Senior Wii Bowling Tourney Draws Cheers 
Contributed by: Karen Groves/YourHub.com on 8/14/2008 

   Who would be crowned the reigning Summer Wii Bowling Master was the question for seniors who showed up Aug. 14 at the Apex Park and Rec District Community Center, formerly known as North Jeffco Community Center, 6842 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada.

   After practicing their shots and competing in home games, four teams from Arvada assisted and independent living communities came to show off their Wii skills with three players per team ready to swing their Wii controls for a shot at the championship.

   Each three-person team had been selected prior to the tournament by a point system during games held at their residences.

   Home Instead Senior Care, which provides a variety of in-home caregiver services, sponsored the tournament and provided team T-shirts, snacks and beverages and medals for first, second and third place winners.

   HISC franchise owner Ann Allen said, "It's amazing what this has done. We had a spring tournament and the turn out was so great, we are trying it again. It's really been fun." 

   Tia Anderson is the Marketing Assistant and Wii Program Director for HISC. Once HISC decided to suggest the game to retirement community activity directors and it was given the go, she packed up the game system and visited each of the four communities weekly since July to promote the game and track the players' progress.

   As it grew in popularity, the idea of a competitive tournament took off. The first was held in the spring. Anderson said the only cost incurred is if the communities decide to purchase their own game setup, which she estimated to be $250.

   The communities competing in the Aug. 14 tournament were from The Arvada Meridian, The Oberon, Springwood, and The Fountains. All are in Arvada.

   The players from The Fountains, Jeannette White,Dee Shuster and Jennie Nitlolli called themselves The Wild Bunch. The Arvada Meridian players, also known as The Bombers, placed Iris Stotler, Leroy Eldrige and Barb Pietrafeso at the helm. Shirley Karron, Donna Kreizenbeck and Tom Puschak were at the controls as The Turkeys from The Oberon. The Springwood community sent team Red Hots, Dorothy Byers, Wanda Frew and Dot Tolch.

   As The Wild Bunch strolled in, the players took seats near the oversized screen. A warm-up session started. Before anyone could shake their pom pom, Jennie Nittoli was hitting a spare. "We're going to get the Wii system at The Fountains," said player Dee Shuster.

   The cheerleaders displayed a spirited support for their comrades, with comments that ranged from sarcasm "Any excuse in the book" - to sympathy, "Ahh, blame it on the screen."

   Milo Marquardt brought his wife, Bettie. He was there as a standby player since he missed by one point in the qualifying rounds. He said he used to bowl and wasn't that worried about the loss. "It's all for fun anymore," he said.

   Other Wild Bunch cheerleaders in the Fountains camp were Pat Landis, Flo Ruff, Joyce Taylor, Joanne Schulze, Helen Fukaye, Elbert Swethen and Fountains resident manager Nancy Maxwell.

   Despite a noise complaint from a neighboring room at the community center, the competition grew heated as games neared the final moments. Tom Puschak got four strikes in a row, giving frontrunner Jeannette White a case of remote-control nerves. But in the end, she beat him by six points.

   White took first place, Puschak took second and Iris Stotler took home third-place bragging rights.

   In recognition of their prowess and skill, HISC will provide a celebration party at The Fountains on a date of their choosing.

For more information, contact Home Instead Senior Care at
(303) 463-1900 or 1-800-4-SENIORS.