Try Something New!

By Nancy Pardue

Photo caption: Danielle Donaldson learns to skate with the help of Marilyn Nolte of Polar Ice House.

It’s almost New Year’s Day, and resolutions abound — but will you resolve to have fun?

We’ve got ideas to help you step out for 2012 and try something new that will add a spark to your days. You’ll find these inspirations in the January edition of Triangle East, located inside Cary Magazine.

Here’s a sneak peek on discovering some Cool Confidence:

Marilyn Nolte wanted to be “one of those cool people spinning in the middle of the ice.”

So, as a young adult she attended ice skating school. Now the skating director at Polar Ice House of Garner (www.polaricehouse.com), Nolte shares her skills for others’ benefit.  

“If you can walk, you can learn to skate!” she said. “The nice thing is that you can skate at any level, year round, in a climate-controlled environment. 

“It’s also good exercise. Skating works your legs, uses ab strength, improves posture — it uses pretty much every muscle group. And you get to meet other people, and have that camaraderie.”

Danielle Donaldson of Holly Springs brought her children to the rink for lessons. Now she’s a student too.

Concentration on her face and arms extended, she pushes off to glide across the ice. Carefully following Nolte’s demonstration, she successfully reverses direction on the ice, and breaks into a grin.

“Over time, students develop confidence,” Nolte said. “The biggest thing for any student is to learn it right. It doesn’t matter how young or old, you want a strong foundation.”

Skating classes for all ages are available here year round, including recreational, figure and hockey, and public skate sessions are held daily.

January is National Skating Month, with special activities planned at Polar Ice House’s three rink locations, in Garner, Cary and Wake Forest.

Polar Ice House also operates the outdoor ice rink for the AT&T Raleigh Winterfest, a two-month-long, family-friendly celebration which runs through Jan. 29. 

“I’m having so much fun,” Donaldson said. “This is one of those bucket list kind of things.”