Pvt Charles J Shutt Detachment VAVS

Golden Age Games competitions are open to all U.S. military veterans age
55 or older who receive care at a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
medical facility. The games give participants the opportunity to
compete in ambulatory, visually-impaired and wheelchair divisions,
according to their ages. Events include swimming, bicycling, bowling,
croquet, air rifle, golf, shuffleboard, horseshoes, discus and shot put.

An estimated 600 "golden age" veterans from
across the country will travel to Indianapolis to compete in the largest
sports and recreational competition for senior veterans in the world
August 20-24.

"Staying active and healthy through sports and fitness is important to
all our nation's veterans," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James
B. Peake. "We are proud to offer the Golden Age Games as a premier
sporting event for our senior veterans."

The 22nd National Veterans Golden Age Games are co-sponsored by VA, Help
Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) and the Veterans Canteen Service (VCS).
This year's event is hosted by the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical
Center in Indianapolis.

The National Veterans Golden Age Games is the only national multi-event
sports and recreational seniors' competition program for older veterans.
It is designed to improve the quality of life for all older veterans,
including those with a wide range of abilities and disabilities. For a
number of events, the games will serve as a qualifying competition for
participating in the 2009 National Senior Games in San Francisco. The
National Senior Games is a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"After HHV's initial co-sponsorship of the games in 2007, we are
extremely pleased to announce our continued support of this therapeutic
program," said Mike Lynch, Executive Director of HHV. "The games touch
numerous lives, and we could not pass up the chance to be a part of this
great event again."

"An active lifestyle is vital to everyone's health and well being, and
is even more important as we enter our senior years," said Marilyn
Iverson, Director of the Veterans Canteen Service. "It is a great way
to stay healthy and prevent illness."

The majority of the Golden Age Games events, including opening and
closing ceremonies, will be held at the Indiana Convention Center. The
opening ceremony will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 20.
The competition begins with golf on Thursday, August 21, at 8:00 a.m.,
at Coffin Golf Course. Closing ceremonies will be at 7:00 p.m. on
Sunday, August 24, at the convention center.

For more information on the Golden Age Games, look online at
www.veteransgoldenagegames.va.gov, or call Jenny Tankersley Ballou,
National Veterans Golden Age Games Public Affairs Coordinator, at (757)
728-3450 or (757) 254-6058.