Eleventh annual Dr. Don Games

For the love of the games

By RICHARD A. ROSS

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — For the eleventh consecutive year the Olympic torch was lit and passed among the contestants. Opening ceremonies featured the finest of music and the venue was blessed with regal food and drink. As the games got underway under blue skies, cool breezes wafted over the athletes who performed with grace and good sportsmanship, showing their love of the games.

No, this wasn’t taking place in Athens, Greece; Lillehammer, Norway; Sidney, Australia; or Atlanta, Georgia. The international Olympiads take place every two years in alternating winters and summers, and the next such contests will be held in Torino, Italy in 2006. Truth to tell, though, what took place on August 21 in the tiny hamlet by the Willowemoc had something those august games sometimes lack: unadulterated fun and wholesome play with little or no emphasis on who wins or loses and no obsessive fighting over the medal count.

Welcome to the Dr. Don Games, an afternoon of fun and frolic held in an Olympic format for kids up to the age of fourteen. The games are the brainchild of Livingston Manor dentist Dr. Donald Simkin, who started this delightful tradition in 1995 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his practice in Livingston Manor. Simkin is a member of the Olympic family who had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch across the United States in the 1996 torch relay. No matter where the Olympics are held in winter or summer, Simkin, an avid Olympics fan, is apt to be there. He even made the mouth guards for the U.S. Olympic luge team. Taking that love of the Olympics and bringing it home to the hamlet by the Willowemoc is one of Dr. Don’s great achievements.

On August 21, 25 youngsters came to Rotary Park to partake of hot dogs, lemonade and watermelon and to apply themselves to the creative tasks at hand. After being divided into four teams denoted by the colors green, red, blue and yellow, the contestants under the watchful eye of their team leaders Rose and Dennis Toscano, Joe Bergstein and Amy Gillingham, gathered to hear Gary Siegel usher in the games with the trumpeted tones of “The Star Bangled Banner.” Issuing forth from the sacred confines of the rink storage shed came Rotarian Bob Freedman bearing the Olympic torch, which was ceremoniously passed from hand to hand. All four teams then took to the Quadrathalon court to engage in a four-way pass-and-catch game invented three years ago by Simkin’s son Vinny, who is soon to enter seventh grade at Sullivan West. Players who dropped the ball were eliminated. The green team was victorious. Other events included the Brush ’Em Up Plaque Buster held at the George Silverman arena. Each team brushed the table clean of plaque made up of Karo’s syrup and shaving cream. The implements of said hygiene? Why, toothbrushes of course. Judge Silverman monitored time. The yellow team prevailed here.

On to the shoe kick, where each team took turns having one of their own kick off a shoe trying to achieve the hallmark of great distance or beaning Dr. Don. The green team got the greatest kick out of this event.

Team pyramids were evaluated by an esteemed panel including Sullivan County Family Court Justice Mark Meddaugh, his wife Robin, Livingston Manor Rotary President Tom Babich, Pete Hare and former Town of Rockland Supervisor Lee Siegel. Green came out on top here, but blue pulled away in the tug of war overseen by veteran rope-watcher John Checchia. Final results? Green had the most points but everyone won. Kids left with smiles on their faces, souvenir toothbrushes in hand and the garland of gladness bestowed on them by this noblest of athletic traditions.