Toi Degree column: Exentsion group celebrates

Last week's Extension & Community Association Achievement Day proved to be a great day. The annual Achievement Day celebrates and highlights the many wonderful contributions that the men and women of ECA make to Rowan County.

This year's event was nothing different, with special guest N.C. Rep. Lorene Coates and Commissioner Raymond Coltrain present. Coates and Coltrain brought greetings from the state and county, respectively.

"Awareness ... Know Yourself," was this year's theme which was decided on because, as one ECA member said, "We need to stop waiting for our phone to ring and make someone else's ring." In other words, get out and do things instead of sitting at home waiting for someone to come get you and take you out.

Guest speaker Phyllis L. Kluttz of Rowan County Parks and Recreation Special Populations discussed the Salisbury/Rowan Senior Games and Silver Arts.

The Senior Games were created to provide a year-round health and wellness program for adults 55 years of age and up. The North Carolina Senior Games is the largest Senior Olympics program in the nation. This year it is likely to serve more than 50,000 participants in all 100 counties in North Carolina.

The Silver Arts is a celebration of the creative expression of seniors in North Carolina and is a major component of the traditional athletic competition of Senior Games.

In a philosophy that strives to keep seniors healthy, active and involved, Silver Arts unites the athlete and artist in a program that recognizes the similarities of both endeavors: discipline, dedication, and pride in one's accomplishments.

Kluttz provided those present with brochures outlining the year's events as well as registration forms and meeting times and places. She ended her presentation with an awesome slideshow of the events and participants of years past and also encouraging the ladies to come join in the games for 2010.

Following the guest speaker, the program continued honoring members of the clubs for perfect attendance for 2009, 25-plus years of membership, 50-plus years of membership, recycling, most volunteer hours, new members and officers for the year.

The Cultural Art competition was also held in conjunction with the Achievement Day. This year alone it is estimated that more than $1,200 in funds was given to various churches, organizations and outreach programs and 17,781 pounds of recyclables were kept out of the Rowan County landfill.

Volunteerism is a huge part of ECA and this year the clubs reported a total of 9,720.5 hours. The current cost of these hours at $20.25 per hour is worth $196,840.12. Rowan County is very grateful to have such a dedicated group of ladies and gentlemen here in Rowan County.

Those interested in participating in Senior Games and Silver Arts should contact Phyllis Loflin-Kluttz at 704-216-7780 or visit www. rowanseniorgames.com.

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Toi N. Degree, family and consumer education agent, Rowan County Cooperative Extension Service; call 704-216-8970 or e-mail: toi_degree@ncsu.edu.