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Sandy Scott
The best gift I have ever received was the gift of cycling. One day, my fiance, Rose Marie Ray arrived at my home with two bicycles attached to the rear of her car. She said, "put down that remote, we're going for a bicycle ride!" Little did she know that she was about to unleash a cycling monster. As I type this a little of over three years later, I am about to defend my state of Florida state championship title at the state senior games, and have ridden just under 14,000 miles this year. The gift was so special, because it changed my life!

About Sandy Scott
Sandy is a master cyclist who was headed for victory in the 2005 Florida Senior games trials when he was nearly killed in a collision. After two years, he's back! The 68-year-old now owns the state record for fastest 5K time by anyone over 60.

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Alex Nilsson
Best Gift ever received for me, was "LIFE." I'm forever grateful to the Tempe Firefighters who saved my life on January 14th, 2007 at the Rock N' Roll marathon. I value and cherish every minute of LIFE!

About Alex and Nicole Nilsson
At the age of 71, Alex was on the verge of completing his eighth marathon in eight months. But in that last mile of the Phoenix Marathon, he suffered a cardiac embolism and collapsed on the road. Thanks to quick action on the part of the Tempe Fire Department ambulance team who had noticed that he was having trouble running and were actually following him in their ambulance, he was resuscitated on the spot. Nilsson made a name for himself by rollerskiing across Canada to promote health and fitness for seniors and to educate people about the preventable disease of Type II diabetes.

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Bob Lee
I didn't need to think long about my best gift. It was a wide tire black Schwin bike I received when I was 12. I called it "black beauty." The "wheels" gave me the freedom to see more and meet more people. Now 53 years later I still use a bike to increase my horizon of the world.

About Bob Lee
Retired executive Bob Lee is using his second shot at life to change the lives of others. The 65-year-old colon cancer survivor spent the summer riding his bicycle 6,500 miles to raise money for charity. His goal is to raise $500,000 for the American Cancer Society, the National Hospice Foundation and the ALS Foundation. Find out how close he his to his goal and what he's willing to do to achieve it. If you'd like to help Bob, visit his Web site, www.3reasons.org.

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Dennis Walters
The best gift I ever got was my dog Taffy. I got her as a birthday gift on my 5th birthday and she was my best friend growing up. Coming in a close second was my red 1968 Camaro, but I still take the dog by a cold wet nose.

About Dennis Walters

Dennis Walters transformed tragedy to triumph. One day a promising professional golfer. The next day a paraplegic. At age 24, Dennis Walters had aspirations of making it on the PGA Tour. It had been his lifelong dream. Then, he suffered a tragic golf cart accident that crippled him for life. His book, "In My Dreams, I Walk With You" reveals how he found golf again, rebuilt his life and now is regarded as one of golfs greatest showmen.

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Kenneth Smith
The best gift I ever received was an Ebony Cane (walking stick) with a gold engraved head. It was handed down through family to me from my great grandfather who was Veteran of the War for Southern Independence. The engraved initials were not his, so my fantasy is that he probably won it in a poker game.

About Kenneth Smith
There are hundreds of ways to celebrate your 80th birthday. Not many take the path Kenneth Smith chose. He set out on a 132-mile hike and invited some friends to go along with him. All were over 80! One was actually 90! So, with 25-pound backpacks over their shoulders, they set off from Florida's east coast and headed for the west coast. No nighttime stops at fancy hotels either. This five-person group did it the old-fashioned way, they roughed it!

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Dr. Laurie Helgoe
My best gift was the diamond engagement ring my boyfriend put on my finger almost 25 years ago. That boyfriend was interning with me in D.C., we were both broke, and I was complaining about how cheap he had become. He was "cheap" because he was applying his internship paychecks toward the ring. After he wowed me by slipping the gorgeous ring on my finger. I said "yes," of course. I kept feeling it, looking at how the light hit it. I felt very rich, and I am. I got the ring and the amazing man who came with it.

About Dr. Laurie Helgoe
Laurie Helgoe, Ph.D. is a psychologist, a mother, an actress and a prolific writer. She's the author of "The Boomer's Guide to Dating (Again)," and co-author of "The Anxiety Answer Book." She is also contributing columnist for Wealth Manager Magazine.

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Pat Paciello
My mother waking up in a hospital after being in a coma for 6 weeks, was the greatest gift I could have hoped for. She was given Last Rites and the doctors gave her the slimmest chance for survival. They said in the unlikely event that she wakes up, all I could expect would be for her to exist in a vegetative state without brain function. 10 years ago she opened her eyes in the hospital and went through extensive rehabilitation. Today she is as sharp and feisty as ever.

