Tales and Topics from the Panhandle to the Keys – Polk Senior Games Is a Tight Knit Family of Athletes and Organizers
Polk Senior Games Is a Tight Knit Family of Athletes and Organizers
Volume 1, Edition 11
By Nick Gandy
This week’s offering began after a visit to the Opening Ceremony of the Polk Senior Games, in 2023.
While this article was not completed a few years ago, the annual event continues in the same way a few years later. The 2026 Polk Senior Games, one of 21 year-round Florida Senior Games Series Qualifiers, concluded on March 14.
While the bones of this story are from the 2023 visit, updates have been made to reflect the passing of three years.
For more than 30 years, the Polk Senior Games have been a family affair, fostered by the matriarch of the Games, Nancye Thornberry.
After traveling to Syracuse, New York for the 1991 National Senior Games, Thornberry envisioned the same kind of event for athletes age 50 and over in Polk County.
The first Polk Senior Games in 1992 attracted 777 participants and over the years have grown to as many as 2,600 participants. Besides those who register to compete in the annual event, the Polk Senior Games has an impressive amount of community support with over 700 volunteers and numerous sponsors.
While Thornberry’s involvement in the Polk Senior Games dwindled over the years, and her passing in 2020 at 89 years old, the responsibilities never left the family.
At the Polk Senior Games, the limbs of the family tree are spreading throughout Polk County.
The Opening Ceremony, prior to the Track and Field running events at All Saints Academy, featured Gus Palas as the emcee. His sister, Lisa Palas, opened the program singing, “For the Love of the Game,” and later led the crowd in the Polk Senior Games song. It’s a song she wrote, because that’s what she does.
Palas is an award-winning songwriter who has penned hits for such country music chart toppers as ALABAMA, Reba McEntire, The Oak Ridge Boys, Randy Travis, Kris Kristofferson and Conway Twitty.
It’s a catchy tune that will get stuck in your head.
Polk Senior Games, a great way to have fun.
Polk Senior Games, a great way to stay young.
We’re going for the gold in our golden years,
Winners all the way, hooray for
Polk Senior Games, come on out and play.
We’ve got lots of wonderful games and sports,
Friendly competition and so much more.
So what are you waiting for?
Polk Senior Games, a great way to have fun.
Polk Senior Games, a great way to stay young.
We’re going for the gold in our golden years.
Winners all the way, hooray for
Polk Senior Games, come on out and play.
Come on out and play.
More family members, Deena Wilbur, relocated from Miami to Lakeland after Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and has served as the Polk Senior Game Director since 1993.
Wilbur’s son, Nick, is the softball event director (pictured above with Deena, in the middle) and daughter would be runs the Sudoko event.
More branches have sprouted and will continue to grow as Gus’ 15-year old granddaughter has been waiting in the wings to officially volunteer when she turns 16 for the 2027 Games.
“Mom didn’t want for any of us to be sitting on the bench,” said Gus.
Gus and Deena’s sisters, Julie Palas and Linda Bradley, also contribute and Linda was the Torch Bearer for the 2026 Opening Ceremony as the Outstanding Women’s Competitor at the 2025 Polk Senior Games. Linda (pictured at right) competed in 19 events in eight different sports in the 65-69 age group.
Julie directs the Senior Smarts competition and competed in 19 events at the 2026 Games.
What makes the Polk Senior Games one of the most successful Local Senior Games Qualifiers for the Florida Senior Games is its variety of events outside of the Olympic events offered at the Florida Senior Games.
Polk Senior Games participants are offered events such as Card Games, Dancing, Fishing, Punt, Pass & Kick and Sport Shooting.
Gus Palas is a record holder in the Length Fishing event, pulling in an 11” catfish in the 2011 Games to set the mark in the 50-54 age group.
The 2026 Polk Senior Games featured over 1,700 athletes competing in 37 sports/activities and 97 events at 30 venues in eight Polk County communities.
The myriad of volunteers carries over into many facets of the Polk Senior Games, as it’s an all volunteer effort. Most Florida Senior Games Series Qualifiers are presented by local parks and recreation department personnel.
“There’s still some parks and recreation people involved, but volunteers find the venues and run the events,” Wilbur explained. “The local Archery club runs our competition at its venue. We have a senior community that has bocce and bag toss facilities and the City of Lakeland offers up the Beerman Tennis Center and runs the competition. Our basketball shooting is the same with the City of Lake Wales.”
City of Lakeland Parks and Recreation Director, Bob Donahay, confirmed the city’s backing of the Polk Senior Games.
“We help out as best we can,” he said. “Lakeland Parks and Rec also hosts softball at the Southwest Recreation Center and Cribbage at the Simpson Park Community Center. It’s a pleasure to work with everyone involved with the Polk Senior Games and see the benefits for the Senior athletes.”
Screenshot
Providing technical expertise with the Polk Senior Games for 2026, was Deena’s daughter, Nancy, and her partner, Joe, who initiated and managed a new athlete registration system, along with Deena’s son, Matt. The move to the registration system also assisted in generating competition reports for the sport directors.
“Even my Aunt Donna (standing in the photo with Julie Palas, volunteering at Table Tennis), my mom’s sister in law, came in from Kentucky to help out and play Euchre,” Wilbur said. “I don’t think we had any of my cousins helping out this year.”
If the Polk Senior Games had a family dinner during the 15 days of the event, several tables would have been pushed together to accommodate everyone. For more information about the Polk Senior Games, visit www.polkseniorgames.org.
Nick Gandy is a 40-year sports communications professional who has worked with the Florida Sports Foundation, the state of Florida’s lead sports promotion and development organization, since 1998.