CAPTAIN COOK — “Head’s up!” yelled Mamo Shontell.
With a thwack of her maroon ground golf club, the Kohala Senior Citizens member sent her yellow ball down the field, getting air for part of the trip and prompting others to step back before it safely to a rest near her targeted hole on the field at Arthur L. Greenwell Park.
Quipped fellow team-mate, Collin Kaholo, “she must have ate her Wheaties,” drawing a laugh from teammates and others taking part in the annual Ground Golf Spooktacular, which also featured a Halloween costume contest, Friday at the park in Captain Cook.
Kaholo and Shontell were among dozens of seniors, ages 55 and up, from the Kailua-Kona Seniors, Na Kapua O Waikoloa, Waimea Seniors and Kohala Senior Citizens clubs who ascended upon the park for a day of fun and camaraderie.
“I’m playing really good this year,” said Shontell, who said she’s taken part in the event since its inception. “We enjoy it. We enjoy getting together with everybody and talking story.”
The event has been put on by the Hawaii County Department of Parks and Recreation Elderly Activities Division’s Elderly Recreation Services for about two decades. ERS provides socialization and recreation at more than 20 senior centers established around the Big Island.
“We like to support our seniors,” said Charlie Brown, Elderly Activities Division West Hawaii program director. “Our kupuna in the community are very important. We like to keep them active and social. That’s why we do events like this.”
Following the ground golf tournament, a few of the seniors took part in the event’s annual Halloween costume contest inside Yano Hall. Lana Lewis, a member of the Kohala Senior Citizens, won the contest with her brightly colored, but somewhat frightening, mermaid costume.
“More people should participate and get out and have fun doing this,” said Lewis. “You can see what’s going on around the island and they really put on some good activities.”
For more information about joining a senior club, visit https://www.hawaiicounty.gov/pr-elderly or call 961-8710.
RESULTS:
Ground Golf Spooktacular
– First place: Werewolves, Kohala Senior Citizens
– Second place: Jack O Lanterns, Kohala Senior Citizens
– Third place: Black Cats, Kailua-Kona Seniors
– Longest putt (male): Jim Kucharski, Skeletons, Kailua-Kona Seniors
– Longest putt (female): Agnes Kaholo, Jack O Lanterns, Kohala Senior Citizens
– Oldest player: Bill Spangrud, 94, Mummies, Na Kapua O Waikoloa
Halloween costume contest
– Lana Lewis, Kohala Senior Citizens, mermaid