Thank you for Senior Olympics event

On Wednesday, May 21, the community of Sparta came together for a very special event that comes around once every six years. The Senior Olympics happened at Station Park in Sparta.

Each year, 24 senior citizens from the towns of Pequannock, Randolph, Rutherford, Sparta, Wayne, and West Milford come together for a friendly competition called the "Senior Olympics". You can see them throwing horseshoes, rubber chickens into a bucket, kicking a soccer ball through hoops, taking basketball shots, hitting a ball off a T, and playing frisbee golf. They compete for a few hours and then come together to enjoy a meal, entertainment and await the award ceremony.

Rutherford won the overall event, while seven Sparta seniors medaled.

So many people and businesses came together to offer support that I would like to thank them publicly. The Sparta Police Honor Guard, JP Beebe, Keith Hannam, Neil Spideletto and Kurt Morris, led the Olympian March and stood at attention while Sparta Recreation's own Donna Jenkins sang the National Anthem.

I would like to thank our manager, William Close and Town Council for supporting this event. Our Mayor, Molly Whilesmith welcomed over 140 participants and 50 support people to the event. Sparta High School Athletic Director Pat Shea provided the “muscle” - our wonderful high school students - to help conduct and score the Olympic events. Our visitors remarked how wonderful our Sparta kids are.

Augie Hoffmann of Augie’s Brooklyn Bagels and Deli, Kristen Schell of Panera Bread, and Colleen Daly of Cupcake Café, all of Sparta, provided breakfast, lunch and dessert foods at a nominal cost to Sparta, in order to feed such a large crowd.

The Sparta Tuesday Seniors made a donation to support the cost of the day’s event.

Our Ambulance coordinator Andrew Smetana provided complete service in the event of a medical need.

The Staff of Knoll Heights Village provided some water and cookies for the participants.

Skyview Golf Club of Sparta donated the use of a golf cart, for the day, to help shuttle seniors in need.

Sparta Parks Supervisors Jerry Younkers and Bill Heinz made sure Station Park looked beautiful and ready to host over 200 people for the events and a picnic. Dan Pagano, parks laborer helped maintain their efforts throughout the day.

Over 20 Senior Ambassadors, made up of Sparta Senior Citizens, came out to assist. They baked desserts, set tables, served food, cleaned up, welcomed towns and provided information throughout the day.

Last but certainly not least, I would like to thank the best recreation staff ever. Donna Jenkins, Janice Williams, and her daughters Colleen and Lindsay, and Rita Drevitson for their untiring support in this monumental undertaking.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you all.

Marianne Dilworth
Sparta