22nd Year of VA-Sponsored Sporting Competition
WASHINGTON – An estimated 600 “golden age” veterans from across the country will travel to Indianapolis to compete in the largest sports and recreational competition for senior veterans in the world August 20-24.
“Staying active and healthy through sports and fitness is important to all our nation’s veterans,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “We are proud to offer the Golden Age Games as a premier sporting event for our senior veterans.”
Golden Age Games competitions are open to all U.S. military veterans age 55 or older who receive care at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility. The games give participants the opportunity to compete in ambulatory, visually-impaired and wheelchair divisions, according to their ages. Events include swimming, bicycling, bowling, croquet, air rifle, golf, shuffleboard, horseshoes, discus and shot put.
The 22nd National Veterans Golden Age Games are co-sponsored by VA, Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) and the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS). This year’s event is hosted by the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis.
The National Veterans Golden Age Games is the only national multi-event sports and recreational seniors’ competition program for older veterans. It is designed to improve the quality of life for all older veterans, including those with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. For a number of events, the games will serve as a qualifying competition for participating in the 2009 National Senior Games in San Francisco. The National Senior Games is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
“After HHV’s initial co-sponsorship of the games in 2007, we are extremely pleased to announce our continued support of this therapeutic program,” said Mike Lynch, Executive Director of HHV. “The games touch numerous lives, and we could not pass up the chance to be a part of this great event again.”
“An active lifestyle is vital to everyone’s health and well being, and is even more important as we enter our senior years,” said Marilyn Iverson, Director of the Veterans Canteen Service. “It is a great way to stay healthy and prevent illness.”
The majority of the Golden Age Games events, including opening and closing ceremonies, will be held at the Indiana Convention Center. The opening ceremony will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20. The competition begins with golf on Thursday, August 21, at 8:00 a.m., at Coffin Golf Course. Closing ceremonies will be at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 24, at the convention center.
For more information on the Golden Age Games, look online at www.veteransgoldenagegames.va.gov, or call Jenny Tankersley Ballou, National Veterans Golden Age Games Public Affairs Coordinator, at (757) 728-3450 or (757) 254-6058.
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