Rowan County seniors are proving that aging doesn’t mean you have to stop being active, while honing skills they may not have known they had.

Senior citizens artwork for the annual SilverArts show was on display Friday at the Salisbury Civic Center. The show is open to anyone in Rowan County age 55 and over.

Frank Trimmer designed and created his own cane, which he made out of his own materials. Trimmer, a former metal worker, injured his knees five years ago and says creating art and working in his shop has been beneficial in the recovery process.

“It’s my rehab,” Trimmer says. “My wife keeps me out of the house, and I stay in my workshop.”

Trimmer, 62, designed an airplane out of a metal baseball bat, but says his most prized piece of artwork is a two-sided coin that he split to form a two-headed 50-cent piece he carries in his pocket as a memento to inspire his continuing art. Trimmer says the SilverArts is the “perfect venue” to showcase his and others’ artistic talents. Trimmer says knowing his creations are displayed and appreciated makes the process worth it.

Bob Goodwin, a former Charlotte resident, has been involved in archery for years as a senior games participant and as a hobby. He says he became involved in archery by observing others. He credits the sport for keeping him in good shape and stresses the importance for people of all ages to stay active.

Goodwin, now 82, considers the Senior Games a great health benefit and believes the public needs to stay active for their health.

The annual SilverArts show is a part of the Rowan Senior games, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The nearly 200 entries displayed Friday included visual arts like painting and photography, heritage arts including quilting and jewelry making, and other various forms of art such as woodworking.

Hazel Trexler-Campbell, 90, was at the SilverArts show Friday and was recognized as a participant in the first Senior Games in 1983.

Trexler-Campbell says the reason she became involved in Senior Games was the horseshoe-throwing event. She says she remembers reading about senior game events and was familiar with horseshoe throwing from an early age.

“Horseshoes were my first love,” Trexler-Campbell says.

SilverArts coordinator Phyllis Loflin-Kluttz takes a sense of pride in her participants and their artwork. Loflin-Kluttz has seen the program grow over the years to become the second-largest local games in North Carolina.

“When I took the program on in 1998, I had 30 artists,” Loflin-Kluttz says. “We’ve now grown to 300.”

Having such a successful program puts Rowan seniors on the map, not only at a statewide level but nationally as well. Forty-eight seniors are traveling to Cleveland, Ohio for the Senior Olympic games July 19 through Aug. 1.

“I have a good group of seniors that are very talented, and I am so proud of them,” Loflin-Kluttz says.

The Salisbury/Rowan Senior Games registration deadline is April 1. The games will be held April 1 through May 9.