|
Thursday, 16 April 2009 |
By ANGELA WEAVER
Staff Writer
ST. MARYS — Otterbein-St. Marys residents pretended they had a sunny day on Wednesday, as they participated in a game of beach volleyball with a twist in the Meyer Community Room.
 Staff photo/Angela Weaver: Seniors at Otterbein-St. Marys play volleyball with a beach ball Wednesday afternoon.
Otterbein Wellness Educator Diane Uhlenhake said she came up with the idea of sitting beach volleyball as an event for the residents to participate in after she saw a group playing the game at the south branch of the Auglaize-Mercer County YMCA.
“I’m hoping to get groups of people together for a tournament,” she said before the first Otterbein beach volleyball game took place. “I was hoping for at least 10 participants, but I would like a lot of observers.”
Uhlenhake had approximately seven participants in addition to herself in the first three games but gained two more for the fourth game, with approximately six observers.
As to why she stopped by the community room for the event, Marion Sullivan said she thought the game could be interesting.
“I thought I’d see if I could learn something,” Sullivan said before the first game.
Before Uhlenhake began the first game, she explained the rules for the game.
“The first rule is you can’t leave your seat,” she said. “You can hit the beach ball with any part of your body.”
Residents were also able to hit the ball as many times as needed, and a team could only score if the team was serving.
Participants were divided into two teams — Red and Blue — with Red winning games one through three and Blue winning game four.
“I liked it because I’m competitive,” Judy McClanahan said. “It was fun. It gets some of the residents out doing things that they don’t normally do.”
Her husband, Joe, also said the game was fun.
“In my case, it makes me move a little bit,” Joe McClanahan said. “I like the fellowship and that anybody can do it.”
Uhlenhake said the goal of the event was to get residents interested and starting a team, and by the inquiries about when the next event would be, Uhlenhake was pleased with the game.
“It’s just fun,” she said. “It gets them socialized and it’s exercise.”
As of yet, Uhlenhake had not set a date for the next beach volleyball game. |
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 29 April 2009 )
|
