Longtime Sea to Sky resident Lynn Ledgerwood is among the first to be appointed a B.C. volunteer for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
The Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC) and recruitment provider Workopolis named Ledgerwood and 13 other volunteers Wednesday (May 20) to represent their home province or territory.
The 13 are part of the first 200 volunteers offered Games-time roles with Vancouver 2010 out of almost 64,000 applications received so far through both organizations.
Ledgerwood said she was surprised to be singled out.
"I was surprised because I am not a specialist in the Sea to Sky Corridor. So many people here have trained and spent hours in the cold for venues such as the sliding centre and alpine," Ledgerwood said. "I thought they would deal with those applications first and worry about us ordinary souls later."
Ledgerwood, 72, is far from ordinary. She is a lifetime volunteer. Whether it's at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park or at the 2010 Winter Games, Ledgerwood simply loves to volunteer.
"It always been about the people and the best friends I have made through volunteering. It's way more fun to be in the middle of things than stand on the side and watch," she said.
Ledgerwood, who has lived in Squamish for 11 years and in Whistler for 10 years before that, will be part of a venue workforce crew - supporting workers and creating a "welcoming and comfortable workspace."
"I am a shortish lady whose getting older and I don't look very athletic. In fact, I am a pretty sedentary person. But when they called for pre-Games volunteers to assist with interviewing and hosting, I thought, 'Well that is something I could do,'" Ledgerwood said.
So Ledgerwood created her first resume ever to apply for a 2010 volunteer position. She has since been trained to volunteer at the test events in the Callaghan Valley last winter.
Volunteers come from all walks of life and all adult age groups, and Ledgerwood said she is the perfect example that proves anyone can get involved in 2010.
"I found out there was plenty of room for people like me to volunteer. I am not very mobile but I can do the computer thing and free up some young people to head outside."
Ledgerwood said she will continue to volunteer after 2010 because it is part of life long learning.
"Through volunteering I have learned skills that I use every day. It's so fun to be in a community that offers so many opportunities to get involved. There is always something you can do to make a contribution," she said.
The 13 volunteers are: Chris Brodeur of Calgary, AB; Lynn Ledgerwood of Squamish, BC; Scott Grant of Winnipeg, MB; Joanne Sonier of Memramcook, NB; Wayne Connors of St. John's, NL; Eric Bond, of Halifax, NS, Tracy Cross Gauthier of Hay River, NT; Dallas Anderson of Iqaluit, NU; Tom Broumas of Toronto, ON; Debbie MacMurdo of Charlottetown, PEI; Diane Drolet of Val- David, QC; Allan Chizek of Prince Albert, SK; and Jean-Francois Latour of Whitehorse, YT.
Candidates can still apply at www.vancouver2010.com or www.volunteer.workopolis.com and VANOC is particularly interested in people with language skills in French, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Norwegian and Spanish.
