As a former Houston Oilers and Washington Redskins football player, Johnny Meads is used to playing in front of a crowd.
But the Navarre man broke into a sweat Monday morning, as he tried to help residents of a local nursing home sink a shot in a plastic basketball hoop. “A little softer,” he coached. “A little harder.” When the third shot wobbled slowly around the rim, Meads gave it a slight nudge. “We’ll get that in there,” he said, smiling. Meads was the celebrity guest star Monday morning at Parthenon Healthcare of Fort Walton Beach during their annual Senior Olympics. Now a scout for the Tennessee Titans, the Navarre man’s usual celebrity gig is charity golf tournaments. “This is way different,” he said, concentrating on the next resident, who was struggling to get a good grip on the ball and raise her arms high enough to throw it.
The Good Samaritan Outreach Ministry, out of Niceville, puts on the event for seniors at area nursing homes. Its purpose is to let seniors know they are not forgotten.