About Pat Paciello
As author of "Has Anyone Seen My Reading Glasses The Humorous and Slightly Informative Chronicles of a Retired Baby Boomer," Pat Paciello shares his experiences, advice and insights on subjects like long term care, financial strategy, retirement for women and the unique relationship between adult children and their parents.

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Dr. Ronda Beaman
Great question. My first birthday present, your first birthday present in fact, is the best gift of all. Inside of you are all the exceptional qualities of mankind, including curiosity, wonder, optimism, resilience, joy, laughter, and love, given to you at birth as gifts to be cherished, developed, and enhanced, not discounted or denied. What you were as a child, you are now. Are you using this gift daily? Weekly or weakly? There is unused life inside of you. Don't extinguish it, don't let it weigh you down, don't let it make you old. We can all be so much more than we are. Our greatness, our beauty, our extraordinary humanity is as individual as it is universal and it is the best gift you will ever receive. This season, play on the floor, climb a tree, jump at any chance. Ask questions, share stories, and get out of your house, your chair, your way. Grow young. Center your days in optimism, romp in childlike joy, delight in work and play. Learn, laugh, and do it every day, everywhere, with everything you've got. Make your own happy holiday and become a reminder to everyone you meet of this great gift we all possess. The gift of life.

About Dr. Ronda Beaman
Ronda is the author of "You're Only Young Twice: 10 Do-Overs to Reawaken Your Spirit." The wife, mother and grandmother is the ultimate renaissance woman -- she holds a doctorate in leadership and she's a dream coach, a distinguished professor and a personal trainer.

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Susan Silver
Well, as long as you've asked! The BEST present I got was a gold Rolex watch for a baddddd birthday. (The number of which I will not reveal.) At the time, I had a boyfriend and told him that in order to prevent a nervous breakdown from the birthday, all I really ever wanted was a gold Rolex and I actually had gone to the wholesale place and gotten it priced for $3,000 less than it sold for retail! Such a deal! He said ok, I went and got it and it remains on my wrist, although he is gone. But what the heck!

About Susan Silver
Susan was a writer for many of the greatest TV shows of all time, including "The Bob Newhart Show," "Mary Tyler Moore," and "Maude." These days, she writes a hilarious relationship column called, "The Search for Mr. Adequate." She is a frequent guest on the Growing Bolder Radio Show.

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Michelle Hynes
When I was working my way through college, my grandmother used to send care packages with a little food and a little money that made it easier to get through the month. Each package was different – but she never failed to include a box of animal crackers. These simple little treats still remind me of my grandmother who would have turned 90 this year.

About Michelle Hynes
Michelle is a leader in efforts to increase children's academic achievement, engage the public in improving public schools, and create stronger communities. Over the past three years, she has led Experience Corps to double in size, adding sites in six new cities and nearly 1,000 more members to a national service program that now serves 20,000 children and 160 public schools across the country.

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Shirley W. Mitchell
The best gift I have ever received was A String of Pearls from the trembling hands of my Aging Mom. The gift is special because my aging mom's journey of life turned into streets of gold a few weeks later!

About Shirley W. Mitchell
Shirley W Mitchell is a writer, columnist, speaker and celebrity radio talk show host. Her latest book, "Fabulous After Fifty" celebrates baby boomers as torchbearers for women living longer and better lives.

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Bob Gruen
My mom gave me my life, that's the best! Next best was my 8th birthday when my mom gave me my first camera, and the rest is history.

About Bob Gruen
Bob Gruen is one of the most well known and respected photographers in Rock and Roll. By the mid '70s he was already regarded as one of the foremost documenters of the scene working with major attractions such as John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Kiss etc., and also covering the emerging New Wave and Punk bands including The New York Dolls, Patti Smith, Clash, Sex Pistols, Ramones & Blondie.

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Robin Koval
The gift that probably has the most meaning for me is my beloved Rolex "Date Just" Oyster watch. I received it as a gift from my husband upon the birth of our daughter Melissa and it has been on my wrist everyday since for the past 22 years. Now, I know that the ever present cell phone is quickly making the wristwatch as obsolete as the rotary dial telephone and stereo turntable. However, when I close that well worn stainless steel clasp each morning and slip the now slightly unfashionable bracelet off each evening, I am reminded of the most important moment of my life -- 2:47 AM, November 25, 1985, Melissa's birthday. It may be a bit of a relic now, but 22 years later, my Rolex always tells me the correct time. No matter what else I am doing, working on, or worrying about; now is exactly the right time for me to be thankful for my family.

