Here are the Greater New Orleans Senior Olympics STARS For 2010

GNOSO offers a heartfelt "Thank You" to two of our Finest:

Each person must reach an individual decision on when it is time to stop leading the pack and step back into the ranks of participants and interested observers. And so it is that GNOSO is forced to accept the "stepdown" by two Senior Olympians who can best be described as the "cream of the crop." Please join us in this,

Mel & Shirley Coulon

MEL ANDS HIRLEY COULON

Mel and Shirley Coulon participated with GNOSO, Greater New Orleans Senior Olympics since 1994. They coordinated Table Tennis for GNO for more than 10 years and almost as long for LSOG, Louisiana State Olympic Games.

 

The time has come that the Coulon’s say farewell to Coordinating. Although they are hanging up the clip board they are not getting out altogether. Mel and Shirley want to try being just a participant for a change. A salute to Melvin and Shirley Coulon for all the years they have volunteered to GNOSO and at many games and districts to include LSOG, Harahan, Bayou River, and South East District.

 

Mel and Shirley volunteered their services and knowledge whenever asked and have driven as far as Mississippi and Arkansas to do so. They are a delightful couple and have won over 500 Senior Olympic metals and have collected several hundred Senior Olympic shirts. 

 

Mel has participated in Nationals every year since 1995 and Shirley since 1997. After many years of winning ribbons and metals this year was the first they both won a gold in the same year.  But this is not the only thing they have accomplished together. In 2002 Melvin and Shirley was the first husband and wife to be inducted in the Louisiana Hall of Fame in the same year. In separate years but have also both been GNO Senior Olympian’s of the year: Melvin in 1999 and Shirley in 2001.

 

Tidbits on Melvin: Mel was an Eagle Scout as a young teenager and at 17 served in the Navy in WWII. He is a graduate of LSU with a BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1951. He was a water safety instructor, stunt diver and lifted weights. His accomplishments go on.

 

Tidbits on Shirley: Shirley played basketball and softball in her early years. Shirley not only received the GNO Senior Olympian of the year in 2001, she also won Senior Olympian of the year for the State of Louisiana in 2001. Shirley qualified for Nationals in San Francisco in 2009 and placed in all five events that she participated in to include a gold medal, bronze metal, and three ribbons.  

 

THANKS FOR THE MANY YEARS!!!

For additional information Contact:
PROGRAM DIRECTOR - DAWN CAPLE - Telephone (504) 559-9060; dcaple.gnoso@cox.net