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MacDonald, Kimmie enjoying Olympic spirit

Sharon MacDonald and Vickie Kimmie are volunteers during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and are sending notes from the Games.
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Vickie Kimmie of Quesnel had a thrill of a lifetime watching Maëlle Ricker win the Olympic gold medal in women’s snowboard cross.

Sharon MacDonald and Vickie Kimmie are volunteers during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and are sending notes from the Games.

Sharon

Getting ready to leave for transit. My shift starts at 1:30 p.m.

I received a text message from the Village transit manager asking if I was still here, so I left a message for him to request me to work in the village today. Hopefully I will get in there and have some moments to share.

Woke up last night with two thoughts jangling in my head: 1 - Patrick Chan, and 2 - Diane McLoclin

1. Patrick Chan skated the short program tonight and was disappointed in his performance. He is only 19 years old with so much pressure on his shoulders

I saw him when he first came through the Welcome Center gates into the athletes village.

He was smiling that huge smile of his and talking and laughing with all of us in the loading center.

He was probably no further than 6 – 8 feet from me and was walking with an older man and woman. They did not want a ride to their residence even though we eagerly offered.

I had been transporting Chinese and Korean athletes that day.

After this smiling and friendly person that I thought was an Asian athlete left, waving and calling out good byes to everyone, one of the loading attendants said this was her highlight to have seen Patrick Chan.

I asked who that was and what sport he was in.

She was flabberglasted that I did not know of Chan from Ottawa and one of Canada’s medal hopefuls in men’s figure skating.

So I guess he was not an Asian athlete.

My bad.

2. The other thought bouncing through my brain at this hour was “hospitality.”

We northerners think we are the most hospitable, but I have been enlightened.

I can’t believe Diane (Observer publisher Darlene Osborne’s sister).

She did not know me and came to my rescue when I needed accommodations for the Olympics, no questions asked.

She opened her home and made my stay very enjoyable.

She even printed the train and bus schedules for me and directed me to the nearest running routes. Truly a good person.

The other drivers at my depot are very friendly and helpful.

Everywhere you go people for the most part are friendly, smiling and truly seem to be able to enjoy this experience with the attitude that it is here, we may as well enjoy it.

Heard that a contingency from Quesnel city council is on its way here for a Cariboo Street on Robson.

Hope to hear more about the location and their VIP night so that we “smurfs” from Quesnel can join in the celebrations.