Senior Olympics has announced a greatly expanded schedule for this year's event, to be held June 21 - 23. The program is targeted toward encouraging older adults to develop and maintain good physical fitness through regular participation in physical fitness training and sports and recreational activities. Rhode Island Senior Games, which began in 1978 was the second program of its kind in the country and has established itself as one of the best received. One year ago, the Ocean State Senior Olympics introduced six new sports to what had previously been primarily a track and field competition. This year's 19th annual games will expand again to include as many as 18 activities, and serve as Rhode Island's only qualifying site for the 6th United States National Senior Sports Classic to be held in Tucson, Arizona in May of 1997.
Competitions are within peer age groupings in five year increments.
For Sentimental Reasons', a 1940's nostalgic cabaret will headline the opening night celebration at Rhode Island College. The show's setting is a live radio show being broadcast over the armed services radio, complete with commercial jingles and some of the biggest songs of the war era. Senior Olympians and their guests will dance and sing along with their favorites of the 1940's. The performance will follow the Ocean State Senior Olympics opening ceremonies and a buffet dinner, all of which will be offered to participants free of charge.