Exercise is not only good for the body, it's also good for the brain, said the slim, long-brown-haired wife and mother of two college-age students during a recent interview with Voices.

"Active aging is what we're all about. It's a quality of life issue," she said.

Mrs. Babbage, who lives in Newtown, said while her children were growing up, she wanted to be an available parent.

Having a dance background and being a certified fitness trainer, she gravitated toward teaching fitness and exercise part time.

Mrs. Babbage noted that seniors, conscious of the benefits of exercise, appear to enjoy the classes already offered at the town's new senior center on Old Church Road.

These include yoga, tai chi, zumba and walking. The center also offers a new osteo exercise program aimed at building bone density.

Still, seniors are clamoring for more exercise programs and she intends to try to satisfy that desire.

"After all, we have the space for it," she said.

One potential new program she hopes to introduce is strength training, she said.

One of 14 applicants for the position vacated by the former director, Marie Tyrrell, Mrs. Babbage was born in Somers, N.Y., and moved to Newtown in 1990.

She has a B.S. in behavioral sciences with a specialty in gerontology and psychology from Mercy College in New York.

Her resume includes working at the Sleep Disorders Unit at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, the Geriatric Health Center of Danbury Hospital and Masonic Care in Brookfield.

She also established her own business, Priority Fitness, in 2000.

Via the last, she took her fitness program to senior centers throughout the state.

Her most recent job was as an assistant director at the Newtown Senior Center. She held that position for nearly two years.

Mrs. Babbage said she applied for the local senior director position because she viewed it as an opportunity to bring to local seniors the programs she has been most excited about over the years.

Since starting work on February 23 her primary focus has been on learning how the center operates and becoming acquainted with those who use the facility.

She said, knowing that senior citizens don't appreciate changes in their routines, she had no immediate plans to alter how things are done.

Her goal right now is to make seniors feel comfortable being at the center.

"I want to stimulate their minds, bodies and spirits," she said.

Mrs. Babbage said she was impressed with the facility, which opened in January, 2008, and with the membership, which continues to grow.

Now boasting about 575 members, the composition includes not only residents from Oxford, but from Seymour, Southbury, Ansonia, Oakville, Middlebury, Prospect, Wolcott, Beacon Falls and Shelton as well.

The new director said she believes having an attractive facility is contributing to the growth.

"It's a situation where you build it and they will come," she noted.

Now, it's a matter of making the best use of the available space, including the kitchen.

Recently, the center began offering cooking classes, a practice it will probably continue, along with more trips and, of course, more exercise programs.

Mrs. Babbage said she also plans to keep apprised of all new legislation affecting seniors, especially on issues like public transportation and health care.

"I'm interested in all that," she said.