The Cochrane Seniors Friendly Games are returning on July 27 after being absent for the last few years to offer recreational fun in five sports for those 55 and over.

The games offer a fun day of bocce, horseshoes, floor shuffleboard, carpet bowling, cribbage and great fellowship. If your new to any of these games, never fear, instructional clinics will be available.

While the games are two weeks away, organizers are asking to people to register by July 20. It's reasonable, too. Five dollars will allow you to enjoy two sports and includes lunch. They are hoping to attract participation from outside of the area, including Springbank, Bearspaw, Airdrie and Bragg Creek.

The games run from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and they're all centrally located at or by the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre. Cribbage, carpet bowling and floor shuffleboard are all in the Seniors on the Bow Centre while horseshoes and bocce will take place at the Bow River's Edge Campground.

The Friendly Games were last held in 2015 and Doug Campbell, area 7 director for Zone 2 Alberta 55 Plus, says growth in the community and an increase in the seniors' population has encouraged their return. They would like to expand them further and are particularly interested in finding a permanent summer home for their shuffleboard mats and believe they could draw participants from outside of the community.

For more information you can contact: Jennifer Mackenzie, 403-932-0717, jimdave@shaw.ca; Nancy Gibbie, 587-362-2009, njgibbie@telus.net; or Doug Campbell, 403-932-6866, dec@cabsi.ca.

Upcoming Zone 2 Qualifiers

The countdown has begun for the Alberta 55 Plus Games being hosted in Edmonton, Sept. 7-9. A number of Zone 2 qualifiers are just around the corner.

Cochrane is hosting the pickleball qualifier on July 28, Strathmore is hosting the golf qualifier on July 26 and slo-pitch is being held in Calgary on July 21. Submissions for the Creative Writing competition is July 21. 

The deadline for mixed media art/miscellaneous art categories is July 27 and can be submitted to Norma Dawson, High River Public Library by 4 p.m. that day. Judging takes place the morning of July 28 followed by a public viewing in the afternoon.

Categories are: oil painting, landscape, still life, figures (animal/birds) and floral; watercolor, landscape, still life, figures (animal/birds), human portraits and floral; acrylic painting, landscape, still life and figures (animal/birds); drawing, pen & ink, charcoal, conte or graphite.

Further information on the art categories can be made to Linda Traquair at 403 823 8460 or ltraquair@shaw.ca.

You can also get full details on the qualifiers and upcoming Edmonton games here.