What a festival it was.
Four days of sporting excellence, courage, endeavour and determination came to a glorious end on Sunday. Four days when the sun shone and the spirit shone even brighter.
Many participants came to Barrhead and Westlock in pursuit of gold, silver or bronze. It was why they had devoted so much time and energy to practising their skills and getting themselves into shape. Many came just to take part and have fun.
By Sunday morning Zone 5 – which included Barrhead and Westlock – had amassed 126 medals: 50 golds, 41 silvers and 35 bronzes. It was the highest tally by any of the eight zones in the Alberta 55-plus Summer Games.
Among many Barrhead highlights were Norm Miller shooting his way to gold at Barrhead Golf Course, Sangudo’s dynamic duo Bruce Loughbridge and Eleanor King-Lamoureux capturing medals in athletics and cycling, Sue Rees winning four gold medals for her photography and Rita McCaw, Richard Jacobs and Robert Lee emerging from the Westlock swimming pool with a stack of medals.
At Sunday’s closing ceremony, the first verdicts on the Games were delivered.
Games committee chair Gerry St. Pierre asked a Barrhead Agrena packed with more than 1,000 participants, guests and volunteers: “How did we do?”
The question provoked a standing ovation. Cheers, whistles and applause shook the building.
Barrhead Mayor Brian Schulz declared the Games “one of the greatest weekends in our lives.”
The Games kicked off last Thursday with separate torch relays around Barrhead and Westlock.
On Friday the activities began, with Barrhead hosting athletics, cribbage, cycling, golf, military whist, slo-pitch, tennis and a 5 km walk/run. Taking part in Westlock were bocce, contract bridge, floor curling, floor shuffleboard, horseshoes, 8 ball pool and swimming.
Attention then focused on the closing ceremonies at the Agrena, where the Master of Ceremonies was former Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Ken Kowolski. Pre-ceremonies entertainment was provided by local group Revival and The Balloon Busters. There was also a 55-plus Powerpoint presentation by Dan Simoneau.
Later the Madrigal Singers performed O Canada and Four Strong Winds and Regan Giannakouras played a Games jingle.
Barrhead/Westlock RCMP officers and piper Gary Hove provided an escort for the entrance of officials and dignitaries.
VIPs included Neerlandia Co-op representative Alberta Mast, Gerry St. Pierre, president of the Alberta 55 Plus Association, Vern Hafso, vice chair of the Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation John Short, Strathmore Mayor Steve Grajczyk, Barrhead Mayor Brian Schulz, Barrhead reeve Bill Lee, Westlock Mayor Bruce Lennon, Westlock reeve Charles Navratil, Kowalski’s successor as MLA Maureen Kubinec and executive director of Westlock’s Youth For Christ Ben Kellert
Special recognition was paid to the Games’ oldest competitor, 100-year-old Florence Storch, from Hanna. Kowalski called her up on stage and handed her a special balloon to celebrate her age.
He said Storch, who threw the javelin 3.42 metres last week, was the first “three digit” competitor at the Games.
“I can still walk, talk and eat so what more is there to do?” Storch said to loud applause.
Kubinec paid tribute to the 600-strong army of volunteers which had made the Games possible.
“You were amazing,” she declared.
Several awards were also presented. These included:
• Spirit of Participation, to the zone exemplifying the true spirit of the Games, displaying integrity and sportsmanship. Winner: Zone 4.
• Alberta 55 Plus Wild Rose Award, to the eldest participant. Winner: Minnie deZutter, who is 93 and from Wetaskiwin. (Rules meant that Florence Storch was unable to win this award two Games in a row).
•Alberta 55 Plus Zone Championship Trophy, to the zone achieving the most points for the activity competitions. Winner: Zone 5.
•Lieutenant Governor’s Cup, to the zone that has shown the most improvement from the previous Games. Zone 1.
The cauldron was extinguished before Kubinec declared the Games closed.
