Final Day of the 2010 Olympic Games!!

HI Everyone! Just a super quick post to say I hope you all watch the Closing Ceremonies tonight! I will be marshalling the athletes again. (YAY!)

I hove tons of things to post about, but no time. I am just running out the door now. Back soon with more!

More 2010 Olympic Volunteer Swag!

The other day when I arrived at Workforce check-in, I was given this box.

It had the theme of the Games written under the flap.

This is what it said inside.

And it held this medallion. This is the front...

...and this is the back.

I was also given this pin from the IOC. (International Olympic Committee.)

Special Olympic chocolate! "Believe" is the theme of CTV (Canadian Television) which is the host network of the Games.

I also got this cool journal. This is the front cover...

...and the back.

Some pages have journalling prompts...

...some pages have Games graphics on them. Each spread is different. It's really quite nice.

The good stuff just keeps coming! I had a choice between an umbrella or a photo album yesterday. I chose the album.

It has a whole page of Olympic stickers inside and the pages for the photos are all in blues and greens.

Our final gift for volunteering for the Olympics is a special edition Swatch watch.

I got mine early because I won't have a bag with me at the ceremonies on Sunday. The face is huge and it glows in the dark.

We've sure been given some fun stuff. I imagine there will be swag for the Paralympics as well. I wonder what that will be?!? We'll just have to wait and see!

2010 Olympics Days 12, 13 & 14

Hello Peeps! I am back after a busy week! Day 11 is missing because I had Monday off. I am going to try and post twice today, as I have lots of pics to share. The one above is the Quatchi in the Waterfront Station, main hallway. I've been passing it for days and finally stopped long enough to snap a pic.


This is how our day starts off everyday. We gather in one area of the concourse and await our assignments. It's a brief time to play catch up with the people we've gotten to know over the last two weeks.

This is the east entrance. People are lining up to go through security and come in to see the victory ceremonies. I was out in the rain at the west entrance all night and it was pretty darn cold!

Here's a long view of the east entrance. After all the beautiful, warm weather, we got rain, rain, rain...and then it got nice again. Crazy west coast weather!

Russian Sochi House in the rain.

And the Athlete's Village.

This is The Plaza of Nations, a leftover from Expo '86. This is where most of us go for our food service.

And this is the food service area in the Stadium. It's smaller than Plaza of Nations, so only about 1/4 of the volunteers eat here each night.


Here is the Workforce check-in tent. This is where we go through security every day and then we proceed to the white tent behind to pick up our newsletters, get our gifts for working our shifts and pick up bottled water for the day. There's always a TV on in the tent so we can keep up to date with all the events of the day.

This is where I was stationed last night, just out in front of the stadium, at Terry Fox Square, which happens to be right across the street from the Alberta House. I was happy about that because while doing my job (which was answering questions and giving directions) I was able to watch the final moment of the Canadian Women's hockey game (GOLD MEDAL!!) and the later to see Joannie Rochette win a BRONZE MEDAL!!

I am *SO* happy for her. After the tragedy of losing her mother so unexpectedly last weekend, it took great courage and strength of character to get out onto the ice and give her best. I wanted so badly for her to win for herself. I am pleased that she was able to have that bittersweet moment. We are so very proud of her.

Here's a peek at the Olympic Family (meaning the IOC and Federations members) Lounge. It's quite nice and the First Nation's Art is really beautiful.

Here are the flags just outside the Olympic Family Lounge. It's kind of cool to see an Olympic flag up close.

So I am off on a much needed break today. Tomorrow I have the morning off, so I am going to have a haircut and then I have rehearsals for the Closing Ceremonies from 3-7 p.m. This is with my small team that marshalls the Athletes, so we'll be finding out what we need to do. It's hard to believe we're down to the wire here! It's gone by so quickly! I am excited for the big party that the Closing Ceremonies will be. I am also excited for the Opening of the Paralympic Games in 2 weeks. I will be at the ceremonies, with my small team again.

This morning got an offer for the Paralympic Games, volunteering at VANOC headquarters, helping with booking transport. It should be fun and a nice change of pace. I did dispatch for VIP transportation for the World Police & Fire Games, so hopefully it's much the same type of job. I guess I won't know till I get there, but that's okay! I'm up for the adventure!

Oh and I have a short video of a High School Band from Sardis, BC who were rehearsing right outside our Workforce tent on Wednesday. It was a great way to start out our day!

I'm sure you're wanting to know who won the Giveaway.

Congratulations to:

LISA CALL

Please email me your snail mail addy and I will get your prize out to you on Monday. I will be having another giveaway soon! Keep your eyes peeled!

Team 2010 Swag

I keep forgetting to tell you about one of the perks of being an Olympic Volunteer. We have this card on the back of our accreditation (ID) that tracks our shifts. Every time we check in for a shift that has Mukmuk (one of the Olympic mascots) marking the square, we get a gift.

You will also notice that I have one square where there's an "X" through the box. That was the day I won the free tickets to the Swiss vs. Norway Men's hockey game that I mentioned the other day. Yes, sometimes we also win random prizes!

The first gift was this pin with Miga and Quatchi.