About Robin Koval
Robin Koval has been a driving force in the advertising world for nearly 20 years. From the success of the Fuzzy Navel phenomenon to the advent of the nutritional supplements category to the AFLAC Duck quack heard around the world, Robin has been helping marketers get noticed. She is co author of the book, "The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World With Kindness".

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Sean Callahan
The best gift anyone ever gave me was when Bill and Lloyd Ferguson thought enough of our idea to create Masters Athlete magazine (formerly known as GeezerJock) that they agreed to be the initial backers of the publication. All of us are having a blast covering Masters sports. We love it and are thankful everyday for the gift of being involved in this project.

About Sean Callahan
Sean Callahan launched a national magazine celebrating senior athletes. GeezerJock made a big splash in bringing exposing the incredible accomplishments of athletes over 40. The publication has now changed its name to Masters Athlete Magazine.

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Anne Kreamer
The best gift I ever received was a trip to Tanzania from my family. It was the best trip we have ever taken -- the wildebeest migration and no television, no phones, no newspapers for two weeks. It was transformative for us all.

About Anne Kreamer
Anne Kreamer was part of the team that distributed and co-produced Sesame Street around the world. She helped launch SPY magazine and was worldwide creative director for Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite, where she created and launched Nickelodeon magazine. Kreamer created the monthly "American Treasures" column for Martha Stewart Living. Her book, "Going Gray, What I Learned About Beauty, Sex, Work, Motherhood, Authenticity And Everything Else That Matters" encourages baby-boomer women to reembrace honesty and swim against the tide.

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Roy Pirrung
The best gift I ever received was a birthday gift to myself. I began running on my 32nd birthday and all of the things I have accomplished as an athlete started on that day. That gift has been with me for 27 years and will continue to stay with me as the most memorable and special thing I ever received, even though it came from me.

About Roy Pirrung
All he wanted to do was lose a little weight and quit smoking. On his 32nd birthday, Roy Pirrung started running. Ten months later, he ran his first race, and 27 years later, he's still running. He a member of the USA Track and Field Masters Hall of Fame, and he was the captain of the American National Team at the World 24-Hour Run Championship.

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Esther Coffield
My greatest gift of all time is the love of my husband, Bill, whom I met in 1983. He taught me how to love and laugh. Because of his wonderful sense of humor that he shares with me, I was able to write my novel "Secrets of the Sassy Old Broads," a spoof on aging.

About Esther Coffield
Esther Coffield is a retired magazine editor and entrepreneur; her stories have appeared in several national magazines and this first novel recently debuted at Southern Festival of Books. With "an abundance of Sassy Old Broads antics," she is currently at work on a sequel.

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Elaine Beaubien
What is my favorite gift ever? Under the Christmas tree, in a squirming brown paper bag with the whole family watching (they all kept the secret, nearly impossible in my family) I got a handful of fur with a tiny beating heart, an overactive miniature tongue and some pretty impressive lungs. Oh, and for the first few days some serious bladder issues. My little baby cutie pie, sweetums, Lacy. I ask you…who is the higher life form? I carry her around, feed her, bow to her every whim, even if it's to go out at 3:00 a.m., pick up all of her "duties" and celebrate each one with a little cookie. Hmmm. She is truly the gift that keeps on giving. If you are a dog lover, you know what I'm talking about. If you aren't, smile, roll your eyes, shake your head and score away. But be very, very careful. Someday you might get snared by a pair of big black eyes, and an engaging look of worship.

About Elaine Beaubien
Elaine Beaubien is an award-winning professor, an international speaker, entrepreneur, corporate trainer and a popular columnist. But after turning 50, she knew she wanted to try her hand at something else -- writing romance novels. So, she started writing under the pen name E.K. Barber but the secret is now out. Her latest is, "Flight into Fate and Flight into Destiny."

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Mike Nanus
For my last birthday, I received a gift that I haven't been able to compare to anything I've ever received It was a DVD that had no fancy label on it, just the words "play me" written on it with a Sharpie marker. As curious as Alice was after she followed the rabbit, I placed the DVD in the player that was hooked up to our tv. Without any warning as to what was on it, I heard the voice of an angel singing the first few notes to a very familiar song. When the picture faded in there was my wife singing the words to the song, "When You Say Nothing at All". Needless to say, I watched with my jaw dropped open, tears streaming down my face, moving my finger closer and closer to the "repeat" button on the remote control. I must have watched that short 3 1/2 minute video a dozen times that night. The most important thing to learn from this story is that it's not the amount that was spent on the present nor was it the number of features that came with the gadget. What made this gift so special to me was that it came directly from her heart. It was the effort she made for me. THAT was my birthday present. And in those few minutes, life's most precious gift of love was given to me as a few moments frozen in time.

