Regina Marking Olympic Torch with Festivities

The city of Regina is planning a party - complete withinformed the scholars gathered before leading them
a winter carnival, entertainment and fireworks - toin a cheer.
greet the Olympic flame to the community in'When I see the excitement in their faces and when
January.they are cheering and hollering for Team Canada, it's
Organizers displayed plans for the Jan. Nine event inactually great as it reminds me how I felt when I
front of excited kids arrayed in sports jerseys,was that young and what originally brought the
interspersed with the odd fairy, witch and dragon, atOlympic spirit into my dreams,' Byers told reporters.
Ruth M. Buck faculty on friday morning.'The torch relay is a way for every voter to become
Callie Morris, an 18-year-old varsity of Regina student,a part of the Olympic spirit,' she said.
will carry torch the last three hundred metres to theThe Olympic flame arrived in Canada Fri. to begin its
stage before lighting the community cauldron in the45,000-kilometre, 106-day trek to Vancouver, when
January show at the Fieldhouse.the Olympic Cauldron will be lit Feb. Twelve, 2010.
'This is sort of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity thatSporting red Olympic mittens, Mayor Pat Fiacco and
I'm very grateful for. I'm just excited and can't bearCoun. Mike O'Donnell, chair of the Regina host council
to wait to carry the torch,' she said. As Morris, afor the torch relay, inspired the students and their
hockey and baseball player and wrestler, held a torchfamilies to take in the Jan. 9'fun-filled' activities which
in her hands from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin,will run from 4 to nine p.m. Plans include sports
she was surprised by its weight. But she's's evendisplays with members of the Riders and Pats
more thrilled by the possibility of being able to holdavailable ; a winter carnival with ice sculptures, snow
onto the Vancouver Olympic Games torch she'll carrygames, and lantern procession ; cultural entertainment
that day.; and a concluding 10-minute fireworks display. Venues
Paddler Kia Byers, Regina's own Olympic upbeat,include the Fieldhouse and Evraz Place.
recalled watching the 1998 Nagano Olympic GamesThe torch relay will see a new torchbearer every
on TV as a 10-year-old and seeing the proudthree hundred metres. Organizers don't release details
Canadian winners. Byers, who competed this yearabout the route until closer to the event for security
with Team Canada in canoeing at the internationalreasons. There'll be non-permanent road closures
championships, declared those Canadian sportsmenalong the relay route.
provoked her. 'I would like you to dream big,' she