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Do you have photos or video that you would like to share that we could put up on this site? Send them to Lighthouse Country Torch Celebrations ========================================================================= Letter from torch bearer Janet Bauer.... Good evening.
My name is Janet Bauer and I was the luckiest person in
the world yesterday. I was the torch bearer on the last leg of the
Bowser torch relay. I just wanted to send you a quick note to let you know
how thankful I am to have been chosen to mark this important day in my life in
Bowser.
Your community was incredible. I was excited and
humbled to be able to carry the flame from Coburn Road to the Legion. You
all did such a wonderful job of promoting the relay and making sure it was a
true community celebration. Before the relay I was nervous. As the
day approached I began to get more excited. After seeing the torch arrive
in Victoria on Friday and watching it all on tv that day, the magnitude of what
I was about to do really started to sink in. The emotions ran high and
then I became terrified! But, when the shuttle bus dropped me off at
Coburn Road and I saw all those people smiling and cheering I felt elated.
As I began my walk with the flame I soaked in every single second of the
experience and felt the energy of everyone there. I really can't describe
in words how I felt except that it was one of the funnest and most exciting days
of my life. It was your community that made that
possible.
My friends and family were there and they were also very
impressed with what you did. I'm so fortunate that they took pictures and
videos (you might have seen a couple of them racing up the road to capture it
all for me) of the whole event from the goodies set out in Magnolia Court and
the Bean Counter, to the art work, to the musicians and even Santa!
:)
I'd also to make special mention about the doves and
John and Barb Lyotier. If you can, please pass my condolences along to Mr.
Lyotier and thank you to him and his wife for all the work they did to make
yesterday possible. I also know there were many, many other people in your
community who contributed to the success of this event and I'd like to thank
them all and thank everyone in Bowser and the Qualicum area who was there to
support me and cheer me on. It's important that you all know that
you and your community will be something I will never forget. These
memories are forever etched in my memory and I'm so thankful to you
all!
Along with my memories, I'll have many pictures and
videos of the day. I'm sorting through them all now and plan to post them
to my website so I can share this experience with everyone I know. I can't
wait to tell them again how great you all were! In the meantime, I found a picture taken by an Associated Press
photographer that was posted today on a United Kingdom sports web site (you are
showcased around the world!) that I think captures the moment very well.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/02112009/5/photo/02112009221541.html.
With my deepest thanks.
Janet Bauer
Victoria BC ============================================================
CTV OLYMPICS http://www.ctvolympics.ca/torch/news/newsid=18752.html ----------- Bowser, B.C. - In the small Island community of Bowser, John Lyotier waited quietly for the Olympic torch beside the small local cenotaph with the simple inscription "Lest We Forget." When the flame finally went by, he released a white dove from his hands, in memory of his wife. Twenty other birds quickly followed, part of a special "21 dove"
salute. After his heartfelt gesture, Mr. Lyotier wept. "Have you got a Kleenex?" he asked. As many in the close-knit village came up to give him a hug, however, Mr. Lyotier's spirits improved. "I'm glad I did this. It's been tough, but this is a way of moving
forward." =========================================================================================== PQB NEWS “It was awesome. It was amazing,” summed up Bauer after the
experience. “Look at all the people here. What a terrific way to bring together the community,” said Betsy Poel member of the relay organizing committee. “The first dove is to remember Barb Lyotier. This is all possible because of her,” said Poel, of Barb, the tireless Olympic relay organizer for the area who passed away unexpectedly earlier this year. A pancake breakfast, musical entertainment and refreshments were all part of the occasion with a brief torch stop made at Bower Elementary to unveil 149 student art panels of winter themed art assembled in the shape of inukshuks. ================================================================================================== http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/lest-we-forget/article1349172/?service=mobile 'LEST WE FORGET'Rod MickleburghBOWSER, B.C.—
From Tuesday's Globe and Mail Twenty other birds quickly followed, part of a special "21 dove" salute. Barb Lyotier, 63, had been Bowser's relay organizer, but just seven weeks ago, she died of a heart attack. After his heartfelt gesture, Mr. Lyotier wept. "Have you got a Kleenex?" he asked. As many in the close-knit village came up to give him a hug, however, Mr. Lyotier's spirits improved. "I'm glad I did this. It's been tough, but this is a way of moving forward." ===================================================================================================  |