About Mike Nanus
Mike Nanus and his wife Debbie are experts in preserving, organizing and presenting digital memories for generations to come. Their company, Generations Video, incorporates old 8mm movies, old videotapes and old photos with fresh interviews.

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Mack Branham
One of the special gifts I received for Christmas was a new bike. The reason it was so special is that it was during WWII when there was almost no production of bikes and there were no new cars. All facilities had been converted to produce war vehicles, tanks, etc. How my father and mother found a new bike I will never know but they did and I was one surprised kid.

About Mack Branham
At age 75, Mack has a BS, an MS and a PHD. He's a pastor , president and professor. He's also one heck of an athlete- a 5-time national champion and 4-time world champion in powerlifting.

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Cliff Eggink
Best Gift? My wife Tatjana, is the best gift that I have ever received. As with most great gifts, she keeps giving to me. She is wonderful!

About Cliff Eggink
Cliff Eggink is a 70-year-old former CEO known around the world as the Iron Geezer. By his own admission, he was once a coach potato. But when he was 60 years old, he says something motivated him to change. He didn't just decide to get in shape, he decided to tackle an Ironman Triathlon. And he says he's been joined in his athletic adventures by his wife, Tatjana, the Iron Gazelle.

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Gordy Shields
One of the nicest things that ever happened to me was to have a bicycle bridge named after me. The California Department of Transportation honored me because I had spent 30 years trying to get it built. The unusual thing is they usually name bridges in memoriam In this case they agreed to make an exception!!!


About Gordy Shields
Californian Gordy Shields is living proof that anyone can overcome almost anything. The 90-year-old can't walk more than 100 feet but he's one of the country's best cyclists. The discs in his lower back are slowly deteriorating, which leaves him hunched over. Rather than focusing on the fact that it keeps him from walking, he says his condition is ideal for racing. In April 2008, Gordy shattered the American record in the 20-kilometer time trial for cyclists 90-and-older.

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Joan Hansen
Thirteen years ago, four days before Christmas, my first grandchild, Ashley Lynch was born. Ashley has proven to be the best "gift" I have ever received as the blessings of the "gift " keeps multiplying.

About Joan Hansen
Joan Hansen is on the front lines of social change. She is the director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program in Orange County, Fla. She helps people over the age of 55 become involved in the community through volunteer work. She is a mentor in the Amachi program and after the untimely passing of her daughter, Joan and her husband are raising Ashley and showing her the world!

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Dave Zarco
The best gift I ever received is the gift I gave myself when I learned to be happy.

About Dave Zarco
Dave Zarco has been described as a walking billboard for one of the fastest growing and most popular sports in the world -- badminton. Dave, who is the regional director of Badminton USA, not only competed at this year's Senior Games, he helped run them.

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Sharon Pederson
The best gift I ever received was when my father was hit by a drunk driver while he was walking along a country road. My dad was not expected to live; I was only l8 and prayed "Thy will be done, dear God..." He spent seven weeks in the hospital over two hours away and we visited him day after day. When my husband and I moved to the Villages we brought him with us, even though he spent his days living at the Lady Lake Specialty Care Alzheimers unit for the remaining three years of his life. Daddy always knew us. He loved the shows, all the friendly people here. I am so thankful I had the gift of those "extra" years of his life.

About Sharon Pederson
Sharon is the founder and director of a 28-member show choir, The Villages Showtime Singers; she directs Way-Way-Off Broadway shows; she's the music director at her church where she also teaches piano lessons.

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Marti Barletta
A few years ago, my husband gave me a complete set of the six tiny paperback books called Grooks, by Danish author Piet Hein. My father had these books when I was a teenager. He doesn't even remember them, but they made a huge impact on me. The books are long out of print, so it was really hard for Van to locate them. But he painstakingly tracked down all six. Too bad more men don't understand that undertaking a mission like that will win a woman's heart forever! Nothing makes her feel more cherished.

About Marti Barletta
Marti Barletta helps organizations get smart about women. She is the author of the groundbreaking book, Marketing to Women, and co-author with Tom Peters of Trends. Her new book, PrimeTime Women™: How to Win the Hearts, Minds, and Business of Boomer Big Spenders, breaks the story on the unprecedented buying power of women in their prime and details why this "silver bullet" segment is the prime business opportunity for the next two decades.

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