Elly Pierre granted the "chance of a lifetime"
Jun 26, 2009 - 09:13 AM
By Parvaneh Pessian
WHITBY -- When Elly Pierre embarks on her 300-metre trek with the Olympic flame in tow, she says she'll be walking as slow as she possibly can.
The 44-year-old mother of two is the first resident of Whitby to be selected as a torchbearer as part of the Royal Bank of Canada's Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay.
Ms. Pierre, who was a spectator at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, said she has been a fan of the Olympic Games "forever" and feels privileged to have been chosen.
"It's a surreal opportunity," she said, proudly holding the flame at a celebration at the RBC branch at Harmony and Taunton roads in Oshawa on Wednesday.
"It's a chance of a lifetime; I have to pinch myself because I can't believe this is really happening."
RBC is honouring those committed to making their community a better place by granting them the opportunity to take part in the journey to the Games.
The road to fulfilling Ms. Pierre's dream started with her pledge to make the country a better place through efforts in cutting back on paper waste. In her application to be a torch bearer, she explained her work as an advocate of environmental conservation, with a goal to create a healthy place for the people of tomorrow.
"There are about 30 different examples people can pick, from reducing paper you receive for mail or shutting taps off to conserve water," said Travis Capes, RBC's regional vice-president for Durham Region.
"It takes literally a minute to make that pledge online but it could get you an experience that will last forever."
About 12,000 Canadians, including about 30 from Durham Region, will carry the flame across the country at their own pace with millions more cheering them on. The flame will parade through more than 1,000 communities, travelling 45,000 kilometres in more than 100 days to kick off the opening ceremonies in February 2010.
Enter online by visiting www.rbc.com/carrythetorch
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