July 14, 2022

This paid piece is sponsored by Experience Sioux Falls, formerly the Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Inspiring athletes from across the country will compete at a national event being held next week in Sioux Falls.

The 36th National Veterans Golden Age Games will be July 18-23. The event is the premier senior adaptive rehabilitation program in the U.S. and the only national multievent sports and recreational competition program for seniors designed to improve the quality of life for all senior veterans, including those with disabilities.

The Golden Age Games are open to veterans 55 or older who receive health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The weeklong event expects to bring in 450 veterans from around the country to compete in 14 medal events, including air rifle, blind disc golf, track and field, pickleball and more.

“The process to secure this event started in 2017 when we met with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs committee at a trade show. There was certainly interest from both sides, but initial conversations were very preliminary in determining if it would even be possible for Sioux Falls to host this event,” said Teri Schmidt, executive director of Experience Sioux Falls.

“Once it was determined that Sioux Falls could indeed host the event, a few members from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs team came here to tour facilities, and a few months later the decision to bring the event to Sioux Falls was finalized.

“We actually sent someone from our team to Anchorage, Alaska, for the 2019 National Veterans Golden Age Games to be on-site and get a feel for the amount of planning and detail needed for this event.”

The COVID-19 pandemic caused the Golden Age Games to be canceled in 2020, and it was held virtually in 2021, with Experience Sioux Falls participating in the virtual passing of the torch ceremony. This year’s games are set to be in person for the first time since 2019.

“Hosting this event in Sioux Falls is huge for the city,” aid Sam Otto, public affairs officer for the Sioux Falls VA Health Care System. “We’re expecting a great turnout with around 450 veterans coming from 40 different states, including the likes of Alaska, Arkansas and Vermont just to name a few, and many of them will be visiting South Dakota for the first time. We have many people involved with making this happen, and we thank all the volunteers for signing up to help.”

Venues include the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, Convention Center, Howard Wood Field, Best Western Ramkota and Earl McCart Fields.

The public is invited to attend the outdoor events at Howard Wood Field. A full schedule of events can be viewed here.