News Gleaner Online - Sports/Sports keep Olney High girls together 50 years

70 year-old Senior Olympian, Janis Birks

Sports keep Olney High girls together 50 years

BY HELEN BLAKER
For the News Gleaner

With the arrival of spring, many folks are digging up their backyards to plant vegetables.

Not Fox Chase resident Janice Birks, head of Bruntrager Real Estate in the Northeast, which has been her career for 25 years, following in the footsteps of her father, Christian F. Bruntrager, 70 years ago.

Janice convinced her husband, Bill Birks, to dig her a long jump sand pit in their back 'garden' so she can practice her high jumps and long jumps in preparation for participating in the Pennsylvania Senior Olympics in Shippensburg July 11. This event is preliminary to vying for the National Senior Olympics to be held in Orlando, Fla. in 1999.

Sports are quite a priority in the Birks household. Bill is an ardent golfer and has won medals. Jan still play softball, volleyball, and participates in track events, such as high jumps, long jumps and 100 and 200 meter runs.

Jan's sorority, the Olney Comets, still exist after 50 years, having met since 1948 when they formed their sorority. Sports brought them together as Olney High SchoolÕs athletic program featured softball and volleyball activities for girls.

Besides Jan, there are six women left: Ann Kalanty, Joan Travers, Julie Quinter, Joan Goudy, Loretta Kelly, and most recent member, Clare Gilchrist.

Orlando will be their destination, provided their qualify in various sports at Shippensburg. These include volleyball, basketball, softball and track and field events. Ann is best at tennis, while Joan, June and Loretta excel in volleyball.

After the Easter holidays the girls and their husbands, seven women and their spouses, head for Las Vegas for five days for a totally different experience, by way of celebrating 50 years of friendship. They all tried their luck at gambling at somewhere besides Atlantic City.

"We travel everywhere together," noted Jan. "We have been to such places as Florida, Myrtle Beach, Branson, Mo., Tucson, and San Antonio, Texas. We have been pretty much around the U.S.A. together. Sports and general vacation camaraderie has brought us together and keep us deeply involved.

"Many years ago when our children were young, 14 in all, we mothers spend our summer vacations in Ocean City, N.J. sharing one house. We were at the beach at 8:30 every morning with out volleyball net set up. Of course, a feature we also took advantage of like everyone at the shore was the surf and sun plus boardwalk strolling. We were invited back each year by various landlords, since the children were all well behaved.

"We did much biking during the summers between Ocean City and Atlantic City quite often to keep in trim. The children told us they had difficulty keeping up with us at times and still do," she said.

Jan and Bill Birks have two sons who have totally different interests. Christian is studying geoastrophysics at La Salle University, and Billy is enrolled as a criminal justice major at West Chester.

Jan commented, "In 1995 I won a silver medal for long jump competition at Baton Rouge, La. Statewide, I have also collected many medals for softball, basketball, volleyball and track. I am proud of my trophy room with medals and pictures of my prowess."

Finally, she noted, "In 1999 I am really seriously pursuing the gold medal in long jump competition in the Nationals in Orlando. I have the full support of my family and sports companions and teammates. Meanwhile, I am still working in my real estate business, plus keeping trim for my sports schedule.

"My Mom, who is 94-years-old, Mary Bruntrager, is one of my biggest fans. She is looking forward to coming to Shippensburg to watch my competition.

"With the passing years, statewide medals are very hard to come by. And in National competition these medals are even more difficult to achieve. However, they are always in our dreams."

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