Sochi 2014 Celebrations!

Just a quick post to help get the word out about a few events happening around the Sochi Olympics:

The first two are for Blue Jackets-time to suit up & celebrate!

I hope you’re doing well and excited about the upcoming Olympics. I work for CBC Radio and am currently organizing a big opening ceremonies show for our morning program, “The Early Edition”, on Friday, February 7th. 

I’m writing to invite blue jacket volunteers to come down to our show. It will be held in and around our new CBC Canada House, which is our Olympics studio, between 6-9 a.m. at Georgia and Hamilton in downtown Vancouver. There will be free coffee and the ceremonies will be on our big screen outside the CBC studios.

If you’re interested in coming, we would love to have you out. If you could possibly pass this along to any other blue jacket volunteers, I would sincerely appreciate that as well. 

 Jeremy Allingham 

Producer,CBC Radio One 

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Winter Games Legacy Celebration for Blue Jacket Volunteers 

Sunday, 9 February 2014 from 12:30pm until 2:30pm 

Creekside Community Centre, 1 Athletes Way, Vancouver 

 Celebrate and commemorate the Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Winter Games at Creekside Centre in the former Olympic & Paralympic Athletes Village! This is an all ages event that will feature big screen play back of Vancouver 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Events, games and craft stations for children and much more! 

All former volunteers at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games can register to attend this free event and participate in a parade, pin trading, interactive games, and enjoy live entertainment. 

Registration is required for Blue Jacket Volunteers (ages 19+) and have your accreditation pass number ready when registering, and present on the day of the event. To register, please call the Creekside Community Recreation Centre at 604–257–3050 ext 2.

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BC Sports Hall Of Fame & Museum 

Red Mitten Weekend 

Feb. 8, 9 &10th 10 am-5pm 

Gate A, BC Place Stadium 

Website:http://www.bcsportshalloffame.com/ 

Hey kids, do you remember where your RED MITTENS are? Be sure to find them and wear them to the BC Sports Hall of Fame over Family Day Weekend for FREE admission! 

We've got lots of activities to choose from Family Day weekend February 8,9, & 10th including:

- the chance to slam some ping pongs against your opponent on the table used in the 2010 Athletes’ Village 

- a unique collection of figure skating paintings of Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Joannie Rochette, and Johnny Weir 

- breaking a sweat in our games room where you can rock-climb, run, and try your hockey shootout skills! 

- watching highlights of the 2010 Games on our big screen and MUCH MORE! 

Everyone welcome! Look forward to seeing you over the weekend!

This Just In!

The good people at the BC Sports Hall of Fame asked me to let all you Blue Jackets out there know that if you were unable to attend the reunion they hosted for us over the weekend, you can still take advantage of 50% off admission (with your Olympic and/or Paralympic accreditation ID) and sign the Blue Jacket Legacy wall until February 28th. They are open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Gate A at BC Place Stadium.

Honestly, if you weren't able to attend this past weekend, I strongly encourage you to make the effort to go see the beautiful exhibits they've created with artifacts from our Games, whether you're a Blue Jacket or not. It's inspiring and informative and they do an amazing job preserving and archiving the history of sport in our province.

2 Year Anniversary of the 2010 Games

Today marks 2 year since the 2010 Olympics kicked off. It's hard to believe that much time has passed-in many ways it seems like it was just yesterday. This time last year, my teammate, Sharon and I, along with some of the other members of our athletes' marshalls team were trooping around downtown at the 1 year anniversary celebrations. It was a cold and rainy day a year ago. I am so glad that was not the case today!

This morning, the BC Sports Hall of Fame welcomed the Blue Jackets to their brand new 2010 Gallery. It's beautiful-as bright and colourful as the games themselves were and chock full of fantastic artifacts.

It was fun to see the souvenirs they had as well and to see how many of them I collected as keepsakes for myself. These were the Coke bottles and flags from the Olympic Torch Relay. The relay went right past the end of my street at one point and they were handing out the flags and bottles of Coke to everyone who came out to watch. I have 2 different bottles sitting on my dresser and the flag is here in my studio.

The little figures were from McD's, another sponsor of the Games. I think I have the blue bobsleigh on the top left stashed somewhere. I have the packets of Excel gum saved as well-I sewed them into my 2010 ROD journal. (Which you can see here and here.)

The BC Sports Hall of Fame arranged to have a special wall set up for VANOC CEO John Furlong and the Blue Jackets to sign. I think it will become part of the gallery after this weekend.

 (I signed in red on the lower left.)

Mr. Furlong was kind enough to pose for a photo with me, after he presented his own Blue Jacket to the BC Sports Hall of Fame. Soon it will join all the other uniforms that they have on display.

They did a fabulous job of gathering a wide variety of items-everything from torches, to Games time uniforms, to uniforms from some of the athletes from other countries, to a huge collections of pins, to medals and so on. I took a ton of photos, but I really want to encourage you to visit if and when you can. It's really worth seeing up close and personal.

Here's a little video footage of the celebration:




THANK YOU
BC Sports Hall of Fame for hosting us!

While I was there, I met Nadine who worked for VANOC. She very kindly helped me get some photos of myself at the Sports Hall. I usually shoot self portraits, but it's nice to let someone else take the photos sometimes! I had fun hanging out with her and swapping our 2010 stories.

While we were talking, I was reminded that there is another anniversary this weekend. Two years ago, Gorgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili lost his life in a terrible accident on the track up at Whistler. It seems only right to mention it here and to take a moment to think of his family and to remember their loss. He was gone far too soon.

Olympic & Paralympic Anniversary Celebration

Just when you thought you'd seen the last of my 2010 Olympics posts....

January 11th marks the 2 year anniversary of the 2010 Games and there's going to be a celebration! Yes indeed! The BC Sports Hall of Fame is hosting the celebration at their new digs at BC Place with all kinds of fun activities.

Here's what's happening:

Admission:

If you are a Blue Jacket, you can get in for free with your accreditation ID.

 I think most of us who will be attending will also be wearing our Blue Jackets as well.

If you aren't a Blue Jacket, you can still get in for half price all weekend (this includes guests that come with any Blue Jacket) 

The first 25 kids wearing their 2010 Red Mittens get in for free.

If you follow the BC Sports Hall of Fame on Facebook, you can send them a note detailing why your family is a "Red Mitten Family" for the chance to win a family pass to the Red Mitten Weekend for February 11th or February 12th! Entries are due Wednesday February 8th!

Activities:

Saturday Only:

-Book signing with 2010 VANOC CEO John Furlong from 10 a.m.-12 noon.

-Photo Op with the 2010 Olympic medals.

All Weekend:

-Blue Jacket Reunion

-Tour the brand new 2010 Olympic & Paralympic Gallery

-Red Mitten Colouring Contests

-Go Canada Go! Scavenger Hunt

Sunday Only:

-The museum will be playing the Gold medal hockey game and Opening Ceremonies.

I will be there marking the occasion and it sounds like some of my Athletes' Marshall teammates will be coming too. In the last two weeks, while volunteering for the 2012 Olympic women's soccer qualifier, I've walked by the Sports Hall several times and from the outside, what I could see of the 2010 Games Gallery looked fantastic. I can't wait to see it up close and in person! It should be a very good time and I promise there will be pictures!