Ardenites do Ontario proud

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Portage la Prairie, Manitoba , was the site last week of the 2006 Canada Senior Games. These games happen every two years in a different Canadian town or city and the number of competitors gets larger every time, as does the number of events.

The participants must be 55 or older, and have gone through a process of qualification at the district level ( Ontario is divided into approximately 40 districts) or have won gold in his/her chosen discipline at the provincial games. Arden seniors have been participating with Perth as part of Area D and of District 9 for over six years.

Carol Husband, provincial coordinator for the Canada Games, and her husband John, both of Perth , have been very supportive. We thank them for their enthusiastic encouragement.

This year was not a first appearance at the Canada Games for Arden seniors. In 2002 Diane Nicolson and Marg Smith won gold in their particular disciplines at Actifest (the provincial competition) which was in Kingston that year. Diane repeated that victory in swimming, and Marg won silver in walking, later that same year at the national games in Summerside, P.E.I. The die was cast! You may remember that in Whitehorse , Yukon , in 2004, there were nine competitors from Arden , including Diane and Marg. The group came home delighted with a total of ten medals and many happy memories.

Last Saturday evening, just after the games in Portage La Prairie finished, I received news of the final results. Unbelievable! Twelve Ardenites participated; 17 medals were won. What an accomplishment for a small group of retirees, most of whom live on lakes near the village of Arden, where there are no gyms, walking or running tracks, pools or golf courses. Bravo!

The medalists were Peter Smiley with a bronze in golf, and in horseshoes, Bill Pringle with gold and Barbara Kirkland with a silver medal. In swimming Dianne Nicolson won silver and Tom Christianson two bronze medals. Marg Smith won three gold and a silver in track events (I really missed seeing her run this time). Pat Tucker won a bronze in javelin and a silver and bronze in walking.  Pat’s husband, Silas, came home with gold medals in javelin and discus as well as a silver and bronze in walking  Sincere congratulations to all.

If you are over 55 and enjoy friendly competition, meeting new people and travel, it is not necessary to join a seniors club unless you wish.  Call Evelyn at 613-267-4836, or Carol at 613-267-6872 for more information.