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January 2025

PING PONG AT THE VILLAGE

PING PONG AT THE VILLAGE

It began, like so many other Village activities, because someone was interested in something – in this case, the something was ping pong. The word went out and guess what? There were other Village members who also wanted to play ping pong. Soon, a ping pong table appeared, the gift of an anonymous donor, and a date was set – and thus was born the Ping Pong Affinity group.

On a recent Thursday afternoon in the Pasadena Village office “community room”, four Village members (all men this day) gathered for a game. They played one on one; doubles play is deemed too dangerous. And it is forbidden to bend over to pick up errant ping pong balls; there is an acknowledged risk of falling. Instead, plastic tube gizmos are employed to scoop the balls from the floor.

Apparently playing ping pong is a bit like riding a bike. Once you learn you never forget. It also seems apparent that these four men spent a lot of hours in their youth in community centers, church basements, or public parks playing ping pong. They may appear to be somewhat stiff, a bit slow moving, but they haven’t forgotten how to put a spin on the ball or hit the very edge of the table corner. And they haven’t forgotten the thrill of competition.

The Ping Pong Affinity group meets weekly and includes both men and women. In addition to the “gentle competition”, the games provide a chance to get to know each other, and a reminder that you are never too old to have fun!

For questions or for more information, contact Toni Cavanagh Johnson at [email protected].