Friday, July 24, 2009

Senior Olympics draws 1,600 competitors





This is a news story from the Tennessean Thursday July 23, 2009...the 96 year old man is MY Great-Grandfather Granddaddy Jones, he's a character and still as sharp as a tack. (The pictures are from his birthday party/family reunion in the fall of 2008...notice the bowling cake...and we bought him a Wii...so he could bowl with his friends at the senior center...how fun is that! Bowling is only one of the sports he competes in...shuffle board, javelin, shot put, etc.):

The Tennessee Senior Olympics state finals, which end today, drew 1,600 competitors to Williamson County.

"That's good for us on what we call a non-qualifying year (for nationals), so we're excited about that," executive director Christine Dewbre said. "Every other year they can get to a Senior National Olympics. It's probably our second-best non-qualifying year ever."

Bowling, volleyball and basketball posted the highest participation numbers.

"Our oldest guy (Robert Jones) this year was 96," Dewbre said. "He's a bowler who is from the Jackson area."

Jones carried the Senior Olympics torch into a party on Monday. In past years, the Senior Olympics have had two 100-year-old competitors.

"The best thing about the Senior Olympics is that it truly changes people's lives," Dewbre said. "It keeps them active, it keeps them healthy. It works."

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