Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class Tom Vogan is adding “veteran athlete” to his resume — an already eventful life history which includes being a draftee, teacher, Stage 4 cancer survivor and professional Santa Claus.
Vogan, who lives in American Fork, Utah, is one of nearly 1,000 United States veterans that will gather in Salt Lake City this weekend and coming week to take part in the 38th annual National Veterans Golden Age Games.
The games were founded in 1985 and feature “sports competitions and health education sessions to demonstrate the value that sports, wellness, and fitness provide to assist veterans with living an active and healthy lifestyle” for veterans 55 years old or older, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Roughly 925 veterans from more than 40 states, including about 60 Utahns representing the VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, will compete in the games’ wide range of competitions, including cornhole, badminton, shooting and cycling.
Read more about Tom Vogan and the Veterans Golden Age Games.