9:34
Teams begin arriving at the Village of Wentworth Heights for a day of competition at the East Schlegel Olympics. The Village of Sandalwood Park is followed by Hamilton Continuing Care, and the look of joy on the faces of each arriving team member and resident is a sign of the day to come. There are tears in the eyes of one HCC resident — a moment of pure overwhelm — as everyone is greeted like family.
9:50
Dylan Hierlihy is in the Village café with some of his fellow teammates from the Hamilton Sledgehammers Sledge Hockey Team. His great-grandmother lives at Wentworth Heights, and the Village has sponsored the team, helping them purchase three new sledges. As soon as his great-grandmother moved in, Dylan says he knew the Village was special — and the Olympic spirit on display this morning only confirms it.
Dylan lives without legs, propelling himself through life in a wheelchair and thriving in his 10th season as a sledge hockey player. He knows all too well how quickly people dismiss the abilities of athletes like him and his teammates — not unlike how the abilities of older adults are often underestimated.
“This is going to be a lot of fun,” Dylan says.
11:00
Adverse weather east of Hamilton delayed the arrival of two teams, but the opening ceremonies are now underway. Wentworth Heights General Manager Michelle Wood welcomes guests to the Village.
"At the heart of today is our Program for Active Living — PAL," Michelle says. "This program is so much more than physical activity. It’s about confidence, independence, and possibility.
"PAL supports residents in building strength, balance, and endurance, but just as importantly, it creates opportunities for connection, purpose, and joy.
"The athletes you see here today are a reflection of that work — showing what’s possible when we focus on ability, not limitation, and on progress, not perfection. They’ve trained, practised, encouraged one another, and demonstrated what can happen when active living and meaningful engagement come together.
"To our athletes, we are incredibly proud of you. Your willingness to participate, to try something new, and to represent your Village with pride is what makes today so meaningful and inspiring for all of us. And to our visiting Villages — welcome.”
12:20
Janet Law is among the participants in an event inspired by snowboarding, where competitors balance on a small board atop two inflatable discs for two minutes, maintaining continuous back-and-forth weight transfer.
“I just thought it was something new to do,” Janet says. “It’s an important year, and we have really good teachers at our residence.” She explains that team members brought the equipment in one day, so she decided to give it a try — noting that she participates in every exercise class her Village offers.
She also jokes about “dropping a bomb” at Christmas dinner when she told her family she was trying out for the Olympics team.
“The room went dead,” she laughs.
12:45
Brenda Anderson has just watched her mother, Marg, from the Village of Taunton Mills in Whitby, win first place in the curling event. She admits it was tense watching the match come down to the final stone her mother sent sliding down Main Street.
Brenda and her father, Mike, were avid curlers throughout their adult lives, and that competitive spirit has never left them. Brenda travelled from Etobicoke to Hamilton to surprise her parents.
“They’re really competitive, and they were really looking forward to coming here today,” Brenda says. “So I got in the car and surprised them. It was really fun to cheer them both on. They really enjoyed preparing for these games and were so excited to be here.
It was awesome to watch.”
2:25
After lunch, a gentleman named Dave watches his mother, Frieda, receive a silver medal in the figure skating event, where a resident and team member compete together in a dance routine demonstrating strength, balance, and agility.
Dave is joined by several members of their extended family, including four great-grandchildren holding handmade signs cheering their Oma on. His eyes show a depth of emotion as he speaks.
“It’s just really nice to see my elderly mother being active, having fun, and participating in events like this,” Dave says. “I had zero experience with a retirement home before this, and I just think it’s fantastic. The staff here are incredibly supportive. Team members Chanelle, Moses, and Dan were with her every step of the way while she was practising. It was really nice to see.”
Chanelle, Frieda’s dance partner, stands just over Dave’s shoulder, embracing Frieda and soaking in the spirit of the event.
3:15
After the top three Villages by medal count are announced, Rose Lamb, Vice-President of Operations for the Eastern Villages, takes a moment to thank everyone in attendance.
“What a day,” she begins. “Look at the smiles. Look at the Village team jerseys. Look at the cheering, the high-fives, the laughter and clapping echoing down the main streets.
“This is what Village families look like. This is what connection and belonging feel like. This is what our Villages feel like - home.
“Today wasn’t about medals or points or who crossed the finish line first. It was about courage, love, relationships with sister Villages, connection, and pure joy — and more than anything, showing up for each other.
“To every Village who participated — residents, team members, volunteers, and families — thank you. Thank you for the early mornings, the planning, the decorating, and the practising. Thank you for the wheelchairs decorated like race cars, the handmade banners, the team chants, and the beautiful, unstoppable spirit you brought into this building.
“You didn’t just come to compete — you came to celebrate life together. And honestly, that’s the real gold medal.
“What I love most is watching our elders lead the way — reminding us that play doesn’t have an age limit, that laughter is medicine, and that community keeps us young at heart. Today, we saw Ubuntu in action: ‘I am because we are.’
“No one wins alone. We lift each other. We cheer each other on. We belong to each other.
“To the organizers and team members behind the scenes — you made magic happen. And to our residents, thank you for showing us once again how to live fully, boldly, and with joy.
“My heart is so full watching all of you. So here’s to friendship. Here’s to fun. Here’s to many more Village Olympics to come — and most of all, here’s to this beautiful community we get to call home.”
