Grand Rapids veterans get into Olympic spirit

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Seniors living at the Michigan Veteran Homes at Grand Rapids are preparing to cheer on Team USA in the Paris Olympics.

The community held a party and competition on Thursday, building anticipation and encouraging excitement among the residents like Donald Janes.

“I like the sports, the challenge of it, especially with other countries,” Janes, who served in the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War, said.

He is looking forward to watching many of the events.

“Mostly track,” he said. “I like people that run fast and do the relays, and the hurdles are something else. I mean, if people can run fast and do the hurdles, they’re a heck of an athlete.”

Organizers of Thursday’s festivities adapted a variety of sports to be accessible to the seniors. Their tribute to synchronized swimming involved wearing goggles and passing a wet sponge over their heads to see which team could fill up a water bucket first.

“They always look forward to any celebration that we have when we have music and fun games. It’s always really fun for them, but I think of also just kind of connects us right now. Our country is having these big games so they can’t be involved all the time in that kind of thing so it kind of gets them involved in what’s going on in the country,” Becky Smit, the activity and volunteer services manager, said.

Smit said organizers tried to make the experience something every resident could enjoy.

“Every July, we celebrate the opening of our new building so this is our third year, so it’s kind of a birthday celebration,” Smith said. “So this year because of the summer Olympics, we decided that we wanted to have that theme and kind of have a field day, music, fun.”

Veterans like William Kelley said they appreciate athletes’ dedication and talent.

“I’m 92 years old, so I’ve watched them quite a few times. … I know how they train you know because I still work out at 92,” Kelley said.

Above all, the veterans like that the Olympics bring the country together.

“You see it on TV every day now and they’re interviewing people and they’re just psyched up about it. So there hasn’t been a lot of that in the past couple of months,” Jane said.

The Olympics Opening Ceremony will air on WOOD TV8 Friday, with live coverage beginning at noon. The ceremony will also replay in prime time starting at 7:30 p.m.

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