Chamber Chat: Summer games come to York

Tonight is the first night for our first ever YORK SUMMER GAMES.  Over the next 3 days we have over 100 participants representing 6 local teams competing in a series of fun events—both physical and just plain fun.  When Paula Christensen approached me to co-sponsor the games with York Parks and Recreation, I thought it was a terrific idea, especially since I wouldn’t have to actually participate in the grueling physical events.  When I went from diapers to Husky Jeans, I knew sports and physical activities are probably not going to be a high priority.  If God had intended me to run marathons, ride bikes and lift weights, he wouldn’t have invented TV dinners and mashed potatoes.  I am trying to take a nice long walk each evening—not the Nazi Power Walk my radio bud Linda is always pushing, but that’s about it for me.  That’s what I love about the SUMMER GAMES, people (other than me) getting out and having physical fun together.
The terrific planning committee has gone all out putting the Games together.  They took the challenge and have worked hard for the last 8 months to make this weekend fun and exciting for the participants and also for you.  Here’s a run down of the weekend:  Tonight (Friday) we start at 6:00 p.m. at Harrison Park for the Obstacle Course.  Contestants will go through a challenging obstacle course designed by our friends at the National Guard.  It should be a lot of fun and a real challenge for the participants.  Next is the Bike Rally which will begin at Harrison Park around 7:30 p.m. and go mostly on the bike paths out to the Family Aquatic Center.  Parks and Recreation will have the Family Aquatic Center open late on Friday from 8:30-10:00 p.m. so come on out and cheer the bike riders on and then enjoy some twilight swimming at the pool (regular admission to the pool is required).
Saturday is full of great activities starting off with Sand Volleyball back at Harrison Park.  At 11:00 a.m. the fun shifts to the parking lot behind the Post Office for the Computer Keyboard Toss.  See office workers take out their computer frustrations by flinging keyboards across a parking lot.  At noon at the same location is the Waiter-Waitress Relays.  This should be fun watching the contestants make their way around a mock-restaurant doing their duties without dropping a plate.  At 1:00 is the Community Center Triathlon where the contestants will ride a treadmill, swim laps and shoot hoops.  At 2:30 we are at Miller Park for the Home Run Derby.  This should be one of the more popular events of the weekend.  Back at Harrison Park at 4:30 for an oldie but a goodie, the Horseshoe Tournament.  At 6:30 the Coed Inner Tube Water Polo contest will take place back at the Family Aquatic Center.  When we watched this contest in Kearney we knew right away we wanted this for our event…and it should be a lot of fun to watch.  The evening competition closes at the Yorkshire Playhouse at 7:00 for the Trivia Bowl.  This is where my many years of mindless TV watching will come in handy as I launch a series of trivia questions to the contestants.
Sunday starts off early with the 5K Run and Walk.  This is the only event where everyone is invited to participate in.  You don’t have to be a part of a team to participate, just stop on out at the Family Aquatic Center at 6:30 a.m. and start walking.  At 10:00 am, the York Ministerial Alliance will be holding a Community outdoor church service at the Courthouse lawn.  At 11:00 the next event begins at the Community Center; The Geocaching Scavenger Hunt.  Participants will go all over York finding clues using GPS devices.  The Yorkshire Playhouse is the location for the next 2 events beginning at 1:00pm; The Karaoke Challenge and The Spelling Bee following at 2:00 pm.  Both events should be fun to watch as the participants take turns singing and then spelling their way to victory.  The final event is the Tug-of-War at 4:30 at East Hill Park.  See which team has the muscle to prevail.  Kerry’s BBQ and the York High Cheerleaders will also be at East Hill Park serving savory sandwiches and desserts all evening long.  We will be awarding the winners with their medals beginning around 5:00p.m.  You’ll want to come out for all the events all weekend long and cheer on your favorite team.
Special thanks to York General Health Care Services for sponsoring our T-Shirts; Norm Green Realty and Auction, The Java Hut, Chem-Dry of Stromsburg and Heritage Realtors for sponsoring our awards and Mark Jensen for serving as our master of ceremonies.  Please come out and cheer on the teams who are participating in the events, they will certainly appreciate the support (whew…I’m exhausted already just writing this article).