Give These Guys a Medal

Posted July 25, 2008, 10:12 am in Water Sports by Growing Bolder


It takes months -- sometimes years -- of training, sweating and sacrifice to make it to the elite Senior Games, whether it's at the state or national level. And from the small group that makes it, an even fewer number will perform well enough in athletic events to win a medal. The medals are tangible "atta boys," proof that we can not only compete as we get older, we can dominate. So why are some medal winners giving away their trophies?


To help others, who aren't able to compete. In fact, many of the people who receive these "re-gifted" medals can't even walk without help; they can't dress themselves, speak, or even think about dreams like the Senior Games. They're patients at Lady Lake Specialty Care for Rehabilitation, recovering from strokes, surgeries and more. Recently, several members of the Villages Aquatic Swim Team, or VAST, took medals that they had won at the Senior Games and gave them to the patients, in hopes of inspiring them to not give up in their own battles.


The idea actually started when one of the team members, Connie Greb, talked to the team about her husband's recovery and rehabilitation from knee surgery; she shared the stories of fellow patients who were overcoming remarkable obstacles. Ken was inspired by their stories, and Connie thought the team might be too. She was right -- team members stepped forward to offer their medals, and Connie brought them to the rehab center.

The first patient to receive a medal, according to Connie, was a stroke patient -- when he took his first steps, the physical therapist was waiting for him with a gold medal. Connie says the 90-year-old man shed tears of joy, and became more hopeful about his chances for recovery.

In fact, Connie was so inspired by that patient's reaction, she decided to use the same gift to help someone a little closer to home -- her husband, 60-year-old Ken; the same Ken who started the idea by sharing the stories of his fellow patients. Ken successfully completed rehabilitation his knee surgery, and to honor his hard work, Connie gave Ken one of the medals she had won with VAST. Connie tells Growing Bolder, "While we work hard for our swimming medals, those individuals in rehabilitation are also working hard to achieve independence and again do the activities of daily living." She goes on to say, "Ken recently went to personally thank the staff at the rehabilitation center and when the therapist announced that this is successful knee replacement, you would have thought a celebrity was in the room. Several wheelchairs surrounded him with questions. By his example, he again provided hope and strength for these individuals struggling through the process."


The swim team has donated 90 medals to the center, with team members donating more every day.

To send Ken and Connie Greb a message, click here for their Growing Bolder profile.

Want to see VAST and its members in action? Check out:

Whippin' the Whippersnappers
Behind the Scenes With VAST
The Couple That Sweats Together
A Family Affair
Joe Neal
Joe and Carol Neal

To meet other Senior Games stars, check out:

Right on Target	Broken Neck to Broken Records
Edgar Larson	Andy McGuffin
Tiny Caizel	Sandy Scott
Nick Kent	Roger Gentilhomme
Ethyl Lehmann	Frank Condon
Corkey Nydle	Eleanor Hamre
Helen Beauchamp	Dave Zarco
Skip Rogers	Carol Seagrave
Claudette Braswell

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