Countdown To The Olympics

All Canadians are invited to apply for a torchbearer spot in the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay. The Province of British Columbia is running the contest and today Coca-Cola, RBC, the Government of Canada, and the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) announced the first three of 600 torchbearers to participate in the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay. They are adaptive runner Rick Ball, Anne Bethune, president of Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports (VASS) and Al Etmanski, president and co-founder of Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN).

Rick Ball

Marathon runner Rick Ball of Orillia, Ontario, was selected by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to participate in the Lighting Ceremony for the Paralympic Torch Relay. Ball lives and breathes the International Paralympic Committee motto of Spirit in Motion. He’s a driven athlete, a 44-year-old dedicated father and an inspiration to others.

First Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torchbearer, Rick Ball (Photo credit: Joseph
Marancca)

Ball took up running only three years ago as a single-leg amputee. His first goal was to complete a marathon, which he did in May 2008 in Mississauga. After only eight months of running Ball qualified for the Boston Marathon with a time of 3:17, three minutes shy of the qualifying time for an able-bodied runner in his age category. Today, Ball holds three world records for single-leg amputees — his next goal is to become a Paralympian at the London 2012 Paralympic Summer Games.

“It’s kind of neat because before, when I first started running, people would kind of look at me and say ‘oh look at that poor guy with the one leg’ or ‘look there, good for him, he’s running the race,’” laughs Ball. “Now it’s like ‘oh there’s that guy with the one leg, I have to try and beat him – that’s a guy to beat.’

”Every time I’ve had these goals like world records and qualifying for Boston, it seems like I’m never satisfied. When I finish one then I want something else — it’s almost like an addiction. But I also feel like I’m representing the disabled community. It’s not just me that’s running.”

Between running 70 to 90 kilometres per week, and a full-time job with the Toronto Transit Commission, Ball makes time to share his story at schools and organizations. His message: find something you’re passionate about, stick to it and never give up. He also reminds listeners to do something nice for someone else.

“I speak at these things because since I’ve started running so many good things have started happening to me,” says Ball. “It’s my way of giving back.”

Ball will be one of the athletes to help start the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay on March 3, 2010 at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Ontario.

Anne Bethune

Coca-Cola selected Anne Bethune, president of Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports (VASS) as its first torchbearer. VASS is a non-profit society offering skiing and snowboarding programs for persons with a disability on the local mountains in Vancouver, BC. Bethune has been involved with the Disabled Skiers Association for over 20 years. Read her full bio. >>>

Al Etmanski

RBC selected Al Etmanski to participate in the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay. Etmanski
is an author, advocate and social entrepreneur specializing in innovative solutions to social challenges. He is president and co-founder of Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN), assisting families across Canada and globally to address the financial and social well-being of a relative with a disability. Read his full bio. >>>

Beginning March 3, 2010

The Paralympic Flame — which has no ancestral home — will spring to life in a special Aboriginal-themed Lighting Ceremony with a uniquely Canadian flair on the lawn of Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Each of the 10 provinces and three territories will select a torchbearer to participate in the ceremony.

Apply to Become a Paralympic Torchbearer
Any Canadian over 13 years of age who is interested in becoming a Paralympic Torchbearer may apply though the Province of British Columbia at yougottabehere.ca.

Potential torchbearers will be asked to tell their story in 250 words or less, explaining why they want to be a torchbearer in the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay. They’ll also be asked to tell how they demonstrate the Paralympic values of courage, determination, inspiration and equality in their lives. What would being a torchbearer mean to you?

The Paralympic Torch Relay will light up the following Canadian cities and towns:

March 3 — Ottawa, ON.
March 4 — Quebec City, QC
March 5 — Toronto, ON.
March 6 — Esquimalt/Victoria, BC
March 7 — Squamish, BC
March 8 — Whistler, BC
March 9 — Lytton/Hope, BC
March 10 — Vancouver (Hillcrest)/Maple Ridge, BC
March 11 — Vancouver (UBC)/Vancouver (downtown)
March 12 — Vancouver (downtown)

CazBandit Vancouver 2010