Postcards from the Northern Tour: Yellowknife

Jan 12, 2007

Touchdown in Yellowknife. It was a short stay in the Northwest Territories, but the VANOC team members made good use of their time, connecting with many local business, sport and youth audiences.

John Furlong gave a talk over breakfast at the Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce. Many Yellowknifers were keen to hear how they can give their input to VANOC organizers to get involved in Canada’s Games.

Yellowknife residents are working hard to stage successful games of their own: they are hosting the Arctic Games in 2008 – an event that combines friendly competition and the sharing of cultural values involving participants from circumpolar regions around the world. John emphasized how the Arctic Games, like the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, are a celebration of winter, with similar goals and values:

• To stage excellent athletic competitions and cultural celebrations
• To enhance our communities.
• To welcome athletes, volunteers, coaches, dignitaries and media from around Canada and the world.
• To demonstrate the values of fair play, respect and teamwork.

Meanwhile, VANOC’s Donna Wilson and Lara Mussell-Savage paid a visit to Sir John Franklin High School. Schoolmates from St. Patrick’s were also in attendance as Donna and Lara spoke to about 50 grade 10, 11 and 12 students. It was a great success. All of the students were athletes and enthusiastically held an Olympic Games torch. The students were particularly fired up over Lara’s motivational story about her sport dreams and to represent Canada in competition.

The team boarded the plane to Kulgluktuk Thursday morning right after these two events. It was a brief visit, but the team was very pleased with the relationships they started in Yellowknife, and excited to see what Kugluktuk, Nunavut has to offer.

Stay tuned for the last update for the Northern Canada Tour.