Media Releases
OCEANSIDE SPIRIT OF BC COMMUNITY COMMITTEE HOSTS REGIONAL ROUNDTABLE
Vancouver, BC (December 13, 2006): 2010 Legacies Now and the Oceanside Spirit of BC Committee are hosting a regional roundtable for Spirit of BC committees on Vancouver Island.
"Members of the Vancouver Island committees are working to celebrate local achievements, capitalize on their community's strengths and remove barriers to success," said Allen Langdon, director of the Spirit of BC program for 2010 Legacies Now. "This roundtable will give them a chance to learn from each other and build valuable partnerships."
The roundtable, sponsored in part by the Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, runs Dec. 13-14 at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre. Attendees will include representatives from the following Spirit of BC committees: Alberni Valley, Campbell River, Comox Valley, Duncan, Gold River, Ladysmith, Nanaimo, Port Hardy, Powell River Ayjoomixw, Sunshine Coast, Tahsis, Victoria and West Coast.
"Vancouver Island residents are proud of their communities and their region, and always willing to join together to reach common goals," said Kim Burden, chair of the Oceanside Spirit of BC Committee, serving the Oceanside communities. "We're excited to share in the benefits of B.C. hosting the 2010 Winter Games. The roundtable will help us find ways to show the province and the world what the Island has to offer."
Guest speakers at the roundtable will include: Joe De Napoli, branch manager, Comox Valley, and Ali Redfern, branch manager, Parksville, with RBC Royal Bank; Chris Gudgeon, project manager for B.C. 2008, Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts; Shaun Poole, community relations, Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games; and Ken Veldman, business connections manager, 2010 Commerce Centre.
"It's great to have the Spirit of BC community conference hosted right here in Parksville," said Nanaimo-Parksville MLA Ron Cantelon. "This is an exciting opportunity for local leaders from towns and cities throughout the Island to come together and discuss what their community is doing to capitalize on the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of having our province host the 2010 Winter Games."
Supported by 2010 Legacies Now and the Province of B.C., Spirit of BC is a province-wide initiative that promotes community innovation, pride and excellence, and involves British Columbians in the opportunities arising from the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
There are 95 Spirit of BC committees representing more than 200 communities across the province. The committees aim to inspire people of all ages to address needs in their communities related to sport, recreation, healthy living, literacy and the arts. Members also organize events and activities during Spirit of BC Week, an annual celebration of British Columbia and its unique communities. In 2007, Spirit of BC Week will run Feb. 9-17. For more information please visit www.SpiritofBC.com.
2010 Legacies Now is a not-for-profit society that works in partnership with community organizations, non-government organizations, the private sector and all levels of government to develop sustainable legacies in sport and recreation, arts, literacy and volunteerism. 2010 Legacies Now actively assists communities to discover and create unique and inclusive social and economic opportunities leading up to and beyond the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. For more information please visit www.2010LegaciesNow.com.
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Media Contacts:Karen McDonald
Director, Communications
2010 Legacies Now
Ph: 778.327.5180
Cell: 778.840.8779
Natasha Vander Wal
Manager, Communications
2010 Legacies Now
Ph: 778.327.5189
Cell: 778.840.5189
