In a unique partnership agreement, Governor Jeb Bush praised the announcement by the Florida Sports Foundation to team up with The Villages to sponsor and host the future Florida Senior Games. Over the term of the four-year agreement, The Villages will serve as presenting sponsor of the Florida Senior Games State Championships and, beginning in 2003 for three consecutive years, will host the annual Games at its Central Florida community.

Hosted annually by the Florida Sports Foundation, the state's official sports development organization, the Florida Senior Games are an Olympic-style sports festival for athletes age 50 and older--attracting athletes from around the state to compete in more than 20 amateur sports including archery, cycling, swimming, track & field, and tennis.

"I cannot think of a more appropriate partnership than the one that has been established between the Florida Sports Foundation and The Villages to jointly host and sponsor the Florida Senior Games," said Governor Bush. "Each year, the state's Senior Game Championships bring together Florida's seniors to participate in a range of sporting events. And, each year, we send many of our senior athletes to the National Games. Through sponsoring and hosting this event, The Villages allows the Games to be held in a fun, collegial, hometown atmosphere where both medals and friends are won."

On Wednesday evening, the Florida Sports Foundation joined residents of The Villages for the community's daily town square gathering where the Florida Senior Games agreement was solidified. The festivities began with a Parade of Athletes led by swimmer Jack Krier and his guide dog, Hermosa, carrying a torch to light the symbolic Olympic cauldron. Nearly 200 athletes marched into the town square with banners signifying their sport.

"Our residents, many of whom participated in the recent Florida Senior Games competitions, are thrilled with this Olympic-style competition being added to their active and healthy Villages lifestyle," said Mark Morse, vice president of The Villages.

The Villages, located in the heart of Central Florida, is dubbed "Florida's Friendliest Hometown," having transformed from a small mobile home park began in 1983 to what is now an award-winning adult community. With more than 30,000 residents, The Villages promotes an active lifestyle for its residents. The state-of-the-art recreation and sports facilities enjoyed by its residents every day will serve as competition venues for the Florida Senior Games State Championships beginning in 2003.

"This partnership is great news for the Florida Senior Games and all of our senior athletes throughout Florida," said Larry Pendleton, president of the Florida Sports Foundation. "The Villages makes a commitment to active and healthy lifestyles in their community every day, and we look forward to a great alliance that will build on this ideal statewide through the Florida Senior Games."

The 2002 Florida Senior Games State Championships will be held in Lakeland, Florida, from December 6-15, in venues throughout Polk County. More than 2,500 athletes are expected to compete in 2002, with the opportunity to qualify for the National Senior Games to be held in Hampton Roads, Virginia, in May 2003.