30th Annual Armstrong County Senior Games are in the Books!

by Jake DeLuca

The Kittanning Senior Center was host to the 30th annual Armstrong County Senior Games awards ceremony on Thursday.

The Kittanning Senior Center was filled with smiles and laughter as the seniors awaited the beginning of festivities.

The first Armstrong County Senior Games was held in 1986 and has grown ever since.

There are over twenty activities for the seniors to participate in, including swimming, bowling, golf, and softball. The activities are broken down by gender and some of the games are broken down by age group, like bowling, darts, and golf. However there are some games that do not have an age limit, like word search and trivia.

Prizes were given out to the top three competitors for each activity and age group. Whoever gets first place for an event (for every gender and age group) gets a medal, while second and third place competitors received a ribbon.

In addition to the awards and good company, Nutrition Inc. provided food for everyone.

“We have about 80-100 seniors here for the banquet and we do the awards, and the commissioners come down. We all eat and then we’re out of here by 6:00 P.M. Nutrition Incorporated donated all of the food. Today we’re having chicken, brownies, iced tea, and some salad. We’re very thankful for all that they do for us,” senior center coordinator Charlotte Wells said.

Among those in attendance were commissioners Pat Fabian, Jason Renshaw, and George Skamai. Fabian’s mother was a participant in the games and he recognizes the importance of the Armstrong Senior Centers and the Senior Games.

“My mom is out there and she participates. She’s had injury problems the past few years with a knee replacement and a hip replacement. For her it was motivation to get healthier so she can participate. Speaking as a son, it was a good benchmark for my mom to rehab harder so she can get back with her peers and be out with her friends doing something she used to do before the injuries. For me, and I’ve heard from several people, it gets them out of the house and keeps them physically active. Myself and the other commissioners have been out to the various senior centers over the last few months, and if you’re keeping your mind sharp and keeping your body physically fit, your longevity and way of life will be much better,” Commissioner Fabian stated.

Along with individual awards, food, and fun there is a top honor awarded at every senior games - the sportsman and sportswoman of the year. This year the honors go to Dennis John and Susan Hepler.

For more information on Armstrong Senior Centers, contact the Area Agency on Aging at (724) 548-3290.

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