The picture of “growing old gracefully” sure has changed over the generations, and Mecklenburg County Park & Recreation wants seniors to know that these days it means staying ACTIVE! They’re encouraging anyone over the age of 50 to have fun staying active at the annual Senior Games, in partnership with Partners for Parks.
Mecklenburg County Senior Games runs events from April through June around the county, covering seven individual and team sports, eleven “tournament sports,” and four categories of “Silver Arts.” Deadline to sign up is March 15.
You can find out more here:
https://parkandrec.mecknc.gov/activities/athletics/senior-games
(Use the menu on the left to find events and register)
“The competition encourages them to get out more and be active, doing their sport or craft year-round so they’re ready for the competition,” says Trena Palmer, Senior Games coordinator for MCP&R. The added motivation of annual games keeps seniors healthy in a number of ways, says Palmer.
“It helps meet a lot of their need for moving more, using their brain more, and socializing more,” says Palmer. “A lot of seniors opt to age at home, so giving them a reason to get out of the house, and even get up in the morning, it gives them a reason to do more.”
“This generation enjoys the camaraderie and the activities, and being together is just as important as the games themselves, win or lose,” agrees Partners for Parks Treasurer Al Brown.
Partners for Parks has acted as the fiduciary umbrella organization for Mecklenburg County Senior Games since 2016, when the previous organizers retired from the task. Partners for Parks keeps track of donations and sponsors for Senior Games, which keeps costs down for participants, provides scholarships for seniors who can’t afford the entry fee, and buys medals for awards.
“No one’s NOT coming just because of their financial condition,” says Brown. “Senior Games and Silver Arts are for everyone!”
In addition to team and individual sports, seniors can compete with Heritage Arts like needlework and stained glass, Literary Arts like poetry and essay writing, Performing Arts like singing, dancing, and comedy, and Visual Arts like painting, drawing and Photography. In all, the Silver Arts include more than 30 categories of competition.
More than 350 participants have already registered this year, but Palmer would love to see more. She says Senior Games also needs about 80 – 100 volunteers to cover all of the events over six weeks. She adds she loves seeing teenagers volunteer with their parents, and adults volunteering to help with their senior parents’ events!
“Volunteers get more from volunteering than they give,” says Palmer, affirming the old adage that it is better to give than to receive.
It’s also a great example of how Mecklenburg County’s parks and play areas are built for residents of all ages, says Brown:
“This is a perfect example of what Partners for Parks does for Breathing Life into our Community.”
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