Legacy Award

About the Legacy Award

In 2025, the current MSG board of directors discussed how to celebrate the 40th year of the Maine Senior Games in 2026. We thought about a special 40^th Anniversary logo, new medals, and a new design for the front of the athlete and volunteer t-shirts that capture the 40 years. Up next was our tag line. We wanted a tag line that represented the Games and this is it: Maine Senior Games…40 Years of Strength, Spirit, and Sport.

Next, we decided that this would be a great time to honor the Founder of the Maine Senior Games and created The Legacy Award.

The Legacy Award recognizes an individual whose vision, dedication, and pioneering spirit laid the foundation for a movement that has inspired thousands of older adults to embrace healthy, active, and engaged lives through sport.

This award is presented to the founding force behind the Maine Senior Games, whose passion and perseverance brought the idea to life four decades ago. Her leadership sparked a statewide tradition that continues to grow, fostering community, competition, and camaraderie for athletes ages 50 and over.

Thank you Anita Chandler

In May of 2026, we honored a woman whose vision, dedication, and heart helped build the foundation of what the Maine Senior Games has become. Long before many people understood the value of lifelong competition, healthy aging, and connection through sport, Anita believed in it wholeheartedly. She saw the potential for older adults across Maine to stay active, find community, challenge themselves, and continue writing new chapters of achievement.

Anita will tell you that she didn’t do this alone and she had many volunteers helping her. But Anita, we recognize you for organizing those first Senior Games and for keeping the flame burning for many years. Your leadership sparked a statewide tradition that continues to grow, fostering community, competition, and camaraderie for athletes ages 50 and over. There are many changes that have taken place in 40 years since you started the games, but the one constant is that Maine adults continue to be active.

As (Jo Dill) stepped into this role, she knew she was following someone who had helped build something meaningful from the ground up. Carrying forward a legacy like that comes with both responsibility and challenge. She understood there would be big shoes to fill, important relationships to continue building, and a great deal of work to keep the Maine Senior Games growing and moving forward. What Anita helped create laid the foundation for so many athletes, volunteers, and supporters to find community, competition, and purpose through these Games, and for that, we are grateful.

Think about all the athletes and volunteers we have met over the years that have become part of the MSG  family. People who have become friends, people who we look forward to seeing as we lace up our sneakers, grab our gym bags, archery equipment, bowling balls and whatever else we need to compete. The volunteers who check you in, the road marshals, scorekeepers, those who measure your throw at track. These are the people we would most likely have not met had it not been for Anita starting the MSG 40 years ago.

This award is a lasting tribute to Anita, a remarkable individual whose contributions will forever be woven into the fabric of the Maine Senior Games.

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