August 8, 1990

From article, “Winning the gold,” by Karin Jenkins: There’s nothing like winning a gold medal to keep you feeling young.

Trinidad residents Ira and Juanita Samuels are in a position to know. This summer they both brought home their fist gold medals from the California Senior Games for their respective sports of running and swimming.

The gold was a thrill. Ira, particularly, has won a lot of medals, but he had been looking for that elusive top spot in the annual Senior Olympics for several years. He had earned the silver several times.

“It got to be kind of a touchy point. I was alwas second down there, and then this year ...” The Gold. Ira keeps breaking into smiles, but he tries to control it.

This year the Senior Olympics were postponed until next fall but the Samuels entered the Senior Games instead and Ira finally got that gold, for a 1,500-meter run. ...

Juanita got a bronze in the 50-yeard backstroke, but then she buckled down in the 100-yard freestyle and whipped ahead of her nearest competition to take the gold with a 17-second lead.

Medals are not new to either of them. Ira keeps a stash of a dozen or so hanging from a hat-rack next to the front door. Sometimes he feels like wearing one or two of them out, although he worries about showing off too much. “Gilding the lily,” Juanita calls it. ...

In memory of Karin Jenkins, who memorably recounted some of our local history.