ANSON COUNTY — Registration is underway for the Richmond County Senior Games and SilverArts, an inclusive annual event offering adults 50 and older the opportunity to compete in athletics and creative arts while building friendships and staying active.
Open to Richmond and Anson county residents — Richmond County serves as an open county because Anson does not host its own Senior Games — the event is part of the statewide North Carolina Senior Games network. Participants may compete in sports, SilverArts or both.
“I hope that they build friendships. I hope that they increase their health, especially by participating, and that they stay active. I think that being in senior games helps us keep eyes on our seniors that may not typically come to one of the senior centers and hopefully get them engaged in senior centers,” said Karen Steen, coordinator of Richmond County Senior Games and participant.
Senior Games in North Carolina progress from local competition to the State Finals and, for qualifying athletes, to the biennial National Senior Games. Participants must be 50 or older and North Carolina residents. Most sports at the state level qualify athletes for nationals, with limited exceptions. To compete at nationals, athletes must qualify at a state-level event in the preceding even-numbered year.
“This year is a neat year. Anybody who places first, second or third here can go to the state and if they place first or second, they can go to nationals,” said Steen. “Nationals would be the following year, but you qualify this year. This year is going to be really awesome to see if our individuals make it to nationals.”
SilverArts categories include heritage arts such as basket weaving, crocheting, quilting, woodworking and stained glass; literary arts including essay, poetry and short story; performing arts such as comedy, dance, instrumental and vocal performances; and visual arts including painting, drawing, sculpture and photography.
Athletic events range from pickleball, swimming and cycling to cornhole, shuffleboard, bowling and track and field. Board games including Scrabble, bridge, contract rummy and checkers are also offered.
Amanda Kempen, director of the Hamlet Senior Center, said the program provides more than competition.
“Senor games, one helps to the betterment of the overall wellness of the aging community and the seniors. It also helps eliminate in many of our seniors lives the social isolation. When she [Steen] says keep eyes on them, it’s the safety aspect because when seniors are isolated, they are more prone to scams, to abuse whether it’s financial, physical or mental. Pulling them outside of that social isolation, putting them around others in their peer group and putting them around those who work in those professional support areas such as adult protection services, social services, aging services— it’s an altogether encompassing way to make sure our aging community is safer, more well taken care of and just more watched.”
Kempen said working adults are also encouraged to participate.
“It is for folks 50 and up. Many people might think ‘well, I still work. I can’t participate in the games.’ Many of the games are are in the 50 to 59 age range are in the evening, after work hours,” said Kempen. “There’s a couple things that are held on Saturdays, just like the fun walk. That way that age range that is still in the working community have a chance to take part as well to get involved in the senior games.”
Basic registration is $15. Bowling, mini golf and golf have additional fees. Registration opened Feb. 2 and ends Feb. 23, with late registration continuing through Feb. 27 for $20. Participants may register online at torch.ncseniorgames.org or contact a local Richmond County senior center for more information. Questions may be directed to 910-997-8414.
Opening ceremonies will be held April 13 at 6 p.m. at the student lounge at Richmond Community College. The closing ceremony is scheduled for May 12 at 6 p.m. at the Cole Auditorium. Events will run through May 12 at various locations across the county, including senior centers, Raider Field and the Hamlet City Lake trail.
“The public is welcome to come [to the opening and closing ceremonies]. However, there will be a small fee of maybe $3 for tickets. We encourage the whole community to bring your kids, bring your family to watch because it’s really entertaining to see our line dancers, our comedic groups, singers, and cheerleaders,” said Kempen. “You also see the art exhibits and the heritage arts, quilts and things that will already be set up displayed in the main foyer area.”
Organizers are also seeking sponsors and volunteers.
“Sponsors are needed to make all of this happen. We have different levels of sponsorships from Diamond down to Friend. We try our best to make sure that our sponsors are noted. The diamond sponsors will have their name on a banner at all of the events. The Platinum down to bronze will be on the back of our shirts and in our programs. It’s a fun time and we need volunteers. If anybody wants to volunteer, they can reach out to me at my office at 910-997-8414. If anybody wants to sponsor, they’re more than welcome to reach out,” said Steen.
Kempen described the collaboration behind the event as a unifying effort across departments and the community.
“The senior games for Richmond County, and I can only speak of what I see here, it’s like the Olympic Rings. Every department from APS, DSS, aging services, the senior centers, all over the county, they connect, and then you bring in the participants and the volunteers and the ambassadors,” said Kempen. “It all connects to make this beautiful effort for our aging community, for the resources to be put out there, for them to meet them personally, the folks that are working, and the volunteers, to meet the aging community, and the aging community, the participants, senior games participants, to meet them, and form relationships.”
Steen also participates in the games as a cheerleader. Assisted devices are welcome. Last year, Richmond County Senior Games recorded 345 participants, its highest total to date.
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