‘Age Strong, Live Well’ on display at games
Former Washington County Commissioner Bracken Burns (in red) keeps toward the front of the pack on the first bend of the men’s mile walk during Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging’s 2014 Senior Games at Peters Township High School.
Inez Bontrager, left, of Connellsville watches as Carol Hughes, 69, of Houston, representing the Washington Senior Citizens Center, takes first place with her final throw in women’s bocce in 2014 during Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging’s Senior Games at Peters Township High School.
The 27th annual Senior Games will be held Tuesday at Charleroi Area High School, and are open to those 50 and older who either reside in Washington, Fayette or Greene counties or are members of a senior center within these counties.
The Parade of Athletes will kick off the opening ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. in the amphitheater.
This year’s slogan, “Age Strong, Live Well,” was chosen by the Mon Valley Senior Games 2017 task force. The red, gold and black logo, composed of three interlocking hearts, symbolizes the life force and energy needed to age strong and live well. The hearts also symbolically represent the interconnected three-county service area of Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging.
Coffee, doughnuts and fresh fruit, courtesy of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging, McDonald’s of Charleroi and Keystone Bakery, will be available for athletes and spectators before and immediately after the opening ceremony.
Individual competitions, which include the one-mile walk, 50-yard dash, basketball toss, bocce, corn bag, football throw, horseshoes, putting, shuffleboard, softball throw and stationary bike, will begin at 10 a.m. and continue until about 3 p.m.
In addition to the competitions, there will be homemade food and super bingo, and a health fair vendors will offer free health screenings, gifts, prize drawings and information on programs and services available to older adults. Also, stop by the Pennsylvania Lottery Association in the health fair area and receive a voucher for a scratch-off lottery ticket.
Bobby Shawn will perform from 11 a.m. to noon in the high school auditorium. At 1 p.m., a Vintage Fashion Show, “A Fashion Journey Through the Years,” will be presented by Not 2 Common Threads of Uncommonly Bella. Shawn will return to provide musical accompaniment for models showcasing fashion trends from the 1920s through the 1980s.
The Senior Games attracts about 700 participants and spectators. Although admission is free, there is a $1 registration fee per athletic event to compete. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded.
Advance registration is requested; however, individuals can register on Senior Games day for most of the competitions. Information and registration forms are available online at www.swpa-aaa.org. Forms also can be picked up at participating senior centers and Area Agency on Aging offices in Washington, Charleroi, Uniontown and Waynesburg.
SPHS Aging Services joins Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency in sponsoring the 2017 Senior Games to help promote health and wellness among mature adults.
For more information or to register for an event, contact your local senior center; Southwestern Pennsylvania Area Agency on Aging Inc. at 724-489-8080 or 888-300-2704, ext. 4430l; or download a registration form from www.swpa-aaa.org.