Prairie Lakes Wellness Center Achieves Record Membership in August, Reports Strong Summer Program Attendance

Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The Prairie Lakes Wellness Center (PLWC) reported a new high in membership units for August 2025, reaching 3,790 memberships. This figure matched the membership total recorded in May 2025 and represents an increase over the 3,594 memberships recorded in August 2024. Membership unit counts reflect one unit per membership, which may include two or more individuals in a family plan.

The organization highlighted a successful summer season, particularly for its swim lesson programs. The 2025 Summer Swim Lesson registration attracted 502 children, who participated in learning to swim. Out of the total class sessions, 46 were filled to capacity, with an additional 33 class sessions reported as nearly complete.

In a successful outreach effort, the PLWC also provided swim lessons to children from the nearby communities of Summit, Castlewood, Lake Norden, and Hayti. A total of 125 children were transported from these outlying towns to the PLWC for the lessons.

While the Sports Zone typically experiences a slower period during August, the facility has begun to see the start of fall team activities. Rentals commenced for the Watertown Middle School Girls' Volleyball team as they began practice.

In terms of utilization, the daily operations report noted that child watch services were utilized for 148 visits, and 185 visits were recorded for PLWC wellness classes. The highest daily attendance, which includes both members and guest passes, was 710 for August.

The overall trend shows a consistent increase in membership units compared to previous years, with August 2025's total of 3,790 surpassing the August figures for 2024 (3,594), 2023 (3,308), 2022 (2,829), 2021 (2,589), and 2020 (2,575).

The City of Watertown Park, Recreation, and Forestry board will meet on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at 12:00 pm at the Fieldhouse located at 1900 West Kemp Ave.