource to a state-of-the-art regional destination that provides transformative exercise options to promote independence and life-long wellness for people with disabilities. The center is now proudly known as the Stephen A. Orthwein Center, honoring Stephen and his legacy.
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Meet the Team
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Annie Morrow
Director
PT, DPT, NCS -
Erika Preusser
Lead Adaptive Exercise Specialist OT
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Suzanne Peters
Lead Adaptive Exercise Specialist
PT, DPT -
Michael Scheller
Adaptive Exercise Specialist
PTA -
Kimberly Applegate
Exercise Programs Specialist
COTA -
Ryan McNealy
Operations Manager
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Brandon Colter
Exercise Assistant
B.S. -
Joanna Wheeler
Front Desk
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Kevin Geekie
Front Desk
Orthwein Center Partners
The Orthwein Center is proud to partner with the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University, Logan University Health Center, and American Parkinson Disease Association.
Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University
The Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University provides clinical services and conducts research at the Research Lab and Community Practice Clinic at the Stephen A. Orthwein Center.
Clinical services include comprehensive evaluation and assessment of wheelchair seating and mobility needs; manual wheelchair propulsion analysis and education; pressure mapping of current positioning and posture; and programs serving parents with disabilities through adaptive baby care provisions. The above services may be billed through Medicare or private insurance. To schedule an appointment, contact Tiffani Price at (314) 362-5079 or T.price@wustl.edu.
For persons with spinal cord injury or disease who may be uninsured or under-insured, the Collaborative Community Clinic provides free student-led occupational therapy groups and individual services supervised by a licensed OT. For more information, contact Carla Walker at (314) 273-7010 or walkerc@wustl.edu
Opportunities to participate in paid research are available through the Enabling Mobility in the Community Laboratory for persons with disabilities. Topics include exercise and wheelchair training.
Your involvement in these research projects may include activities such as completing surveys, participating in focus groups or completing interventions. For more information, contact Kim Walker at (314) 273-7010 or walker.k@wustl.edu.
Logan University Health Center
The Logan University Health Center provides evidence-informed, patient-centered, natural health care, chiropractic services at the Stephen A. Orthwein Center.
The new, full-service Health Center will allow Logan clinicians and student doctors to expand this patient-centered care for individuals of all ages and abilities in the St. Louis community. Open to the public, the Logan Health Center within the Stephen A. Orthwein Center at Paraquad will offer affordable, quality, health care following a $10 flat fee model. Services available include chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture, pediatric chiropractic, nutritional counseling and more; care will be led by Patricia Estrada, DC.
As the teaching clinic for one of the nation’s leading chiropractic colleges, we use the latest evidence-based technologies and techniques in treating injuries, relieving pain and improving performance. Logan Health Centers provide opportunities for Logan Doctor of Chiropractic students to provide care under the direct supervision of licensed and experienced clinicians. Together, students and clinicians engage in the delivery of evidence-informed, patient-centered care for individuals of all ages and abilities.
For more information and to schedule an appointment, call (314) 274-3367.
Hours of Business:
Monday & Wednesday……..10:00 AM -6:00 PM
Tuesday & Thursday………..8:00 AM-3:00 PM
Friday………………………..closed
American Parkinson Disease Association
The APDA is the largest grassroots network dedicated to fighting Parkinson’s disease (PD) and works tirelessly to help the approximately one million with PD in the United States live life to the fullest in the face of this chronic, neurological disorder.
The APDA is sponsoring two Parkinson’s specific classes with the Stephen A. Orthwein Center.
For more information on the APDA, call 636-778-3377
Classes
Interval Training: Thursdays…..12:00 PM- 1:00 PM
Fit n’Fun: Fridays …..2:00 PM-3:00 PM