Partly Cloudy   
Temp: 69F
More info
 
St. Louis Magazine - May, 2008
Home Dining Culture St. Louis Magazine Events Style Party Pics At Home Gateway Guide
culture-events
In This Issue

Features

The Kirkwood Shootings: The Man Who Threw Chairs The Kirkwood Shootings: The Return to City Hall The Kirkwood Shootings: Kirkwood, Meacham Park and the Racial Divide A Conversation with Elsie Hainz McGrath The Queen of Possibilities 101 Things Every St. Louisan Must Do Eastman's Eyes The Kirkwood Shootings: Why Did Cookie Thornton Kill? The 17 Most Intriguing Trends, Concepts and People In St. Louis Dining Today Flashback - 1965

Departments

You Can't Shut J.C. Up Bold Case Mr. Coffee Sure Shot Pretty Gutsy for Grandparents Give 'Er A Hand Auto Manics 10 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Renaissance Faire Town and Country Grooms Like Gifts, Too Suit Up Setting the Scene on STAGES New Antique Music Player Alive and Kicking Exclusive Q&A: ~scape's Eric Kelly Frugal Foodie - Pappy's Smokehouse First Look - SLeeK Review - Araka Kitchen Q&A - Lisa Keller Liquid Assets - The Ultimate Taste Test A Restaurant Critic's Advice to the Graduating Class of '08
2008.07.01 - Awesome Amphibians
Frogs, toads, snakes, lizards, newts, salamanders and caecilians, oh my!...
2008.07.01 - Dan Flavin: Constructed Light
Late minimalist sculptor built his works from mass-produced light fixtures,...
2008.07.01 - Dinosaurs Alive!
Large-format movie about the giant reptiles that once ruled the earth.SAINT...
2008.07.01 - Flight City: St. Louis Takes to the Air
History of the aerospace industry in St. Louis documented by photos, oral...
2008.07.01 - From Kettle to Keg
A historical look at how St. Louis became a brewery town, from John Coons'...

Pretty Gutsy for Grandparents

Pretty Gutsy for Grandparents
As the economy continues sorting itself out, a lot of people are worried about retirement—us twenty­somethings included. So when we heard about all the fun our elders will have at the Jewish Community Center’s 28th annual St. Louis Senior Olympics, it gave us some hope for the future, even in the face of looming fiscal ruin. This Memorial Day weekend, hundreds of “old birds” over the age of 50 will strut like spring chickens, packing so much action into four days that we know it’ll put us cubicle-dwelling, beer-swilling young-uns to shame.

Yes, some will be playing shuffleboard, as well as such stereotypically “senior” games as bocce, billiards and croquet. But they’ll also be slide-tackling each other in soccer, hurling high-speed projectiles on the softball diamond and executing spectacular diving saves on the volleyball court, not to mention competing in four of the most dangerous track events we remember from high school: shot put, discus, javelin and pole vault.

Heck, we may be half their age, but most days it’s tough to summon motivation for a walk around the block, much less a visit to the gym. Our daily exercise often consists of walking to and from the parking lot. And while our spry elders are knocking down bowling records at the local Olympics, we’re more likely to be knocking back drinks at Pin-Up Bowl.

In the dusk of their lives, our clean-living parents may be leaving us in the dust.