by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
The Minnesota Senior Games will take place in St. Cloud and the greater area, including Sauk Rapids, Sartell and Avon May 28-31, and nearly 450 participants 50 years old or older have registered for the event.
The games will take place again in the St. Cloud area next year from May 19-22.
Although registration is now closed, organizers are hoping people show up to cheer on the athletes that day and have a good time socializing with people who will be there as participants or spectators. Volunteers are also needed for a three- to four-hour time commitment in the areas of check-in, score-keeping, staff assistance and hospitality functions. To volunteer, see the website at www.mnseniorgames.com.
The Minnesota State Senior Games is part of the National Senior Games Association.
The venues for the games will be scattered throughout Sartell, Sauk Rapids and St. Cloud with many at the St. Cloud Whitney Senior Center and others at places such as Wilson Park, Beaver Island Trail, Mike’s Archery, St. Cloud State University and the Del Tone Gun Club.
The bowling events will take place at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Friday, May 29 at Great River Bowl in Sartell.
A race walk with distances of 1,500 meters and 5,000 meters will take place starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 30 at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School. A track-and-field meet, with many events, will also take place at that middle school starting at 9 a.m., also on Saturday, May 30.
In Avon, there will be two cycling road races, a 40k one and a 20k one. Both will take place on CR 8, the first at 8 a.m., the second at 10 a.m., both on Sunday, May 31.
Other activities during the four-day event will include archery, badminton, basketball, billiards, bridge, cribbage, cycling, disc golf, golf, horseshoes, pickleball, racquetball, running, skeet, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and more.
For a complete schedule of the events, their times and places, see the Minnesota Senior Games website at www.mnseniorgames.com.
Sponsors of the Minnesota Senior Games include Country Manor, Drakes Fine Foods and Spirits and Great River Bowl in Sartell, the Good Shepherd Community in Sauk Rapids, Times Media, the City of St. Cloud, Fitness Evolution, St. Benedict’s Senior Community, Mike’s Archery, Viking Coca-Cola, AM 1180 Catholic Talk Radio, Expo for Seniors, Cummings Mobility, Champion Rehab, Anderson Race Management and Custom Catering.