Shelia McKnight

Shelia began competing in 2001 and took two Gold, two Silver, and a Bronze her first year at State Games. This year, 2003 at Nationals Shelia brought home a Silver for Shuffleboard Singles. Her other sports are Frisbee, Track and Field, and Talent.

For six years she has been the Chaves County Local Senior Olympic Coordinator. She has spent that time and much of her own time improving the program and fund raising. Shelia organizes her Seniors and volunteers in massive rummage sales, dinners and dances, ticket sales for the Southeastern New Mexico State Fair at the gate, sold candy, delivered phone books, held silent auctions, raffles and actively canvassing the businesses of Roswell and Chaves County in supporting the Chaves County Senior Olympics. These funds provide support for local games, local athletes and scholarships for State and National Games as well as transportation. These funds are what make the Senior Olympics a reality for many athletes.

Shelia is not only an athlete and Coordinator, she is an active volunteer in her community. Every Fourth of July for the past four years she and her family and small army of volunteers provide transportation and a wonderful meal for the Veterans of Roswell and Chavez County—at no charge. They feed up to 500 veterans and their families prior to the fire works and July 4th festivities. She also organizes Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners for Seniors who don’t have families in the Roswell area. Shelia has been recognized by the Roswell Daily Record in a special “Profile” of outstanding people in the area and by the City of Roswell, who dedicated February 14th as “Shelia McKnight Day” in honor of her service to the community. She is most grateful and proud of her four grown children. “If it wasn’t for my kids, a lot of these things, I couldn’t do by myself. They put in endless volunteer hours for me.”

David Hsi

David emigrated to the US to attend graduate school to study business. David received his doctorate from the University of Minnesota in the study of Agronomy. There he met Kathy Shen Wen Chiang who was attending Graduate school in Music and Mathematics. Kathy had lived near him when they were children in Shanghai. They married and raised their family in Clovis, NM. David retired in from his position with New Mexico State University in 1992, after 40 years. Kathy and David now live in Albuquerque near their children and grandchildren.

David is a multi gold medalist in Badminton. One of his favorite photos is of himself in his National Senior uniform with three gold medals around his neck. This was featured in the “Personalities” section of the Albuquerque Journal, April 5, 2002. He has played since he was a boy and is responsible for recruiting several into the Senior Olympics.

David is also known for his boundless energy, sincerity, gentle demeanor and as an all round really nice guy. He says that in America volunteerism is uniquely American. There is nothing like it any where else in the world, and it “has rubbed off ” on him. David is or has been active and committed to many causes. He is past president of the New Mexico Academy of Science and the National Association of Academies of Science, he is a founding member and president of the New Mexico Chinese Association, president of the Albuquerque Sister Cities Foundation, co-chair of New Advocate for Children and Families and has served as a member of the APS School Board. He is also currently president of the Friendship Force of New Mexico, a Hixon Fellow and Legion of Honor member of the Kiwanis Club, a board member of the Explora Science Center and Children’s Museum, trustee of the All Faiths Receiving Home, a trustee of Sandia Preparatory School, and he prepares Sunday School lessons and coordinates Bible studies while being a deacon at the First Presbyterian Church. He has been honored by the City of Albuquerque who have hung his picture in the Albuquerque Convention Center’s “Senior Hall of Fame” for his outstanding service to the community.