Seniors in St. Mary Display Athletic Prowess at Sports Day

Older residents of St. Mary recently displayed their athletic prowess at the Senior Citizens Sports Day held at James Bond Beach in Oracabessa.
The event, sponsored by the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC), featured the seniors competing in track and field events including sprint races, javelin, shot put and discuss.
Health personnel from the North East Regional Health Authority (NEHRA) were on hand to carry out blood pressure checks and treat injuries.
Tait Whyte, Parish Organizer for the NCSC, told JIS News that the sports day was a “huge success” and commended the seniors who participated, some of whom were from the neighbouring parishes of St. Ann and Portland.
She noted that the high level of competition proved that senior citizens can still be active persons and make significant contributions to the development of their communities.
She informed that winners of the various competitions will be selected to represent St. Mary at the National Senior Citizens Sports Day slated for August 16 at the Mona Bowl in St. Andrew and the Regional Senior Citizens Family Games to be held in Barbados in September.
Mrs. Whyte pointed out that the staging of the sports day was just one way in which the NCSC gives recognition to seniors and help them to continue to lead active and productive lives, adding that other events conducted by the council include Senior Citizens Week and Month in September.
The sports day, held under the theme: ‘Promoting active aging through sport’, was the ninth such event to be staged in the parish, with the first being held in 1999.