Registration for the 2019 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics is heading into its final weeks at www.nvso.us The 2019 games run from Sept. 14 thru Sept. 28. All registrations must be completed by Aug. 31. Paper registrations, available at most recreation and senior centers, must be postmarked by Aug. 24. There will be no on-site registration.
The NVSO includes more than 60 events that exercise the mind as well as the body. To qualify competitors must be at least 50-years-old by Dec. 31, 2019, and be a resident of Northern Virginia. The games will be hosted at more than 25 local venues.
New this year is a flat registration fee of $15 that allows participants to compete in as many events as they choose with the exception of bowling, cycling, golf and orienteering which have additional charges.
The NVSO began in 1982 with about 80 competitors. In 2018, more than 800 people took part, making it one of the largest annual senior events in the region.
In addition to offering traditional Olympic-style events such as running, walking, discus and swimming, the NVSO also has games that exercise the mind, including bridge, Sudoku and one of this year’s new competitions, jigsaw puzzle. The new event this year for those more active is line-dancing.
The NVSO also offers a great opportunity to volunteer. RSVP-Northern Virginia, the region’s largest volunteer group for those 55 or better, (which is a program of Volunteer Fairfax, Volunteer Arlington and Volunteer Alexandria) recruits more than 100 volunteers each year to support the games. Anyone 16-years-old or older interested in volunteering should call 703-403-5360 or register online at www.rsvpnova.org.
A list of events, rules and locations for the NVSO can be found at www.nvso.us. The NVSO is a nonprofit and is a joint project of the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, and Prince William.
In addition to the support from local jurisdictions, the NVSO receives support from numerous local businesses and media outlets.
For information on the NVSO, please visit www.nvso.us. For information on volunteering with the games, visit www.rsvpnova.org or call RSVP at 703-403-5360.