Deadline looming for county's annual Senior Games contests
By Kirsten Ballard
Published in News on March 22, 2015 1:50 AM
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Arthur and Wilma Herring play cornhole during the Senior Games at Westbrook Park in Mount Olive last year. Cornhole was the most popular event at last year's Senior Games.
Jeanne Lovings loves competition.
She loves performing.
It has something she has never outgrown.
She has spent the last 15 years competing in the Wayne County Senior Games. And this year, she and Terry Right serve as ambassadors to the games.
Mrs. Lovings uses the games as a mental health check.
"If I can do this year what I did last year, then I'm in good shape," she said.
Registration forms for this year's games are currently being accepted -- and can be picked up at the Peggy M. Seegars Senior Center, Herman Park Center, Family Y, library, Mount Olive Senior Center or the Mount Olive library.
Events include the silverstriders, fun walk, cornhole, shuffleboard, horseshoes, tennis, golf, croquet, billiards, basketball shoot, bowling, swimming events, racquetball, table tennis, track events, pickle ball, cycling, softball throw, football throw, spin casting and the silver arts.
April 3 is the last day to register for the Senior Games. Participants must be 50 years old to compete.
The participation fee is $10 and includes a T-shirt, awards luncheon, fall social, and entry to compete in all the games. Putt-putt and bowling require additional fees of $5 and $6.45 respectively.
Opening ceremonies will be held at the Senior Center on May 1 at 9 a.m.
The fun walk is the first event and the contests continue throughout the month of May.
"It's a good time of the year," Mrs. Lovings says. "With the winter weather, they've been cooped up, now we can get moving again."
The Silver Arts will be on display at the Arts Council through the entire month of May. Entries of visual, literary and heritage arts are all accepted.
The Silver Follies will be held May 11 at the Paramount Theatre -- an event that will see 23 acts perform various dances, comedic sketches and musical performances. The act is free and open to the public.
The awards luncheon will be May 29 at 11 a.m. at the Herman Park Center. Medals and invitations to compete in the state competition will be awarded that morning.
Pickle ball is new to the games this year. Mrs. Lovings describes it as a mix of table tennis and tennis with a wiffleball. It is played on a shortened court. It will be played both for singles and doubles.
She says participation continues to increase each year, with 326 seniors in the games last year. Last year's biggest event was cornhole.