Participants in a past Heart of Illinois Senior Games prepare to run during the track and field competition. Now called the Heart of Illinois 50+ Games, the event has been scaled back this year and runs May 28-31 at various venues in Peoria and Tazewell counties.

With a new name and a scaled-back schedule, the 16th annual Heart of Illinois 50+ Games will begin May 28, after nearly being canceled this year.

“This year’s event almost didn’t happen. We need to rejuvenate and get more board members. They didn’t have someone coordinating it up until the last minute,” said Mary Ellen Pitstick, assisting coordinator for the Peoria Park District’s 50 Rock exercise program.

“At the last minute, all the park districts got together—Pekin, Washington, Morton, Hollis and Peoria—and said how can we keep it going at least to some degree this year and maybe try to build it back up again next year,” she added.

Because planning for the games—formerly known as the Heart of Illinois Senior Games– usually begins the summer before but didn’t start this year until February, many of the core events were cut this year. The late planning also meant the board was only able to secure one major sponsor this year: CEFCU.

Rudd’s Team and Trophy helps provide the winners’ medals, and each of the park districts has contributed monetarily. The Chillicothe Park District is also helping with promotion.

“Last year’s budget was about $18,000,” Pitstick said. “Previously, we had lots of sponsorships, but the sponsors dropped off this year because we started so late.”

In scaling back the games, the board tried to keep the top 25 most popular events, including pickleball, which is a cross between badminton, ping-pong and tennis.

The board temporarily dropped fine arts, swimming, cycling, tennis and shuffleboard, among others. Pitstick said the board hopes to add those back next year.

Events that will be held are golf, bowling, pickleball, basketball free-throw shooting, football throw, softball throw, Frisbee throw, soccer kick, bags toss, washer toss, ladder golf and track and field events, including discus, high jump, long jump, shot put and racing from the 50-meter dash to the 1500-meter run.

“In past years, we had multiple meals and a lot of other things going on, but really the focus should be more on the games,” Pitstick said.

A $35 registration fee includes unlimited events and a meal catered by Avanti’s at the opening ceremonies at 5:30 p.m. May 28, at the Miller Senior Citizens’ Center in Pekin. Opening ceremonies will include a flag ceremony by the Pekin Community High School ROTC flag team, music and dancing.

There are added fees for bowling, which takes place at Plaza Lanes in Washington, and golf, which will be played at East Peoria’s Fon du Lac Golf Course, all on May 28.

Pickleball will be played May 29 and May 30 at the Lakeview Recreation Center in Peoria; lawn games will be played May 30 at the Noble Center in Peoria; and track and field events will take place May 31 at Limestone High School in Bartonville.

Pitstick said the board is hoping to attract at least 200 participants to the games, which would match last year’s numbers.

“We’d be happy if we get 200. It’s been as high as 500 in past years,” she said.

Longtime participant Don DeGroot of Pekin said he wasn’t completely surprised the games were cut back this year because he’s noticed a drop in participation the past several years.

“It’s funny how hard it is to get people our age just to get out and do things. I tell people I’ve finished in the top three many times over the years. I’ve gotten a lot of medals. There may be a lot of people out there who might be better than me, but they don’t commit to go do it, and that’s a shame. Competition at any age is good. It makes you try a little harder,” he said.

The 75-year-old plans to compete in discus and shot put this year. He typically does the long jump and 100-meter dash as well but will skip those due to a recent back injury.

DeGroot has also participated in the Illinois Senior Olympics, which is a qualifying event for the National Senior Olympics. He qualified to compete in nationals this year in Minnesota but doesn’t plan to go because of family health issues.

The local competition originally was the brainchild of five senior citizens: Frank Hubbell, Vic and Janice Durchholz and Jim and Kay Allen. Vic Durchholz is one of four seniors currently serving on the 15-member board.

The first games, called the Heart of Illinois Senior Olympics, were held in May 2000 with 283 participants and 75 events. In 2010 the name was changed to Heart of Illinois Senior Games & Fine Arts Festival. This year’s name change is an attempt to attract more competitors in their 50s.           “We’re not targeting them, but we want to make sure they know they’re included. We want to make sure the games continue on,” Pitstick said.

The deadline to register is Friday, May 15. Brochures are available at all the participating park districts. For more information, call Mary Ellen Pitstick at 309-681-2683 or visit the registration website at www.peoriaparks.org/media/50+-Games-Registration-2015.pdf or the Heart of Illinois 50+ Games Facebook page.