George and Shirley Durrwachter provide lead major gift to transform Zimmerli cardio room at CU-Lock Haven

 At Commonwealth University-Lock Haven, the Zimmerli Cardio Room is more than a place to exercise. It is where future educators, coaches and health professionals learn how to change lives.

Now, thanks to a transformative, six-figure, immediate-use leadership gift to the Lock Haven University Foundation (LHUF) from Dr. George '61 and Shirley Durrwachter, that space is being reimagined - transformed into a modern, high-impact environment that reflects the technology of today's health, fitness and rehabilitation fields.

For the Durrwachters, the investment is both deeply personal and profoundly purposeful - honoring their lifelong belief that education and health are two of the most powerful investments a person can make, fostering a meaningful impact on Lock Haven students, enriching the campus community and inspiring others to give back.

For Shirley, the importance of modern cardio equipment has become especially personal. Three years ago, she experienced a heart attack caused by a tear in her coronary artery. After emergency treatment, her cardiologist recommended cardiac rehabilitation - a structured exercise program designed to rebuild strength and protect heart health.

The program required her to attend supervised sessions three times per week, using cardio machines similar to those found in the Zimmerli cardio room. That experience helped shape the Durrwachter's decision to support the room's renovation at Lock Haven.

"It's not just about exercise - it's about recovery, prevention and quality of life," Shirley said. "These kinds of machines make a real difference."

"If you don't have your health, you don't have anything," George added. "Having a facility with state-of-the-art equipment helps students stay active, but it also teaches them how to build programs that promote healthy lives."

The Zimmerli cardio room serves as more than just a workout space - it is a hands-on learning laboratory for students in Lock Haven's health and physical education program.

With upgraded, industry-standard cardio equipment, the space allows students to engage in applied learning experiences that mirror real-world environments, from school fitness centers to rehabilitation clinics and community wellness programs.

Students will not only use the equipment themselves, but also learn how to design, implement and evaluate fitness and wellness programs - skills that are essential in today's health-conscious world.

Just as importantly, the cardio room will play a critical role in recruitment and retention, helping attract prospective students who are seeking modern facilities and meaningful, hands-on academic experiences.

"This is a dream come true for me, and I cannot express my appreciation enough for the incredible generosity George and Shirley have provided to our students," said Dr. Brett Everhart, K-12, Health and Physical Education, Middle Level & Secondary Education Department chair. "This amazing gift will do so much to help our students engage in learning experiences with the state-of-the art equipment they will surely encounter once they are employed."

In that way, the cardio room becomes a multiplier, shaping not only the students who use it today, but the countless lives they will impact in the future.

"George and Shirley Durrwachter have long been among Lock Haven's most dedicated and visionary supporters," said Erik Evans, vice president for university advancement. "Their philanthropic leadership has strengthened this university in countless ways, and this latest investment in the Zimmerli Cardio Room will have an immediate and lasting impact on our students' academic and professional preparation."

"What makes their story even more meaningful is the depth of their connection to The Haven," he added. "George's journey began here nearly 70 years ago, and that lifelong relationship continues to inspire how he and Shirley choose to give back today."

After George and Shirley graduated from Jersey Shore High School, George arrived at Lock Haven to study health and physical education, where he developed the leadership skills and work ethic that would shape his future. He served as the founding president of Lock Haven's chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon and helped establish the fraternity's presence on campus.

During his senior year, George married Shirley as she pursued nursing training at Williamsport Hospital. Their journey together - grounded in hard work, education and perseverance - was just beginning.

After starting his career in health and physical education, George discovered an interest in dentistry and spent a fifth year of postgraduate study at Lock Haven, eventually attending the University of Pittsburgh School of Dentistry, while working full-time to support his family.

Upon completing dental school, he enrolled in an early commissioning program with the US Air Force and spent two years as a dentist at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas. Then, with the help of the GI Bill, he later specialized in orthodontics at Temple University.

In 1970, he opened a practice in Williamsport. Over the next three decades, George built a successful orthodontic practice, while Shirley managed the administrative and financial side of the business, eventually retiring in 2002 after more than 30 years of service.

Through it all, the Durrwachters have always remained deeply connected to The Haven.

George served on both the Lock Haven University Council of Trustees and the LHUF Board of Directors, and their decades of philanthropy include support of scholarships, academic programs and major campus initiatives - including the 2008 creation and dedication of the Durrwachter Alumni Conference Center, which today serves as the CU-Lock Haven's welcome destination for prospective students and alumni. For their lifetime commitment to service and support of The Haven, George and Shirley will receive the Lock Haven University Foundation Philanthropy Award at the 2026 James C. Reeser Scholarship Brunch on April 10.

With their most-recent gift in support of the Zimmerli cardio room, the Durrwachters' hope is that others will join them in providing additional funding for this meaningful initiative.

"This gift is about more than equipment. It's about giving students the tools and confidence to go out and make people's lives healthier and better," Shirley said. "We've been extremely blessed with our health and our ability to give back, and we're very honored to be able to do so."

"If you can inspire someone else to give back and focus more on what they can give over what they can get in life, then you've fulfilled your journey," George added. "When you invest in Lock Haven students, you're not just helping them - you're helping every life they'll go on to impact. That's what makes a project like the Zimmerli cardio room so important."