Dave Ogilvie
The Emo seniors’ carpet bowling club has added a whole new dimension to their Thursday morning activities.
Last Thursday, the group received two brand new Nintendo Wii video systems—complete with sports and fitness software and flat-screen TVs.
Club co-ordinator Mollie Crozier accepted the donation from Jacqui Hunsperger, first vice-president of the Royal Canadian Legion Br. #99 in Emo.
The Legion executive had received a grant for $3,700 from the provincial government’s “Communities In Action Fund.”
As the government website states, “The Communities In Action Fund [CIAF] aims to help bring about a physical activity and community sport culture in Ontario by helping local, regional, and provincial not-for-profit organizations provide and enhance opportunities for physical activity through community sport and recreation.”
Over the past five years, roughly $32 million in grants has been awarded by the CIAF to more than 1,000 organizations across the province.
More than one million Ontarians have benefited from this worthwhile program so far.
Besides the computer games and TVs, the Emo Legion’s executive also used part of the grant money to provide a specially-designed storage rack for the new bowling carpets that were purchased last year.
The new carpets will be stored horizontally so they remain in good shape for years to come.
Seniors across North America have been using the popular Wii game console to increase their level of physical activity while others have been using it as a tool for recovering from serious injuries.
The Wii Fitness program is intended to take the connection between video gaming and health to a brand new level. It offers the user almost 50 exercises which are divided into four categories: aerobics, balance, strength training, and yoga.
This all-in-one instructional tool, weight tracker, and fitness coach is a painless and enjoyable way for everyone, including seniors, to develop and maintain their strength, flexibility, balance, and lung capacity.
Wii fitness games quickly are becoming a favourite among seniors because the program allows them to participate in sports they used to enjoy, but with much less damaging impact to their bodies.
Wii Golf and Wii Bowling, in particular, have been gaining popularity in many senior centres around the country and seem to be the most popular of the Wii games for the senior set.
Plans already are underway to hold Wii activity days at the Emo Legion.
A bowling or golf tournament also may be in the works.
