NC Senior Games and PRTM Have Long History of Partnering for Success

Ready. Set. Game On! An experience like no other, the North Carolina Senior Games (NCSG) is a statewide olympic program for adults 50 years of age and “better.” Not only does North Carolina have the largest senior olympic program in the nation, NCSG has a special legacy with NC State’s department of parks, recreation and tourism management (PRTM).

Answering the call to work in parks and recreation

Associate director for NC Senior Games and proud PRTM alumni, Lynn Harrell vividly recalls meeting professor Beth Wilson (’72, ’74, ’83) after visiting the department in 1990. An undergrad at the University of Georgia at the time, Harrell was in Raleigh to spend time with an ill grandparent and she was beginning to question her path in education.

“Once I met Beth Wilson, then the undergraduate coordinator, I called my mom during a January ice storm and said: I am supposed to be at this school working for this woman.” – Lynn Harrell (’90, ’92)

Interested in being a camp director, Harrell left the Bulldogs behind and transferred to NC State. She found her purpose while volunteering at the first NC Senior Games event held at Athens Drive High School in Raleigh.

“Dr. Wilson required all students to volunteer for the Games,” said Harrell, “which is where I met Margot Rainor. She worked for the NC Division of Aging as the Health and Recreation Specialist and researched the senior games concept.”

Mary Bethel (’72, ’75) worked for almost 30 years with the NC Division of Aging and Adult Services and served as the first executive director of the Coalition on Aging. Both Bethel and Wilson were active volunteers with the NC Senior Games. Rainer became the first Executive Director of North Carolina Senior Games and developed a strategic partnership with NC State’s department of parks, recreation and tourism management. Harrell did her first internship for Beth Wilson by working part-time for Rainor at the NC Senior Games.

“At that time, the NCSG office was in Margot’s home so we had to get creative for my internship with Dr. Wilson, i.e. a maintenance project meant taking out the trash,” said Harrell. “I’ll never forget the week that my ‘maintenance project’ involved dealing with a possum.”

Harrell went on to pursue her master’s degree and her thesis for Wilson involved creating a statewide survey on senior games participation and motivation. It is still used today. The first female faculty member in the then College of Forest Resources, Wilson retired from PRTM in 2007 and is an active NC Senior Games board member. Harrel has volunteered and worked for NC Senior Games for more than 30 years.

Harrell cannot say enough good things about the PRTM department. She has fond memories of Annette’s Moore’s class on program planning and working with Kim Bush, Charlynne Smith and Janelle Moretz to fill volunteer positions and internships over the years.

Paying the inspiration forward

Several graduates from PRTM have completed internships with the NC Senior Games and some are now full-time staff members. Hugh Autry (’96, ’98) created the department’s first website is now Sports and IT Coordinator. Lauren Presley (2016) serves as Program and PR Coordinator. And Lauren “Elle” Langdon (2017) is the Program and Administrative Coordinator. All of these alums recall hearing Lynn Harrell speak to their class about the rewarding experience of being a volunteer with NC Senior Games.

Hugh Autry was studying architecture and engineering at NC State when he concluded he wasn’t on the right path. Having played sports all of his life, his interest was piqued when an RA in Lee Dorm suggested he check out the PRTM program in the College of Natural Resources.

Autry transferred to the College and soon heard Lynn Harrell speak to one of his classes about volunteering with the NC Senior Games. He helped out at a table tennis event and went on to complete an internship within the PRTM department working with Candace Vick and Charlynne Smith.

“This was back when a tech assignment was to send an email to your teacher,” explains Autry. “I was able to do that,” he says laughing, “and I went on to create the first PRTM website using a giant HTML book.”

Today, Autry applies his tech skills with his love of sports at the NC Senior Games. He tracks all the sporting events and enjoys seeing the friendships that develop over the years through competition and comradery.

In 2015, Elle Langdon was a sport management major looking to complete the required 400-hour internship to graduate. Interested in working with youth and schools, she volunteered at Bugg Elementary School and USA baseball. Then she heard Lynn Harrell speak to her class during freshman year. She volunteered and began working for NCSG part time and fell in love with the experience.

Lauren Presley graduated with a BS in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management with a concentration in program management. Interested in working with older adults, Presley believes the classes she took in the PRTM department put a real focus on practical learning.

“I was undeclared my freshman year, but was pretty sure I wanted to work with older adults somehow. My advisor suggested I take the Intro class in PRTM with Annette Moore. I loved it! And that’s how I got involved with NC Senior Games.” – Lauren Presley (2016)

“I really enjoyed my classes,” said Presley, “and I had so many professors who really cared about their students.”

Inspired by seeing the High Steppers at a SilverArts event, Presley started taking tap classes. She is also a member of the Cary Concert Singers.

Elle Langdon was also majoring in sport management, however she was interested in non-profit programming. She interned with NC Senior Games and her responsibilities entailed intensive preparation for the State Finals including: planning, organizing and gathering supplies for events.

“My internship also involved making tournament brackets prior to each event, so I got to work with both staff members and participants,” said Langdon.” The internship at NC Senior Games had a major impact on my life and I’d highly recommend it.”

Autry, Presley and Langdon cite hearing Lynn Harrell speak to their classes as having a direct impact on their interest in the NC Senior Games. Lynn Harrell credits meeting Beth Wilson with helping her find her passion and purpose.

“NC Senior Games has a strong, long-lasting symbiotic relationship with NC State’s department of parks, recreation and tourism management,” said Harrell.