Gift #2 was a stuffed Quatchi. (Or you could get a Miga, but I thought Quatchi was cuter.) Indy decided he liked this one and tried to claim it for his own, but I knew he'd just rip it to shreds, so I didn't let him have it. I suppose it will take up residence in the studio.

Gift #3 was a silver plated key chain from Birks. The front has both the Olympic and Paralympic emblems on it.

On the back it says "Team 2010" in both English and French. I am going to take it off the ring and put it on a chain and wear it as a pendant. I think using it as a key chain will wreck it and I'd get more use out of it if I wore it instead. It looks like a dog tag.

Yesterday I also went and picked up my Paralympic uniform conversion kit. The blue panel snaps onto the back of my jacket, covering the Olympic rings with the Paralympic agitos. The patch goes on the front after I take the Olympic logo off. (It's attached by velcro.) I also got my new accreditation. (Identification.) I'm all set!

The Paralympic Opening Ceremony takes place on March 12th. It takes 2 weeks to change over all the logos from the Olympics to the Paralympic logos. It's an entirely separate entity, so anything that has the Olympic rings on it is replaced with the agitos. It's a big job changing out all the signage.

While I was at the accreditation center, I discovered that they've produced a CD with all the music from the opening ceremonies. While "We Are More" is on there, the only songs not included are k.d. lang's Halleluia, which she released independently (I already got it through iTunes, though.) and "Un Peu Plus Haut" by Garou. The CD was $20 CDN and I *think* you can purchase it locally at any official merchandising stand and perhaps at the Bay as well. Online, those of you in the US can find it here.

It's amazing to think that there are only 6 days left and then the Games will be over! The time has flown by so quickly. It was really nice to have the day off yesterday so I could see Canada win GOLD in Ice Dance! That's been a long time coming and such a huge accomplishment.

Don't forget to leave a comment on my giveaway post. There's still time, as I won't be drawing it till Friday.

2010 Olympics, Day 10 & A Giveaway!

I thought I would give you a glimpse of the crowds in the downtown core these days. The weekend was insane with the hockey starting. This was taken in Yaletown yesterday, as I made my way from the train station, to the Stadium.

Everywhere you look, you see our flag. It's literally a sea of red and white, no matter where you go. One house in our neighbourhood has taken their Xmas lights and spelled out "Vancouver 2010" with them on the side of their house and then there's a huge flag hanging in their living room window. Everyone is wearing their heart on their sleeve...

...Or their flag on their back. Some, like this guy have just strung their flag around their neck, but last night, when I was working the security check point, I noticed that someone is now making Canadian flag ponchos. It's the flag material, but just shaped into a poncho, for easier wearing. It sure doesn't take long for people to figure out a way to make a buck!

And then there are those who are wearing all manner of crazy costumes. It's become an odd sort of dress up party. Lots of people are wearing Canadian themes temporary tattoos on their cheeks and hands and arms and then there are those who are painting their faces. Apparently, if you want to show your Olympic spirit, anything goes!



I took these photos on the seawall around False Creek where I was sitting with a friend and follow volunteer, enjoying my lunch in the beautiful sunshine and people watching. I think it was about 15C here yesterday. Gorgeous!



I forgot to mention that on Friday, I randomly won a pair of tickets to the Swiss vs. Norway hockey game on Saturday. Of course I was working so my guys got to enjoy those tickets. They were seated in a suite and had the time of their lives! (Good to know my hard work is paying off.) I told them they owe me a very nice dinner out. I think they said something about the Keg! YAY!



Last night's feature Province was Nunavut and the concert was put on by Loverboy & Trooper. I saw Trooper last summer at the World Police & Fire Games and they were great. As I mentioned, I was outside working at the security checkpoint, so I don't have any pics of the festivities for you. Today, day 11, I am off, so you'll have to check back for a report on day 12! In the meantime...


...I promised a giveaway and here is the first one: I have two first day covers of Olympic themed postage. I saw these in our post office and thought they were really cool, so I bought myself some and picked up some extras to share with a lucky reader!

The first one features Whistler/Vancouver. The entire oval shape is the stamp pane and it has the 2010 cancellations on them. On the back side of the envelope is an explanation of the stamps.

The second one features the Olympic and Paralympic emblems and the blue and green artwork and colours of the 2010 Games. Again, the back of the envelope explains the stamps.

Both first day covers will go to ONE lucky winner.

So here's the scoop:

ONE entry per person.

To enter the draw, leave me a comment telling me where you are from and what your favourite 2010 Olympic moment has been so far.

I will be drawing a name and announcing the winner on Friday, Feb. 26th. Please be sure that I have some way of emailing you if you win so I can get your snail mail addy and send them off to you!

Good Luck!

Sad News

Sending love & support out to Canadian Figure skater Joannie Rochette

after the sudden loss of her mother last night.

Our hearts are with you.

2010 Olympics, Day 9

Last night found me working on the floor level of the stadium. I was just outside what I refer to as "the mosh pit". It's not a true "mosh pit"-there's no "moshing" allowed, but it's an area that spectators who are awarded special tickets, either by winning them up at Whistler as part of a sponsor promotion or being given them, at random because of their costumes and lively spirit once they arrive at the stadium. It allows them into the floor area directly in front of the stage for the concert and the chance to be seen on TV, during crowd shots. It's really popular-everyone wants to see the show from that vantage point!

