MOULTRIE — In ancient Rome, a gladiator was a person trained to fight to the death for large crowds of people. In Moultrie, however, a Gladiator fights to maintain a healthy life in her later years.

The Shaw Senior Gladiators was formed in October 2000 by Coach Sam Stewart to provide a place for senior adults to come and fellowship and stay in shape. The group meets every morning Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at A.F. Shaw Gymnasium in Northwest Moultrie. They exercise with a variety of exercise equipment, such as stationary bikes or treadmills, or walking around the gym’s basketball court.

Vice President Jean Sailor said the group is for anyone 55 years of age and older, and it currently has 21 active members after starting with only seven. There is a $2 monthly fee to be a member, and that is used to provide a refreshment table each morning and send a small gift to members who are unable to take part because of illness.

It is under the direction of the Moultrie-Colquitt County Parks and Recreation Department, Sailor said. It was honored with the Georgia

Recreation and Parks Association’s District III Volunteer Award in 2005, one of three groups to be awarded that year.

In addition to the morning exercise, member Ossie Wilson said members are given the opportunity to socialize each day. They hold prayer breakfasts twice a week as well as special events three times each year.

The Gladiators do much more than just exercise in the mornings, as Wilson said the members are involved in a number of community activities. They provide for hospitalized veterans, mentor young people, visit nursing homes, provide toys and other activities for children who have lost parents, visit churches and donate items to victims of house fires.

“We are well known in the community from those in need of support,” Sailor said.

Assistant Treasurer Mary Wilson said the Gladiators volunteer at the Colquitt Food Bank to fill boxes for needy families at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They also donated Easter baskets for the Parks and Recreation’s Easter egg hunt, and they do a float to participate in the Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Christmas parades.

“We do a lot of things,” Ossie Wilson said.

Most of the Gladiators are women, but Sailor said men are more than welcome to become a part of the group.

“This group has really improved our lifestyle,” Sailor said. “We have a lot of fun.”

Mary Wilson said she gave a lot of credit to Stewart and his wife Barbara for seeing a need in the community and starting the Gladiators. If not for the group, its members would have little to do on a daily basis.

“If it was not for Coach Stewart,” Mary Wilson said, “we would be at home having a pity party.”

With the opportunity to socialize, Ossie Wilson said the Gladiators help people to meet a fundamental need. It also helps members stay active and have fun while meeting with old and new friends. “This is very important at our age,” Ossie Wilson said. “We need to get out and get all the exercise we can. It means a lot and we have a lot of fun.”

Mary Wilson said being a part of the group means a lot to her. She used to get tired during a normal work day prior to joining the group, but she has found renewed energy since becoming a Gladiator.

“This is the best thing that has happened to us,” Wilson said. “I hate to miss a day coming here.”