By Sheldon Spackman

Red Deer torchbearers announced for 2019 Canada Winter Games

Jan 15, 2019 | 1:50 PM

Local torchbearers have been announced for the Red Deer leg of the national MNP Canada Games Torch Relay.

With the 2019 Canada Winter Games in our city just one month away, 16 community leaders who will carry the torch through central Alberta were announced Tuesday at the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.

They include Red Deer mayor Tara Veer, Red Deer County mayor Jim Wood, Red Deer MLAs Kim Schreiner and Barb Miller, former Red Deer mayor Morris Flewwelling and Red Deer city manager Craig Curtis.

Others include Gary W. Harris, whose name adorns the Canada Games Centre at RDC, City of Red Deer Recreation, Parks and Culture manager Shelley Gagnon, NOVA Chemicals’ Rick Van Hemmen, former Alberta Sport Council Chairman Don Moore, volleyball coach Tim McLenahan and competitive ringette player Erika Driesen.

Additional torchbearers include Cree and Metis woman and lifelong Red Deerian Theresa “Corky” Larsen Jonasson, World Indigenous Nations Games founder Chief Wilton Littlechild and two individuals who moved to Canada from Kenya last August — Kalian and Kentice Odongo.

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“Congratulations to these outstanding leaders in sport, youth and community who are making an impact across our city and our region,” said Lyn Radford, 2019 Canada Winter Games Board Chair. “The Red Deer leg of the MNP Canada Games Torch Relay serves as the official welcome to the nation to our community and provides us the opportunity to thank these incredible torchbearers for their amazing accomplishments and contributions.”

Tuesday also saw the opening of the AGT Spirit of Alberta March of Champions Time Capsule from the 1995 Canada Winter Games in Grande Prairie, the last time the event was held in Alberta.

Items included signed banners, jerseys, newspapers, phone books, civic pins and various other memorabilia.

The MNP Canada Games Torch Relay began from Parliament Hill in Ottawa October 4, 2018. Officials say the relay will visit almost 50 communities before arriving in Red Deer for the opening ceremony on February 15 where the final torchbearers will be revealed.

The 2019 Canada Winter Games run from Feb 15. – Mar. 3.