55+ Games Society promotes active living for West Kootenay residents

55+ Games Society promotes active living for West Kootenay residents

Published 5:30 am Saturday, October 3, 2026

The 2026 55-plus BC Senior Games in Kamloops was an inspiring success for West Kootenay-Boundary athletes, and local organizers are encouraging more seniors to join the team for next year’s event.

Overall, 144 participants from 18 communities across the West Kootenay-Boundary competed for Zone 6 and brought home 87 medals, including 39 gold, 31 silver and 17 bronze.

Trail swimmer Steve Miller, the corresponding secretary for Zone 6, is putting the call out to would-be area athletes to reach out, become socially active, and participate.

“Our numbers are slowly recovering since the COVID shutdown, but we need more help to encourage seniors to maintain an active aging lifestyle,” said Miller.

“Some people don’t have a clue who we are, so we want to promote ourselves a little bit better.”

According to Miller, the numbers slipped to 73 participants post-COVID, and about 95 athletes attended the Nanaimo Games in 2025.

Triathlete and Zone 6 director Carol Currie and recording secretary and cyclist Karen Lees joined the Zone 6 board in 2022, and have helped bring the numbers back.

During COVID, most of the executive left, numbers dwindled, and the Zone 6 board needed volunteers to step up.

Lees and Currie inquired about the status of the executive and were recruited on the spot.

“If we didn’t have an executive, we wouldn’t have had a Zone, period,” said Lees.

The Senior Games promotes active living and inspires participants to maintain regular physical fitness, train for specific events, and stay mobile. Yet, most important, it also fosters a strong social connection and a sense of community, camaraderie, and friendly competition among peers aged 55 and older.

Every Seniors Games is unique and features dozens of diverse sporting and recreational activities tailored to different skill levels and physical interests.

In Kamloops, more than 3,000 people registered for the Games and competed in 28 events including new activities such as Cornhole, Trail Run, and Gravel Biking, as well as old favourites like cribbage, 8-ball, bocce and darts.

“They do change a little bit from year to year,” said Currie. “There are 20 core sports they have to have and then there are optional ones, which depend on the community where it is held.”

Miller says he understands that many seniors are wary of getting involved in competition, yet, stresses the social aspect, and the leisure activities and recreational categories offered so participants can ease themselves into competition.

Expenses are also an issue for many seniors, and the board is requesting financial support so Zone 6 can buy equipment and uniforms, promote health and wellness, and help ease participants’ respective budgets.

“These Games provide seniors an excellent opportunity to travel and socialize with family and friends in the different cities throughout our province,” said Miller.

The society also invites interested seniors to attend their monthly meetings in person or online when they resume in February.

“It’s all about participation and motivation to stay active,” said Lees, even when seniors are not competing.

“We had Elton John at the Opening Ceremonies. It was a tribute band, and he had the glitter and the whole thing, and everyone was on the grass dancing.”

For more information or to donate, contact Steve Miller at 55plusz6corsec@gmail.com or text 250-986-5162.

The next Senior Games goes in Surrey in September 2027.