Senior Games Help Make The Healthier Choice The Easier Choice 

LEE COUNTY— Florida Department of Health in Lee County welcomes the 2014 Florida International Senior Games and State Championships beginning tomorrow, December 6, and encourages all residents and visitors to join the fun during the nine days of activities. The games encourage a physically active lifestyle through dozens of fun activities, which in combination with healthy food and beverage choices makes the healthier choice the easier choice.

"There is a game for everybody, regardless of their current health status," said Robert Palussek, administrator of DOH-Lee. "If you are not participating this year, come out and watch to see which games look like fun to you. There is certain to be a game near you."

Venues across Lee County will be used for the games, including the Fort Myers Aquatic Complex, Estero Recreation Center, Three Oaks Community Park, North Fort Myers Community Park, Centennial Park, Rotary Park, Veteran’s Park, Wa-ke Hatchee Park Recreation Center and Sherman Soccer Complex. Twenty-four events will take place, including archery, bag toss, basketball, billiards, bocce, bowling, croquet, cycling, fencing, golf, horseshoes, pickleball, powerlifting, power walking, racquetball, 5K and 10K road races, shuffleboard, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, and volleyball.

The Florida Department of Health supports the Games through its Healthiest Weight Florida initiative. Healthiest Weight Florida is a public private collaboration bringing together state agencies, not for profit organizations, businesses and entire communities to help Florida’s children and adults make consistent, informed choices about healthy eating and active living.

During the busy holiday season, Healthiest Weight Florida encourages people to challenge themselves to maintain their current weight with the Maintain, Don’t Gain Holiday Challenge, and active games can be a part of your success. For more information about what you can do to achieve or maintain a healthy weight, visit www.HealthiestWeightFL.com.

The state championship games, which run through December 14, are expected to bring 2,500 active seniors to Lee County. Lee County hosted the Florida International Senior Games and State Championships from 2006 to 2010 and again in 2013. Over the years, the Florida Senior Games have continued to grow, and together with the local games, they provide fun, fellowship, fitness and competition for Florida’s fastest growing age group.

Men and women 50-years-old and up interested in participating in the local games, which begin February 8, 2015, can contact Lee County Parks and Recreation at www.leeparks.org.

The Florida Department of Health works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.