REGISTRATION FOR POLK SENIOR GAMES BEGAN

Registration for the 19th Annual Polk Senior Games began January 3. The Games, scheduled for February 26 – March 13, 2011, offer a two-week series of 92 Olympic-style events in 34 athletic and recreational sports. They attract over 2,600 men and women, 50 and over, with a variety of skills - the serious competitor, the fun at heart, the seasoned athlete, the late bloomer, and the physically challenged. The purpose of the Games is to promote friendly competition, fellowship, health and wellness, an active lifestyle, and volunteerism.

Competition, held at various locations throughout Polk County, is offered in Badminton, Basketball Shooting, Basketball 3 on 3, Billiards, Bocce, Bowling, Bridge, Checkers, Chess, Cribbage, Ballroom and Social Dancing, Square Dancing, Darts, Euchre, Field Events, Fishing, Golf - 18 Hole and Putt & Chip, Horseshoes, Lawn Bowling, Pepper, Pickleball, Powerlifting, Punt Pass Kick, Racquetball, Road Race 5K, Scrabble, Senior Smarts, Shooting – Skeet and Trap, Shuffleboard, Softball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track, and Walking. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded in each event and age division.



The individual entry fee is $10 for the first event and $3 for each additional event up to a maximum of $28. Fees for team sports are $125 for Softball and $50 for Basketball 3 on 3. There is also a $25 facility fee for 18-Hole Golf, a $3 facility fee per event for Bowling, and a $5 range fee for Skeet and Trap Shooting. Everyone receives a specially designed T-shirt. A free Closing Celebration for participants, family and friends is held at The Lakeland Center and includes goody bags, health fair, special awards, door prizes and entertainment by Roger Hewitt and the Over 55 Show Band.



Polk Senior Games are sponsored by Gold Sponsor – Publix Super Markets Charities; Bronze Sponsors – James W. Sikes Family and CPS Investment Advisors, CPAs.Event Sponsors: Badminton – Baylis and Company PA CPAS; Basketball Shooting – Lake Wales Medical Center; Basketball 3 on 3 – The Dee Oeters Family; Bocce – Family Physicians Group; Bowling – Central Florida Eye Associates; Bridge - Spring Haven Retirement; Checkers – Mosaic Phosphates; Chess – Jim and June Barry; Cribbage – Flamingo Homecare; Ballroom & Social Dancing – CenterState Bank; Square Dancing – CenterState Bank; Darts – Palm Terrace; Euchre – Floral Lakes Social Club; Field Events – Clear Springs; Fishing – B&B Taxidermy; Golf 18 Hole – CenterState Bank; Golf, Putt & Chip – Bethany Christian Church; Horseshoes – Eye Specialists of Mid Florida; Lawn Bowling – Community Southern Bank; Pepper – Lifetime Wellness Centers; Pickleball – Solivita Homes / Avatar Properties; Powerlifting – A & J Lawn Care; Racquetball – The Grace Page Family; 5K Road Race – Meusers of Floral Lakes; Scrabble – The Thornberry Family; Senior Smarts – Gus & Lisa Palas, Palas Events, LLC; Shooting, Skeet & Trap – Jim Williams Fence Company; Softball – Ira Serebrin and Rudy Gittens; Swimming – A Joyful Song; Table Tennis – Vascular Vein Centers; Tennis – Wachovia Bank; Track and Opening Ceremony – Winter Haven Hospital; and Closing Celebration – The Estates At Carpenters.



Polk Senior Games is sanctioned by the Florida Sports Foundation to qualify participants for advancement to the annual Florida State Senior Games Championship, which leads to the National Senior Games.



To request an entry or for more information contact Deena Wilbur, Executive Director, Polk Senior Games, 515 E Boulevard St, Bartow, FL 33830, 863-533-0055, or polkseniorgames@verizon.net.