Feb. 20-The 34th Annual Senior Winter Games Feb. 20-22 will include more than 600 senior residents from 16 centers participating in more 40 events in Burton, Flint, Flushing, Davison, Swartz Creek, and Mt. Morris Township.

Sheila Moll (center) of Genesee Township

Genesee Township resident Sheila Moll held her hand up triumphantly after winning the pie-eating following opening ceremonies of the Senior Games. "Everybody has a good time," said Moll, 64, following her win at the Burton Senior Center. "They get to chit-chat among themselves, talk to each other about family." Moll is taking part in clogging and health walking, while others will participate in events such as bowling, shuffleboard, free throw shooting, woodworking and card games. 

Davison resident Bill Goodfellow, 67, said aside from the free pie eaten during the contest, he enjoys the social aspect of the event. "It's like a reunion for us."

Hurley Health & Fitness Center's Nancy Morris stressed the importance of staying active

Keynote speaker Nancy Norris, a group exercise coordinator at Hurley Health & Fitness Center, stressed the importance of staying active throughout the year. "It can't be just for an event (like this)," she said. "It needs to be part of our lifestyle."

Participants recite the Senior Winter Games pledge during opening ceremonies at the Burton Senior Center

Norris cited a Harvard University School of Medicine study that discovered that people with an average age of 66 reduced their risk of heart disease by 31% with just a few minutes of anaerobic exercise during each workout.

"If we can change our exercise routine a little bit, we can change a lot about our body and what's inside," said Norris. "It's not exactly how many years we live, but how we live the years we have."