ROBERTSDALE, Alabama — Seniors from the George P. Thames Senior Center in Robertsdale once again participated in the Alabama Masters Games bringing home several medals medals from the tournament held last week at the Oxford Civic Center in Oxford.

“We didn’t have as much participation as we’ve had in the past,” said center director Sarah Duncan, “but all who went had a great time and are excited about going to Trussville next year.”

Duncan said she wanted to thank the city of Robertsdale for their support, along with cheerleaders Olivia Campbell and driver Judy Peal, and said participating in the senior games is not just about athletic competition.

“The games provide our seniors with an opportunity to socialize,” she said, “to meet new friends and get reacquainted with friends they’ve met in year’s past. Our goal is to encourage others from throughout the county to participate in the games.”

You do not have to be a part of a senior group to attend the games, Duncan said. The only requirement for participation is to be at least age 50.

“We have participants who are 90 and above compete and win medals,” she said. “It’s a great experience for anyone who wants to participate and stay active.”

According to the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission Website, the Masters Games of Alabama is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles for active adults age 50 and over through social, mental, and physical activities.

They were developed in Oxford in 1989 to provide adults age 50 and above an opportunity to maintain an active lifestyle by participating in a variety of events. Each year, between 600 and 800 participants and volunteers from across the state participate in the games.

This is the 10^th straight year participants from the Thames Senior Center participated in the games, which sponsored by the Area Agency on Aging, also locally by the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission. This year, 13 seniors made the trip, qualifying in local competitions held throughout Mobile and Baldwin counties in May through July, bringing home 26 medals from the games.

The Thames Center represents District 7, which includes Baldwin, Mobile, Escambia, Conecuh, Washington, Choctaw, Clarke, Wilcox and Monroe counties. Participants also attend locally from Orange Beach, Saraland, Chickasaw and Mobile.

The Thames Center serves Robertsdale, Loxley and Silverhill in Central Baldwin, Duncan said. They also have participants from Fairhope, Gulf Shores, Elberta and Malbis.

Participants in this year’s games included, in alphabetical order:

• Kathleen Bender, gold medal, checkers; fitness medal recipient.
• Royce Duncan, gold medal, billiards, bronze medal, golf; fitness medal recipient.
• Sarah Duncan, fitness medal recipient.
• Hamilton Edwards, gold medals, checkers, softball toss, Frisbee throw, Nerf toss, single dominoes, basketball freethrow, horseshoes and bowling, fitness medal recipient.
• Mary Fuller, fitness medal recipient.
• Becky Hayes, gold medal, double dominoes, fitness medal recipient.
• Gladys LeBarre, fitness medal recipient.
• Matthew Nguyen, silver medals, 5K run and swimming, 25-meter freestyle; fitness medal recipient.
• Vergie Peterson, gold medal, double dominoes, fitness medal recipient.
• Dorothy Riesel, swimming, silver medals, 25-meter, 50-meter and 100-meter backstroke; bronze medals, 25-meter, 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle.
• Ken Riesel, gold medal, Nerf toss; silver medal, Frisbee throw; bronze medal, shuffleboard; fitness medal recipient.
• Heidi Warner, gold medal, single dominoes, fitness medal recipient.
• Martha Young, silver medal, checkers; fitness medal recipient.

For more information about the games, go to mastersgamesalabama.org. For more information about activities at the Center, contact Duncan at 251-947-8973.