Bud Palmer helps shuffleboard gold medalist Joe Pillar to the awards podium during Citrus Park's Senior Olympics. Pillar suffered a stroke in recent years and must now use a cane to get around. Like most adults-only communities, Citrus Park offers a variety of physical activities for residents, no matter their health or fitness level. It's an Olympics where winners in sports like bridge or shuffleboard are occasionally helped to the podium by canes or fellow athletes. Yet the crowd cheers like they're watching pros.
Bleachers are packed.
Others sit in golf carts three rows deep. They're parked next to a concession stand with a sign at the counter. We can't hear either. It's an Olympics where events like shoe kicking measure who can fling footwear farthest. I hope I don't break 'em in two when they land.