ROCKINGHAM – Members of the community gathered at the Robert L. and Elizabeth S. Cole Auditorium on May 6 for the 36th Annual Silver Arts and Senior Games of Richmond County.
In the foyer, tables were filled with art and literary works of all kinds, made especially by senior citizens in Richmond County. Spectators were given a ticket as they walked in and they were able to put it into the cup of the art piece that they most enjoyed. At the end of the night, Diane McGrady received the Audience Choice Award for her diamond art piece.
After looking at the beautiful pieces in the foyer, visitors made their way to the theater to watch performances from the older community of Richmond County. Acts included cheerleading, comedy, singing, instrumentals, line dancing and stepping. In the end, the judges picked the Sunshine Gang for their line dancing performance of Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock” as the winner for the evening.
After all of the performers had gone on, Amanda Kempton performed a beautiful song and dance number to honor the memory of Terry Mercer. Mercer enjoyed the Senior Games and SilverArts and was actively involved in bringing a better life to the senior citizens of Richmond County.
Among the art and literary pieces, the main categories were Heritage Arts, Literary Arts, Local Silver Arts and Visual Arts. Each category was broken into several more subcategories, which included crocheting, short stories, diamond art, drawing, and many other subcategories. The judges had already handed out awards for these categories, showcasing ribbons next to winning pieces.
In the Heritage Arts category, there were subcategories for crocheting, general fiber arts, jewelry, knitting, needlework, pottery, quilting (hand stitched), quilting (machine stitched) and flower arrangements. In the Literary Arts category, there were subcategories for short stories, poems and life experiences. In the Local Silver Arts category, there were subcategories for adult coloring, diamond art and wreath making. In the Visual Arts category, there were subcategories for acrylics, drawing, mixed media 2D, mixed media 3D, oil, pastels, photography and watercolor.
The Senior Games and SilverArts program wants to encourage the community to get involved. They urge the community to contact the local senior center if you would like to participate, volunteer, or simply learn more.