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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 13, 2007

Ohio Senior Olympics Bring Together Athletes, Communities
Annual Games to Be Held in Southwest Ohio Beginning Next Week

COLUMBUS - The 2007 Ohio Senior Olympics State Games kick off next week in a variety of locations throughout southwest Ohio. The games consist of amateur athletic competitions for hundreds of men and women ages 50 and older from around Ohio and throughout the nation. Athletes at the state games will compete in events including archery, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, running, racquetball, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, triathlon and volleyball.

"The senior games stand as a monument that we are never too old to stay or become active and competitive," said Barbara E. Riley, Director of the Department of Aging. "While many of the athletes who will compete have been active throughout their lives, some did not begin training in their chosen sport until they approached or reached retirement."

Each year, regional Senior Olympics competitions are held in eight major Ohio cities. These events are hosted by parks and recreation departments, universities, municipalities, social service agencies and private companies, with a mission of promoting healthy lifestyles for older adults. The regional sites share the responsibility of hosting the state games on a rotating schedule.

This year's games will serve as a warm-up for the 2008 state games, during which participants will compete to qualify for a place in the 2009 National Senior Olympics.

The 2007 state games are being hosted by the Southwest Ohio Sports Zone, a collaborative of the convention and visitors bureaus in Montgomery, Clark, Greene, Miami and Warren counties. The Zone was created to attract major sporting events to the southwestern portion of the state and to market the excellent athletic facilities available there. Senior Olympic Events will be held in the communities of Harveysburg, Waynesville, Kettering, Huber Heights, Franklin, Mason, Beavercreek, Lebanon, Union, Fairborn, Vandalia, Dayton and others.

"The Department of Aging is proud to support such a meaningful celebration of community and individual achievement," added Riley.

For more information about the Ohio Senior Games and a schedule of events and locations for 2007, visit www.ohioseniorolympics.org.

About ODA

The Ohio Department of Aging provides leadership for the delivery of services and supports that improve and promote quality of life and personal choice for older Ohioans, adults with disabilities, their families and their caregivers. Working with 12 area agencies on aging and other community partners, the department offers home- and community-based Medicaid waiver programs such as PASSPORT, the long-term care ombudsman program, the Golden Buckeye Card and more. Visit www.goldenbuckeye.com.