Congratulations David & Deirdre on being selected as The Chatham Club Members of the Month for October!
David and Deirdre are both long-time members of The Chatham Club. David is approaching 30 years as a member, while Deirdre has accumulated nearly 40 years at the Club across two different stints.
Beyond being valued members of the Club, David and Deirdre also share a special connection to it: they met here!
As David shared:
“I met my wife, Deirdre, at the Club, and we’ve now been married for more than 20 years. We met while her son, Peter, who is also a member of the Club (you might see him and all four kids on the weekends!), was playing in a junior squash tournament. We started chatting, and the rest is history! The Chatham Club has really been a big part of both our lives, and we enjoy spending time there together.”
Stories like David and Deirdre’s are a wonderful reminder of what makes The Chatham Club so special. It’s more than a place to work out—it’s a place where friendships are formed, families grow, and lifelong memories are made.
What brought you both to The Chatham Club?
David:
After moving from Chicago, I was looking for a club where I could stay active, play squash, and feel part of a welcoming squash membership. The Chatham Club was an ideal fit—it was conveniently located between my office in Bernardsville and my home in Summit.
Deirdre:
I initially joined the club because my former husband was a squash member and I wanted to try squash, though my squash career was short lived due to my lack of eye hand coordination, and I wanted to learn how to use the exercise machines. I left after having my second child because we lived too far away, but moved to Madison in 1996, at which time I returned to the club.
What accomplishments/changes have each of you made since joining The Chatham Club?
David:
I’ve been a member for 29 years, and I’ve played squash at least twice a week throughout that time. Over the past 10 years, I’ve also made good use of the club’s excellent range of fitness and cardio equipment. I’ve played squash with Keatan Thakker most Monday evenings for around 20 years.
Deirdre:
In the younger years, I worked hard on being as strong and fit as possible. I also was doing a lot of running, so the combination was good for my goals at the time. Currently, I’m still trying to be as strong and fit as possible, but it seems that aging and gravity are interfering a bit with those goals!
What do you like about the club?
David:
I like the club because:
It’s in a great location, and before I retired, I could easily stop by on my way home from work.
It has excellent squash courts, a great membership, and does a wonderful job promoting junior squash.
The staff are professional, friendly, and always happy to help.
The squash program includes fun round robins on Saturdays and Sundays.
The club does a great job maintaining and updating its facilities and equipment.Deirdre:
I love being a member of the club. It has such a professional, relaxed, and friendly atmosphere. The staff are wonderful—many have been here for years, and I really appreciate how supportive and loyal they are as a team. I also love how welcoming the staff and members are, how clean and well-maintained the club is thanks to Jorge and Katherine, and the great variety of machines and exercise options. And, of course, I love having my dear friend Chris Rutgers there for a chat and a hug!
What do you like about the personal training that the club offers?
David:
The trainers really know their stuff, and every session they introduce me to a great variety of new exercises. That keeps working out fun and motivates me to work hard both during each session and between sessions.
Deirdre:
Dennis has a wonderful talent for coming up with uniquely crazy exercise challenges—and somehow expecting me to be able to do them! He’s usually right, of course, though not without a few choice words and complaints from me. I’m truly grateful for his support, encouragement, and sense of humor, and especially for the fact that he never gives up on me.
What are your favorite exercises?
All of them! Maybe leg exercises the most.
What are your least favorite exercises?
None
What do you both like to do outside of the club?
David:
We both love to travel, be with our kids and their children. I also like to play golf on a regular basis.
Deirdre:
Family time, travel, reading, playing word games.
Do either of you have any upcoming goals that you’re currently focusing on?
David:
I don’t have any specific goals at the moment, but I’d like to stay in good shape so I feel physically strong, can play with my grandkids, and keep enjoying squash and golf at a decent level.
Deirdre:
Just keep plugging along and working as hard as possible to stay as strong and fit as possible!