The BC Games organizers held a rally for key volunteers who will help make the event happen this summer in Maple Ridge.
Maple Ridge will host the top young athletes from across the province for four days of summer sports on July 18-21. On. Jan. 29, with about 170 days to go, Maple Ridge Games president Laura Butler and vice-president Ernie Daykin hosted an informal social event where the key volunteers got acquainted, enjoyed some bites, received their bright blue Games jackets, took photos, and even did a little dancing. As the director responsible for areas such as accommodation, food, or transportation was introduced with their team, they were all asked to bust a move at the fun event, held at Albion Community Centre.
It will take hundreds if not thousands of volunteers to run the BC Games in Maple Ridge. It could appear a daunting task, but Butler said there will be good people running each section, and it will all come together.
“Everybody gets a little chunk of something that they’re responsible for, and then all of the sudden all the pieces start fitting together,” she said.
“Tonight was an opportunity to bring everyone together, and just thank them for being such important, key volunteers to make this Games happen,” she said.
A member of the provincial BC Games board of directors also joined the rally.
“On behalf of the board, we are so impressed with the work that has been done by those in this room, and we are excited to see the Games come together as a celebration of Maple Ridge,” said Francis Cheung, a Langley man who serves as BC Games Society finance chair. “Everyone here today, will play an important role in bringing the Games to light.”
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He said Monday’s event is the first chance for the group of leaders to come together, and also a reminder of how many community members are needed to stage the Games.
Butler said there will be 2,500 volunteer shifts – some four hours long, others two hours. Organizers anticipate some people will take multiple shifts, over multiple days.
“We will need lots and lots of people in our community to come forward,” she said.
Next on the Games calendar will be a community awareness event, which is in planning, and where there will be volunteer registration.
“You’ll start seeing these blue jackets, and some of the teams out and about at some other community events, promoting the work of the BC Summer Games,” said Butler.
April will bring a torch-lighting ceremony, generally 100 days out from the Games.
“We’ll be doing a big party for the community as we light the torch and welcome the Games to our community,” said Butler.
Mayor Dan Ruimy noted the Games torchlighting event will also launch the Maple Ridge 150th anniversary celebration.
“The Maple Ridge 2024 Summer Games are our chance to invite BC to be a part of this special year, where we also celebrate our 150, and it’s going to be a long one - we’re going to go from April to October, lots of fun going on.”
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