A flawless community event
| Letters |
When my husband and I arrived at the Stampede Grounds, shortly before 6:00pm last night, the parking lot was 70% full. The first thing I noticed was what a great job the parking volunteers were doing at the entrance. Vehicles were not stopped on Mackenzie for very long at all, and pedestrians were very obviously a top priority. The parking volunteers patiently answered questions from passersby, without letting their guard down for a moment. The flow of traffic was carefully guided up the road and into the parking area---again, protecting pedestrians. Everyone and everything was clearly marked, and it was a stress-free experience. Heartfelt kudos to the parking volunteers! The only one I was able to pick out of the sea of parking volunteers was Bob Sumner of Laketown Furnishings.
The police presence at the entrance to the grandstands and the hallways was, as always, reassuring. Their presence always seems to inspire a certain easy feeling of confidence at big events.
The Sea Cadets were handing out paper Canadian Flags at a furious pace, and Coca Cola volunteers seemed to make sure that everyone was offered bottle-shaped cans of Coke Zero.
(Photo: Shelly Burich, Manager of Communications for the Cariboo Regional District.)
Media volunteers Shelly Burich and Danielle Johnson from the Cariboo Regional District, had their hands full monitoring the protected media enclosure, as it seemed to be a popular pathway to other areas. They cheerfully helped VANOC Security direct people in the right directions. Great job, ladies. The media's view was well protected at all times, and I for one, can tell you that it was very much appreciated.
Deb Radolla glowed as bright as the flame she carried, as she made her way through the enormous crowd and down the final pathway to the stage. She was well spoken and inspiring on stage and represented Williams Lake incredibly well.
There aren't enough good things that can be said about Kim Elmsley-Leik and her part in making this event happen. She worked tirelessly to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’ and did so with a comfortable, confident air that belies someone with wisdom and experience beyond her years. She was on hand last night, answering questions and representing the community very well with the folks from VANOC and the traveling media.
The show itself was nothing short of spectacular. The entertainers seemed to give it everything they had, and the onlookers showed their appreciation at every opportunity. The fireworks show was impressive. The entire event seemed to go flawlessly. Congratulations to each and every volunteer: you made that happen.
The number of Williams Lake residents who came out to show their pride in our community seemed to be far more than was expected. At our media briefing with the VANOC representative earlier in the week, we were told that the spectators would be encouraged to gather in front of the stage, that the stampede grand stands would likely not be used. That was certainly not the case: anyone who was there knows that if you hadn't arrived early, there was slim picking in the grandstands. It is always awesome to me to see residents show up in such great numbers when their community asks. Congratulations, Williams Lake.
Cailin Cousins
Publisher, Got News Network
Williams Lake, BC
