Seniors from Long and Wayne counties recently got together for some good-spirited sports competition in Ludowici.
Celebrating Older Americans Month and Community Action Awareness Month, 40 seniors met May 26 at the Long County Service Center to compete in badminton, corn hole, volleyball, bingo, checkers, horseshoes and trivia.
Though it wasn’t the Olympics, it was a time for the seasoned athletes to show how much they still enjoyed competing.
“We had a contest between the two counties, which resulted in great participation,” Long County Concerted Services Coordinator Kelli Mock said. “The winners of the events received ribbons, so it was very competitive.”
Mock said this was the third year for the event and that it was started to honor and affirm this active, yet sometimes overlooked, segment of the population. She said Long County seniors always enjoy getting together with their sister center from Jesup.
“The fellowship is always great, the seniors get to interact with different people, and they have a chance to make new friends and reconnect with people they’ve met at our previous gatherings,” Mock said.
Though Team Wayne County took home a few more medals than Team Long County, Mock said all went home a winners.
“We made sure everyone who came got a door prize, so everybody left happy,” she said.
In addition to games, health services were provided. The Long County Health Department and Coastal Health District offered blood pressure and blood sugar checks. St. Joseph’s/Candler, Elite Insurance, WellCare, Long County Family Connection and St. Simons by the Sea provided health information, promotional gifts and door prizes.
The day was capped off with all of the seniors enjoying a lunch together and bragging about how well they did in each of their events.
Mock said more fun is scheduled for the center in September when a Bingo Bash will be held to commemorate National Senior Center Month, and to remember longtime center participant and bingo aficionado Sulla Kuntz, who died at age 90.
See more photos at community.coastalcourier.com.