Over 100 attend Piedmont Plus Senior Games/SilverArts kickoff
Chair volleyball was popular at the Senior Games kickoff.
By Judie Holcomb-Pack
It was a steady stream of returning participants and seniors looking to learn more at the kickoff for the 2020 Piedmont Plus Senior Games/SilverArts held on Jan. 17 at the Hanes Hosiery Recreation Center. Over 20 sponsors had booths set up for attendees to visit, along with an area providing blood pressure and other health checkups. David Calhoun entertained the crowd with his amazing magic and slight-of-hand tricks.
Chair volleyball and corn hole were set up to give attendees a chance to try their hand at these popular games. New this year at the local level will be a putt-putt competition on May 14 at Adventure Landing.
Attendees were given cards with questions to find the answers to by stopping by the various vendor tables. At the end of the event, there were numerous door prizes, from gift cards to restaurants to a free registration to a Wake Forest Lifelong Learning class.
Todd Collins, Recreation and Parks Senior Games Coordinator, noted that he just completed his first year with Senior Games. “I had the privilege of enjoying my first Senior Games kickoff on Jan 17. We had a great turnout of participants and vendors,” he said. “Medical screenings from WSSU, to a magician, were among the great activities the participants were able to enjoy.”
The next few months will be busy ones with all the Senior Games and SilverArts competitions, but Collins is ready. “I am looking forward to our Senior Games starting in April of 2020, and hope that everyone will be able to come out and play a part in making Senior Games 2020 a tremendous success.”
Registration forms are available at city recreation centers, the YMCAs and Gateway YWCA, as well as at the Senior Games office at 2301 N. Patterson Ave. Early registration closes on Feb. 28 and the deadline for all registration is March 31. Participants compete in the sporting events by age category and must be age 50 by Dec. 31, 2020. Age categories begin at age 50 and go up to ages 95 – 100. Gold, silver and bronze medals are given to the winners of each event.
Heritage and literary arts events include pottery, woodworking, quilting, needlepoint, doll-making, photography, painting, and writing genres of poetry, short story, and non-fiction. The performance competition includes singing, playing musical instruments, dancing, cheerleading, and comedy routines, and can include individual or group performances. The performance event is free and open to the public and will be held on April 30 at 7 p.m. at Forsyth Tech West Campus.
For more information, visit www.WePlay.ws and click on the Seniors link.
