Guest Blog – a brilliant piece on the Olympics from a volunteer's perspective
Debbie Berto is a tireless optimist who is retired from a highly successful business and very fortunately for me – a good friend. She has been ‘reporting’ back to friends and family on her progress as a full time volunteer of the Olympics and I thought this excellent edition should have some bandwidth. Debbie and I would love comments. With glowing hearts………..
The last couple of days have been slow in the VCC (Vancouver Communications Centre) on the mountain. Friday had no competition events. It was one of the days they build into the schedule in case there have been postponements. We haven’t had any of those so it was just a training day. Hate to say it but our job is much easier when there are none of those pesky spectators on the hill! Saturday was the qualifying events for the women’s aerials but the spectators had arrived before I came on shift and I was just on duty to see them out. Today was the men’s ski cross which is a great spectator event. I was 1 hour early for my shift so hiked up the 216 steps and slipped into the media area to watch. Gorgeous sunny day and much excitement as we were in a bronze medal position until our racer wiped out on the last jump. C’est la vie.
Time for a little reflection. Tune out at this point if this stuff makes you uncomfortable.
As I finish 6 days in a row on the mountain and 10 of my scheduled 13 shifts, it’s beginning to sink in that this ‘once in a lifetime experience’ is nearly over. This baby has been 6 1/2 years in gestation. That’s too long to really comprehend. She has not had tranquil music and peaceful voices speaking gently to her. The rancor of dissension, the pull of budgets, the unexpected recession, the Olympic Resistance Movement, the optimism of supporters being drowned out by the nay sayers have all made this pregnancy a very difficult one. But through it all, those of us who believed in the spirit of the Games and belief that pursuing excellence (in sport or otherwise) was a worthwhile ideal, pushed on. I’m not talking about me here. I’m talking about those at the top, particularly John Furlong, who pressed on in the face of incredible opposition and continually inspired this troops, both employees and volunteers to keep the vision and make it happen. You can’t keep going on adrenalin for years or even months. It’s a ‘fight or flight’ hormone yet the core group has had to remain on high alert for the last year. Skepticism about the Torch Relay was blown away as Canadians embraced the Olympic Spirit as the flame moved from sea to sea to sea. 90% of Canadians were within a one hour’s drive of the torch should they have chosen to be touched by this symbol, and hundreds of thousands did. For the second largest country in the world, with a minuscule population for its size, that’s remarkable.
The baby was born on February 12th under the shadow of the death of a 21 year old Georgian slider. No one comes to the Olympics to die. The factors contributing to his death will be discussed in coming months but it was important to recognize what had happened and honour him in the Opening Ceremony. The outpouring of emotion from the crowd to the black arm banded Georgian team was full of love and warmth. K.D. Lang’s rendition of Hallelujah was a gut wrenching hymn to the young Georgian and I think, for many, the highlight of the ceremony. As she sang, the Olympic and Canadian flags were lowered to half staff in his honour. And so the babe came to Vancouver.
Such a wave of joy and excitement has never hit this city before. Expo was wonderful but it lasted 6 months. There’s an urgency about this baby that wants to flex its wings as a fledgling and show the world it can fly. I read the reports from newspapers around the world each day. The Guardian seems bent on slamming us but they did that to Calgary and Salt Lake too so I think they are just bitter bunch. One commentator said they need to get over the fact that the Empire is gone and they might need some good press as they are on in 2012. The N.Y. Times said we were Manhattan with mountains which sounded pretty good to me.
After next Sunday the kid will have grown up and be on its own. The support team of VANOC, sponsors, suppliers, volunteers etc. will be gone. My hope is that the civility, optimism, fun and just plain joy we have experienced will leave this city changed forever and a more mature Vancouver will continue to make her mark beyond 2010.
The ‘no fun’ city is having a ball. Everyone who wants to enjoy the optimism of these Games can do so for free. The party on Robson street looks like New Years Eve at midnight except it goes from 4:00 p.m. to 3 a.m. EVERY night. I’m not sure who is working here but a heck of a lot of locals and visitors are having a blast. As I drove home up Capilano road at 9:30 I passed two busses loaded with folks heading downtown for another night of fun.
I can’t close a ‘reflection’ without a personal note. I’ve been involved in a volunteer role since August of 2008. Many folks were on board long before that and many put in hundreds of hours en route to today. The blue coated ‘smurfs’ have received universal praise from locals, visitors and even the often negative external media. We wouldn’t have had a job to do without the dedicated, employees of VANOC. But there would be no Games without the folks who load the buses in the rain, help the lost visitor find their venue or bus route, smilingly take a picture of a family in front of the torch, wait at the back of the line for the last spectator to get a bus home because they are more important than the volunteers. We’ve done a grand job guys and it wouldn’t have happened without out us!!!
Go Canada Go!
Thanks for sharing about the experience–so much goes on behind the scenes.