Panama's seniors gear up for games
by Earl Patrick Watson
The athletically inclined and otherwise talented among Panama's
senior citizens, also known here as the Third and Fourth Age Groups,
Mature Adults, and Extended Youth Groups, are preparing for their
upcoming national sporting competition, to be held in Chiriqui
Province from February 14 through 18. The competition is called
the Floral Games, and this will be its sixth version. The host
group this year is from the Chiriqui Region. There will be three
independent groups from Panama province, with the other provinces
each represented by a single group. Competitions will be held
in sports as well as craftsmanship, painting, photography, dancing,
oratory and theater.
The Senior Olympics had its beginning in the early 90s after the
late Ricardo Gómez, Carlos Garrido and others visited Mexico and
observed a sports and cultural activity for senior citizens. Upon
their return to Panama they met with Dr. Graciela de Isaacs, director
of Social Security's Senior Citizens' Program, to encourage a
similar activity in Panama. She was convinced, and the program
started with a pilot group of four regions, which later increased
both in participants as well as activities. The events now take
place every two years, rotating among different areas of the country.
Dr. Luis Cornejo, under whose leadership the events took place
in 1995, 1997 and 1999, was instrumental in the competition's
continuity. This year the Floral Games will take place under the
leadership of Dr. Cecilia Donderis, present director of Social
Security's Senior Citizens' Program.
