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Chattanooga Times Free Press
May 5, 2009
By: Perla Trevizo
Estel Lewis, mother of five Senior Olympics athletes, made a grand entrance Monday morning into the First Tennessee Pavilion being pushed in a wheelchair by her daughter Robert Ann Lewis and torch relay participant Al Upton.
The Chattanooga District Senior Olympics kicked off Monday with a torch relay that started outside the Alexian Brothers Senior Neighbors building on 10th Street.
A group of athletes met with Ms. Lewis on the corner of Carter and 20th streets and ran with her into the pavilion, where the opening ceremony for this week’s games took place.
Charlie Baker, National Senior Games medalist, was the first to carry the lighted torch from 10th Street before passing it on to Betty Case, who ran with it from Newby Street to Lindsay Street. In total, 36 seniors participated in the torch relay.
Mr. Baker, 82, and Ms. Case, 77, each have participated in the Senior Olympics since 1992 in several sports.
“It’s been a time to make good friends, people I wouldn’t have had an opportunity to meet,” said Ms. Case, who is competing in bowling and horseshoes, among other sports.
This year the athletic participation is the largest in Chattanooga history, with 417 seniors, ranging in age from 50 to 90, registered to compete. The number is up from 362 last year, according to Dawn Weber, executive director of Alexian Brothers Senior Neighbors, one of the event sponsors.
Ms. Weber attributed part of the growth to the increase in the senior population, which she said is growing at three times the rate of the 18-and-under age group.
For Robert Ann Lewis, participating in the Senior Olympics, especially with her four siblings, is a great inspiration.
“It’s the greatest thing for the body and mind,” said the 63-year-old. All of the family members play basketball and softball, she said.
“I have a bunch of wonderful kids,” said Ms. Estel Lewis, 96, who her children say is the cheerleader of the group.
Ms. Weber said Senior Neighbors wanted to raise awareness of the abilities of seniors.
“They are a growing population, and they are often an overlooked resource. There’s a perception that seniors are not as able as they used to be and don’t have capabilities, but they have a lot of wisdom to contribute to the community and we want to showcase that,” she said.
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