The oldest participant at the Alberta 55 Plus Winter Games was a repeat winner of the Wild Rose Award for longevity.
“The way people are living it’s kind of a surprise,” said Jack Fawkes, a spirited 91-year-old carpet bowler from Canmore. “I thought that there might be someone here around 95.”
Fawkes was also honoured with the same award at the 2009 games in Lethbridge.
“That was definitely a surprise but I didn’t do any crying about it. I was just happy to get it.”
The former ground crew member with the Canadian Air Force and retired rancher has competed in several Alberta games in a variety of sports.
“I think I’ve been in it now for 20 years,” said the father of four, with eight grandchildren and four great-grandkids. “I’ve done darts and bowling and ice curling … just about everything really. I remember in ’94 we won the gold in Lacombe in carpet bowling. That was nice.”
Fawkes was introduced to carpet bowling while retired in Canmore.
“This fella taught me how to throw the ball and that’s how I got into it,” he said. “Like any sport, if you get into it and you’re halfway decent, you like it.”
Sports have always been a way of life for Fawkes.
“I got into sports and just stayed with it. I never slowed down,” said the Calgary-born athlete and former Vancouver resident. “I can still golf. Up until last year, every day I was on the golf course.”
Fawkes admits at times he feels his age.
“I’m not slowing down too much but I haven’t got that steady ability. You think you’re going to make a shot and then something happens to your hand and your shot doesn’t work out the way you want it,” he said. “But I do feel good. When you see someone in a wheelchair, and since I don’t even use a cane, it makes you feel like you’re doing OK.”
When asked why the majority of seniors are so full of energy, Fawkes replied, “I think it’s because we never slowed down,” he said. “As long as a person can keep active, then their body keeps active too.”
The odd brandy and a healthy lifestyle keep Fawkes ticking.
“You need to eat the right foods, lots of vegetables and not too much red meat and pork,” he said. “I also tell anybody I see smoking, ‘you better stop that.’”
At the carpet bowling event at Servus Credit Union Place, Fawkes and his wife, Vera, finished seventh in the 70-plus open four-person team division.
“I’ve had fun here. Everything is good. First rate,” he said.
