Thursday was the perfect end to the 2016 Carbon County Senior Games.

Over 125 participants from Weatherly, Panther Valley, Lehighton, Jim Thorpe and Palmerton attended a banquet at Jim Thorpe Memorial Hall to recognize the winner of the games, as well as reminisce with friends about memories that were made during the eight-day event.Southern Carbon County seniors, made up of Lehighton and Palmerton, defeated two-time champions Northern Carbon County, consisting of Jim Thorpe, Panther Valley and Weatherly seniors. The final score was Southern Carbon County, 725, and Northern Carbon County, 624.Donna Kaminitsky of the Panther Valley team and Mary Lou Kashlak Harvan of the Lehighton team, both first-time competitors at the games, were thrilled they decided to join this year."It was fantastic," Kaminitsky said. "I enjoyed it so much. It felt like I was a teenager again.""I enjoyed everything, from participating in events, to watching those who competed in dancing," Kashlak Harvan said. "Everything was great."Kaminitsky won two medals in the games - a silver and a bronze.Longtime participant Hayden Snyder of the Lehighton team also weighed in on the games."It's just amazing how many return," he said. "We have such a great time. It can't get any better."He urged others who haven't participated to give the games a try next year."It's the greatest time," Snyder said. "Once you turn 60, get down here, join us and do the best you can."As the banquet began, Anne Horrigan, coordinator of the games, welcomed and thanked everyone for making the games successful for another year."I want to thank each and every one of you," she said. "If you wouldn't keep coming, we wouldn't be here. There would be no senior games. We appreciate your participation and we hope you had a really great time."Horrigan then read off the statistics for this year's event.A total of 209 people registered for the games: 91 men and 118 women.To break it down further, Jim Thorpe had 65 competitors; Panther Valley had 34 people; Weatherly had 13; Lehighton had 70; and Palmerton had 27.Following her welcome, Horrigan turned over the presentation to Carbon County Commissioners Wayne Nothstein and Thomas J. Gerhard."The people here at the senior games are America's greatest generation," Gerhard said. "You earned that because you deserve it."Gerhard spoke about his father and the work ethic he had to support his family and said that he sees this quality in the participants."You are appreciative of what you have. You work hard. You say thank you. You say you're welcome. … and I appreciate what you do for us," he said.Nothstein joked with the seniors, specifically the south team, because last year he signed up for the Lehighton team, even though his duties as commissioner kept him from participating in the events, and the south lost."I keep saying I'm going to participate," he said. "Last year, I joined and Lehighton lost. This year, I didn't participate and you won."If the north pays me enough, I will play next year and the north will win again," Nothstein said as the crowd laughed."Thank you for coming out," he said. "This is one of the greatest events a county commissioner could do. You look forward to this. You enjoy yourselves. We know how much you appreciate it and we will continue doing it."Horrigan then awarded representatives from the Jim Thorpe Senior Center with the Victor Pituch Good Sportsmanship Award and the Southern Carbon County Team with the Commissioners Cup trophy.