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2010 Paralympic Torch Relay and Celebration - Victoria Quicklinks
2010 Paralympic Torch Relay and Celebration - Victoria Join us and celebrate the possible! 2010 Paralympic Torch RelayThe 10-day, 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay will begin in Ottawa on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - three days after the Olympic Flame is extinguished in Vancouver. It will conclude at the Opening Ceremony in Vancouver, signalling the start of the Paralympic Winter Games on Friday, March 12, 2010, where Paralympians from all over the world will unite to celebrate "the possible". A new flame will be lit in Ottawa to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Paralympians and the endless possibilities of the human spirit. Approximately 600 torchbearers will pass the flame as they share the message of courage and determination. For the first time, the Paralympic Torch Relay will take place in a non-linear way, with the Paralympic Flame being carried in and around each community while celebrations take place. The City of Victoria is proud to be a Celebration Community for the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay. 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay and Celebration - VictoriaSaturday, March 6, 2010 Join us to celebrate and cheer on the torchbearers on Saturday, March 6 at noon, at Ship Point and Victoria's Inner Harbour. Victoria's Paralympic Torch Relay and Celebration puts the spotlight on unique and inspiring Paralympians and other Canadians who defy the odds to serve as role models for us all. Victoria's torch run and celebration are integrated into one exciting event, with music, performance a relay that shines a light on the torchbearers - athletes, luminaries and everyday people who make a difference in our community. The celebration will feature multiple award-winning jazz vocalist Joe Coughlin and critically-acclaimed recording artist Sara Marreiros. The Paralympic FlameThe Paralympic Flame will be created in a First Nations ceremony in Esquimalt on the morning of Saturday, March 6. This will be part of the celebration and relay hosted by the Township of Esquimalt and CFB Esquimalt, in partnership with the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations. Following the Esquimalt celebration, the flame will travel by navy boat across the harbour, where there will be an exchange to dragon boaters from CFB Esquimalt, who will bring the flame to shore. The Paralympic Flame will make a short ceremonial stop at the lawns of the Legislature before Victoria's relay commences. The 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay in Victoria will take place in a continuous loop that runs along the Lower Causeway from Belleville to Ship Point. Thirty-one torchbearers have been selected to carry the torch in Victoria. FestivitiesThe celebration features top talent from Victoria's music community - artists who have achieved national recognition for their musical contributions, including award-winning Victoria jazz artist Joe Coughlin and his seven-piece band. Joe Coughlin is the winner of the 2008 and the 2009 National Jazz Award for Male Vocalist of the Year. For more information, visit: www.joecoughlinjazz.com 
Sara Marreiros is a Victoria-based singer whose beautiful voice was also featured in the Olympic Torch Relay celebration in Victoria. Sara performs traditional Portugese folk music, known as "fado", which she will perform with her quintet during Victoria's Paralympic Torch Relay. For more information, visit: www.members.shaw.ca/lmarreiros 
Both headliners live with disabilities. Like Paralympians, they celebrate the possible, serving as role models to the community and the country as outstanding artists in their discipline. Baritone Joshua Hopkins, currently appearing in Pacific Opera Victoria's production of Capriccio, will sing the national anthem in both official languages accompanied by Robert Holliston. Artists Garry Curry and Alistair Green will be on site, showcasing their sculptures and revealing a new work. Both artists are quadripalegic who use adapted tools to create their work in a variety of media, including stone. Schedule of EventsBelow is a schedule of events for Saturday, March 6, 2010. Esquimalt:
Victoria:
Community Celebrations ScheduleThe City of Victoria is one of 11 communities that was invited to host the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay. Below is a schedule that lists the communities and their associated Paralympic Torch Relay dates.
Paralympic TorchbearersThe Province of British Columbia developed a torchbearer program that was inclusive and accessible to all Canadians. A torchbearer did not have to be an athlete or have done something that is recognized around the world in order to become a Paralympic Torchbearer. Through the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay program, Canadians from all walks of life have had the opportunity and honour of being a torchbearer. For more information on the torchbearers who will light the flame in Ottawa, click here. Victoria Nominated Paralympic TorchbearersThere will be 31 torchbearers participating in the 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay in Victoria. The City of Victoria in conjunction with the Greater Victoria Spirit Committee and a variety of local organizations were invited to nominate members of the community to serve as torchbearers. Below are the five community nominated torchbearers who were selected by this committee to participate. More information on torchbearers in Victoria will be released as it becomes available. David Cook David is the founder and manager of the Victoria Sailing Foundation, a registered charity since 2000 that helps youth-at-risk and people with disabilities build their self-esteem. He has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a deteriorating neurological disease. He is an inspirational speaker, woodworker and retired projects officer with the Canadian Forces. David has sailed and raced since the age of 18. He brings to the team his past international sailing experience, dedication and leadership. Stephanie Dixon At the age of 13, she began competitive swimming against athletes without disabilities. At the age of 14, she joined Canada's national Paralympic team. She represented Canada at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney at the age of 16, and won five gold medals. Representing her country again at the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, she won one gold, six silver, and one bronze medal. In the ParaPan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, she won seven gold medals. Stephanie participated in the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2008 and has also won several medals and set world records at World Championships and at the Commonwealth Games. Boyd Farrell Boyd has fulfilled his two-year term as athlete representative with passion and conviction. He used the knowledge he gained from being discriminated both as a person with an intellectual disability and as a visible minority man to promote acceptance and tolerance of all Special Olympics athletes. Boyd is involved in curling, swimming, snowshoeing, soccer track and field and softball. In 2006, Boyd represented British Columbia at National Games in softball. In addition to the Special Olympics, Boyd trains and competes in half and full marathons. Peter Lawless Peter has coached a number of medal winning athletes, including Karen March, the first BC/Vancouver Island woman to make the National Team in wheelchair athletics at the World Championships in 2002 and 2004. She had the third fastest 400-metre recorded time in the world in 2004. He has also coached Alan Bergman, a multiple marathon runner, who won the European Championship Gold Medal in 2005. Peter has been a volunteer Chair of PacificSport Vancouver Island (in Nanaimo) and has volunteered with the Canadian Sport Centre Pacific. Peter is currently a Director of the Coaches Association of BC and Director of Coaches of Canada. Candace Lester Her eldest son Michael, 33, was born with cerebral palsy. As a teenage mother, it took Candace years to realize he was never going to be like other kids. Michael endured physical and cognitive therapies and surgeries; several years ago Michael developed bi-polar disorder as well. Michael is able to work part-time at Thrifty Foods and is a weekly volunteer at the Victoria Disability Resource Centre. Her youngest son Andrew developed epilepsy at age 13, but at age 26 had successful surgery to reverse the condition. He is now working on significant life goals and hopes to become an emergency response attendant. Candace has worked at the Times Colonist for seven years and has led the company's employee campaign for United Way every year along with playing a vital role in many other fundraising efforts and community charity campaigns. Related LinksFor the history of the Paralympic Flame and information on the Paralympic Torch and the Torchbearer uniform, please visit the following links. Contact UsFor more information, contact: Alice Bacon
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