On Wednesday, October 5, 2022, the Brightspire Olympics was hosted at Scotia Village on a beautiful fall day. Each community in the Brightspire family was represented by teams in their respective color shirts and were welcomed warmly to Scotia Village. The competitors were able to enjoy refreshments throughout the day, as well as an open game room where cards and board games were made available.
Beginning in 2008, the Brightspire Olympics engages residents to participate in physical activity and friendly competition. This year’s events ranged from chair volleyball, Bocce, corn toss, golf, billiards, walking and more. Throughout the week, participants at Scotia Village traveled to River Landing and Glenaire to continue competing.
“This was my first year to get a taste of what the Olympics is all about,” said Sarah Laviner, Wellness Director at Scotia Village. “To finally see all three communities come together and celebrate one another was truly amazing. It's wonderful to witness the work from everyone to come together to organize something so special for the residents- it's a beautiful thing to see.”
Scotia Village participants claimed a few Gold Medals and made strides in many of the events. The women’s 1-mile walk participants claimed the first-place spot, as well as the women’s Bocce ball team. The quiz bowl was also a success for Scotia Village, as the team landed in the top rank. Our golfers represented by the men’s and women’s teams, were able to secure the top spots on the putting green. The men’s 1-mile walk also saw 3rd place in the overall ranking for the competition. While visiting River Landing and Glenaire, Scotia Village was able to bring home a few more trophies in the coed Bocce ball competition, women’s and men’s water walking, and men’s swimming.
For residents, the Olympics offer a unique opportunity to socialize within the Scotia Village community, as well as the sister communities. Sue Grady, a Scotia Village Olympian and resident shared her thoughts about the weeklong events. “It was Fun! Not being able to visit our sister CCRC for two years made this year special. The hospitality shown to the participants was outstanding, each one different in approach but so welcoming in every way. The competition was strong but good sportsmanship was even stronger. It was so good to reconnect with past participants and meet new one that we will look forward to seeing in the future.”
A true highlight in the community, the Brightspire Olympics brought a lot of joy and spirited competition. With so many ways to participate, the community will have much to look forward to for the next round of Olympic events in 2023.