Nursery rhymes echoed throughout St. Martins Knights of Columbus Hall Thursday as area nursing facility residents participated in the Missouri Health Care Association's (MHCA) annual Golden Age Games.
Each facility performed a nursery rhyme while decked out in character attire.
Jefferson City's Villa Marie nursing facility staff and residents were the Happy Blackbirds, representing Sing a Song of Sixpence.
They competed against eight other facilities in activities, such as wheelchair racing, bowling and cow milking.
The spirit competition inspired Villa Marie to chant and sing songs about their Villa Marie home.
"We're really blessed to be here," said Crystal Willis, Villa Marie's activities director. "They (residents) were so ready for this this morning."
One such resident was 99-year-old Marjorie Guidera. This year was her second Golden Age Games. Her favorite competition is the cow milking, which entails squeezing nipples on bottles attached to sawhorse cows.
Guidera participated in cow milking her first year competing, but wasn't very successful.
"The cow didn't give," she said. "This time I think I did good."
Libby Mueller, another Villa Marie resident, won the women's wheelchair race that required participants to only use their feet to propel forward.
"I'm more than excited," Mueller said. "I would have been even faster without my shoes."
Joyce Malmberg, vice president of MHCA's District 7, said the association has hosted the Golden Age Games for more than 20 years in each of its seven districts.
"People get such enjoyment out of it and preparing for it," she said.
"The activity departments work so hard preparing and they come and yell and scream. Everyone gets a green participation ribbon and we also have some trophies."
She said in addition to competition, the Golden Age Games also include a luncheon, bingo, a dance contest, and an Elvis impersonator.
"We really work to give them a good time," Malmberg said.