The fever's on fire

By Jim Barr, SnowSeekers

These last few days have really taught me a lot about the human spirit. Travelling on the road with Olympic flame has educated me on the fact that so many of us really do care about each other, we really do want to help each other out and make a positive difference in the lives of others.   It's the 12,000 torch bearers who emulate this to a tee and after continued discussions with them these past few days, it's easy to see just why they were chosen for their historic roles.

There was a lot of history in the crowd last night in Calgary as this city welcomed back the Olympic torch for the first time since 1988. Many were sporting the vintage '88 Sun Ice Olympic jackets - many very proud Albertan's. Folks like Don Goodrow, who remembers his time as an Olympic torch escort runner like it was yesterday.   "My responsibilities were to travel along side the torch as it made its way across the country. I helped if anyone wanted pictures with the torch and or allow people to run along side of it. Those were still the most emotional days of my life."

When I asked him about what it was like seeing that torch again tonight some 22 years later, just what that meant for him, and with tears in his eyes, Goodrow said, "When the torch bearer spoke of emotion it was such a true statement, it brought it all back. Those incredible moments that we shared with the entire world."

Make sure to catch the Travel Alberta Olympic Torch Relay videos on YouTube.

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The influence of the Gibber By Will Colford, SnowSeekers

Dr. Garry Gibson – lead torch bearer for Camrose, and affectionately known as the Gibber – told the crowd carrying the torch was “a major highlight of [his] life, made all the more wonderful by sharing it with [his] community.”

It appeared as if the whole town was closed that day to come out and celebrate its leg of the torch relay. Most excited were the school kids, who not only got to “miss math class” for the event, but they shared a connection to Dr. Gibson through their teacher, Miss Olsen. 

Garry “taught me in high school,” remembers Olsen. “He taught Phys Ed. and coached me in both volley ball and basket ball. It was before he stared the biathlon program. Before the program, only the army was concerned with biathlon.” 

Having not one, but two former biathlete Olympians – David Leony and Glenn Rubertus  – Dr. Garry’s influence on the community is as strong as ever. I had a chance to ask Glenn and David about the Nordic tradition in Camrose. 

“Camrose owes its Nordic skiing tradition to its Scandinavian heritage. Many Swedes and Norwegians settled here and brought with them cross country skiing. Now we have a prominent ski jumping, cross country, and biathlon program,” says David.  As such, representing their country in the sport of their home town makes both Glenn and David feel as though they “carry the town with [them] wherever [they] go.”