I got to stand directly under the Olympic flag and just for my own amusement, I made sure I touched the pole. It's not like I'll have that chance twice in a lifetime!



While I was waiting for the festivities to start, this young couple came up to ask me a question and we got talking. The young woman works for VANOC and she asked me about my volunteer experience, so I was telling them about being given the honour of helping to queue up the athletes for the Opening Ceremonies and then seating and sitting with them and all the famous people I'd had the chance to see (and in some cases talk to!) in person.




I went on to explain that I'd had to work very had to be healthy enough to be able to participate in the Olympics, having gone through chemo all of spring and summer last year and then a steroid infusion two weeks before my volunteering began. The young woman started to cry and her boyfriend explained that she had just been through chemo too. (She had cancer, I have MS.) She's far younger than I am (20 something) and my heart went out to her. I know how difficult it is to go through chemo-it's hellish. In a few minutes though, I had her laughing again and found out they were huge Stereophonics fans. (That's the band that played last night.)




I asked them where they were sitting and it turned out there were just above the area I was working. When my supervisor came around, I asked him for a pair of those special "mosh pit" tickets to give them. He was so great and said he'd man my post while I went up and gave them the tickets and the good news. They were thrilled!




After the concert was over, they found me again to thank me for getting them the tickets. They had a wonderful time. That made me really happy and I gave them my blog addy, so they may even be reading this today! *Waves to new friends*




Another nice thing that happened yesterday after the concert was that a spectator came right up to me and said "After this is over and you've rested up, would you please go online and register to volunteer for the 2012 London Olympics? I've been watching you and you are doing a fabulous job. We need you!" How nice was that?!? They aren't kidding when they say the whole world is watching. I've always been of the school that anything you do for anyone makes a difference. It really is true! As much as I would love that, I don't think London 2014 is in my future-my pockets aren't that deep.

Commuting in and out of the city yesterday was a bit of a nightmare. (I am classically understating it, as always.) Going in, I got to Waterfront station only to find that in order to connect to the Canada Line to get to my security check point, I had to line up OUTSIDE the building. That's never happened before. I knew if I did that, I would be late, so I hopped back on the Expo line and backtracked to Stadium. From there I somehow missed the East checkpoint (The crowds were huge and I guess I got swept right past where I should have turned) and ended up hiking all the way to the West one. *sigh*

The photo above was from my commute home. It doesn't even do justice to the sardine-like conditions of the West Coast Express. My claustrophobia was starting to kick in while we waited for the train to leave the station so I just started cracking jokes and making everyone laugh so we would all make it home in good spirits. Let me just say that it's not fun to be on your feet for 10 hours straight and then have to ride standing up in a hot, packed train for 1/2 hour. I think the transit system has reached it's critical mass. I am kind of dreading today's commute. I've never seen it as bad as it was yesterday and today there are THREE hockey games next door to my venue, the biggest of which is the Canada vs. USA game. It's going to be nuts down there today!

I think Volunteering is becoming the newest Olympic event and it's a marathon, not a sprint! Seriously, I've dropped about 6 lbs. since I started, between the stairs and the food. It's an adventure, to be sure!

2010 Olympics, Days 8

Ah, so Day 8! So I have a bit of everything today.

This is the food services area in the Stadium, where we eat. The other food service area is across the street, as there are so many volunteers at this venue (1300+) so they split it between the two locations so we all fit. Sadly though, the food is nothing to write home about. Not a green vegetable in sight. I'm subsisting on dinner rolls and bananas. (And no, I am not kidding!)

I found it amusing that someone hung Canadian flags off the tv for good luck! These are some of our Police forces from all over Canada, taking a break. They've worked very long days.

VANOC made a commitment to make our games the greenest one yet, so throwing out garbage has become it's own Olympic event. It's like an IQ test to see if you can correctly dispose of your garbage. For example, the utensils (knives, forks, spoons) are actually compostable! Usually they are simply recyclable, being melted down to make something else, but in this case, they've used a material that breaks down and can go back into the earth! I've been there for 9 shifts now and I still have to concentrate when I do it. *laughs*

When you're walking the private areas of the concourse, you see sights like this. (RCMP officers in the dress uniforms. The ones in Red Serge had gone by just minutes before.)

Every night as the Victory Ceremonies start, the RCMP walks in with the Olympic flag and it's raised as the Olympic anthem is played.

The flag fluttering.

One of the medals ceremonies. I believe that's Lindsey Vonn on the right. (Yes?)

Prince Albert of Monaco (Grace Kelly's son) presented the medals for the Men's Super G. Prince Albert is a past Olympian, having competed in the bobsled in the 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998 & 2002 Olympics.

Winners of the Men's Super G.

Friday night was North West Territories night and the concert was Theory of a Deadman. While I saw the medals and the NWT presentation, I didn't see the concert. I was busy up on the concourse, answering questions and directing spectators.

Next up, Day #9!