2/10/2013 Olympic Parade and Ceremony

(Arizona City, AZ)

Today our Winter Olympics start.  Every year we start out with a parade.  Anyone who wants to participate is welcomed.  In fact, there are very few who actually watch the parade because nearly everyone is in it. 

Jim & Sharon are in charge of the Putting event.



Walter not only runs the Pokeno event he also carries his home state banner for New Hampshire.  Take note of LaDonna behind him who is the lead in the Dominoes event.



Lest you think we just play parlor games in our Olympics, let it be known here and now that we have real athletic games too.  Our own Arlee leads and organizes the basketball shoot.

Both men and women participate in horseshoes.  Our friend and neighbor,  Chuck, represents this game in the parade.

Jean B. represents the Bridge players in our parade.  Jean is also one the Olympic Coordinators who makes it all happen.

What are games without cheerleaders?  Pat and Nancy will cheer all the participants on in all the events all week long.



It takes a lot of the park residents to put on our Olympics every year.  We need flag bearers for the United States and Canadian flags.  This year, Grant will carry his Maple Leaf banner and Lawrence will carry the Stars and Stripes.  Lawrence is also a DJ here in the park and the proceeds from his first dance this year he donated to buy new flags and staffs for the different ceremonies they are used in throughout the year.  Way to go Lawrence!

In years past we’ve had a relay run and the passing of our Olympic Torch which takes place throughout the park.  Also in years past, Jerry, a long time resident would run the final leg and bring the torch into the ceremony and light our flame which burned all week long.



Jerry was 88 years old in the picture above.  We lost Jerry a few months ago, on his 90th birthday.  This was a huge loss for Quail Run.  Not only was he our torch bearer, Jerry was a friend to all.  Every morning, before the sun came up, Jerry would walk all over the park and throw the resident’s newspapers up on their step from the ground where the paper delivery person threw them.  Need a tool?  See Jerry, he was sure to have what you needed and if he didn’t, he knew who did.  At our dances, Jerry was the first one on the floor when it came time to do the Twist and he also liked dancing the Electric Slide.  I, personally, spent many an evening, over the past few years,  in the hot tub with Jerry listening to his stories about his life as a young man.  He will truly be missed by all the residents of Quail Run.

So this year, his wife Phyllis, was asked to bear the torch and light the flame but she just didn’t feel as though she could do that.  Her daughter suggested that she be the one to turn the torch over to our next Olympic Torch Bearer. 

And so this day, Phyllis passed the torch.

She passed this honor on to long time resident, Bill Turner.



Bill did the honors in lighting our Olympic Flame.



Keith was up next and led us in the Oath that we, as Winter Olympic participants, have to take.



He had us all raise our right hands and repeat the Oath.


For new readers, I’ll print here one more time.

I will be on time to all my events even if they don’t serve food or liquor.

I will not try to distract last year’s winners when they are competing. Heckling is not permitted.

I will take all of my drugs so I can compete at a par with all the other druggies.

I will not distract my fellow competitors by
wearing a speedo, a bikini or spandex.

I will wear my glasses in any event that involves throwing a hard or sharp object.

I will not trip younger competitors with my cane.

I will use nothing less than a $10.00 bill to bribe coordinators or scorers.
I will not beg, bribe, or plead for special rules for the elderly and infirm.
Lastly, I will forget all the pledges I just made and ENJOY MYSELF!

Our Winter Olympics info board that tells us, what, when, where, who and anything else we made need to know.

There’s really only one thing left to say in this post……

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!