The Fire Within

10: SALT LAKE OLYMPICS: I remember being at EFY in Colorado the summer of 1996 when Salt Lake City learned they would be hosting the 2002 Winter Olympics. Fast forward to my junior year at BYU. Lesley was working for SLOC in their volunteer department and wanted to set me up to be a volunteer for when the games were here. She then moved to the transportation department (it was there that she met Matt) and actually helped me get a job with that department. I ended up being an athlete transportation coordinator at the E-Center during the games and then being the motorpool coordinator at the E-Center for the Paralympics. What an awesome time to be here in Salt Lake. The games were a smashing success and I loved every minute of it. A year before the games started, they had a uniform unveiling ceremony at the Gallivan Center and I got to be one of the models for the green uniform. I pushed Thurl Bailey across the stage in a bobsled and remember something along the lines of posing with a flag. It was a lot of fun and if any of you were volunteers for the games, I am in your training manual. Page 261. Aside from working, I was able to attend a number of hockey and sledge hockey games, the aerials at Deer Valley, the closing ceremonies and the dress rehearsal to the opening ceremonies. I ended up working for a firm that had strong ties to the games and was involved in helping to plan the SLOC reunions held in 2005 and 2007. I hate to be cheesy, but it was truly a once in a lifetime experience and am happy to say I was a part of it….