The Saskatchewan Senior Fitness 55+ Provincial Games officially opened yesterday in Swift Current.
"With that I would now open the games for 2025," said SSFA President Al Gabert in front of a large crowd at the InnovationPlex curling rink for the opening ceremony.
Almost 400 participants attended the ceremony which included the teams all marching in together and a supper.
Gabert was impressed after the first day.
"I think they're going very well," he said. "I've gotten around to the venues and seen everybody competing and I'm quite impressed by what was going on. I think people are happy. enjoying themselves, they're active, and that's the most important part about it."
That included praise for the work of the local organizing committee.
"The committee's done an awesome job," Gabert said. "They've worked hard ever since I first met with them and discussed the whole process. They picked it up. They went and got committee members and volunteers. They all did an excellent job, and I'm very impressed with how they run things."
He did note the number of participants is down compared to last summer.
"Unfortunately, we'd probably like more," Gabert said. "Other years we've had a few more competitors, but we've had this two years in a row because we're trying to get in an odd year so that our provincial is in the odd year and the national is in an even year. Sometimes when you have them two years in a row, the numbers go down. But I think Swift Current did an excellent job of bringing people together."
Ultimately the goal is to encourage as many people to stay active mentally and physically as possible.
"I've lived my whole life in some type of activity," Gabert said. "I've played many sports. I was a physical education teacher when I was teaching. I guess my belief in the whole process of helping adults stay healthy as long as they possibly can through activities, whether it's mind games or cards or it's writing or physically active activities I think it's important because it's only going to help us live longer
"We have people in their nineties, high eighties and nineties out here participating and that is a role model for the rest of us myself included."
The full list of activities for the second day is available on the website for the games.