The Pierce County Senior Center and the Pierce County Recreation Department joined forces to host a special tri-county beanbag baseball event.
Staff, volunteers and members of senior centers from three different counties came together at Blackshear’s NFC building to enjoy a meal and some friendly competition. The senior centers of Pierce and Bacon Counties and Pearson in Atkinson County met to play what is arguably a sensation among their clients: beanbag baseball.
For those unfamiliar with beanbag baseball, a special cornhole board is set up with nine different openings, each corresponding to different outcomes in baseball: two spots for first base, one for second and two for third. There are also two holes for outs and the prime target everyone dreams of hitting, a home run. Seniors toss beanbags, many with impressive accuracy, to load bases and score runs. No baseball diamond is set up and those players on bases, sit and rest in one of three chairs while waiting on the next hitter to bring them home.
The competition is fierce and bragging rights are the coveted prize of the winners. However, instead of pitting each senior center against one another, organizers instead had a random draw compose the teams playing against each other at both of the two games running simultaneously. In that way, new friends could be made and the gathered seniors could root for new teammates rather than their familiar favorites.
Following the conclusion of both games, one of which ended in “extra innings” with a tiebreaking grand slam from Dale Douglas of Pearson, a meal was served to the much larger than usual crowd by staff and volunteers.
Instead of the usual monthly Breakfast and Bingo at the NFC building, the tri-county game was set up for January, but it required the help and coordination of staff and volunteers from three different groups, including help from Lynn Platt, Karen Herndon and Maureen Brown of Pierce County, Stacey Thrift of Hospice Satilla, Dawn Garcia of Atkinson County and Janie Batten, Chris Williams, Rachel Wade, Keylea Moore and Charles Williamson of Bacon County.
Rec. Director Maureen Brown was pleased with both the turnout and the response to the event. “This just goes to show how our Rec Department doesn’t just serve the kids of Pierce County,” said Brown. “We can do things to help all ages stay active.”
