The Flame Goes Out

When I went to 7-11 early this morning I noticed that the local neighbourhood was dressed up even more than it has been. Canadian flags now adorned the light standards on 41st Street in addition to the Olympic banners. The veterinary clinic had a hockey stick flying a Canadian flag above its sign. There were even more maple leaf and Team Canada car flags than I've seen in the past in the neighbourhood. And the Kerrisdale Lumber store had put up a huge Go Canada Go banner on their fence. Canada was getting ready for THE GAME.

Late this morning I took Leena to the airport to fly back to Kelowna. The local radio had reported long lineups at the airport but outside the terminal things seemed normal. They are expecting their busiest day ever on Monday. They have built a temporary terminal just for Monday and the SkyTrain to the airport is operating all night tonight.

Of course I had to get back into my volunteer uniform again after almost a week. I didn't realize until I was walking to the bus how much I had missed it. In was back in the saddle again.

The complicating factor for today was the men's gold medal hockey game starting at 12:15 pm PT. My shift in the Venue Communications Centre (VCC) didn't start until 3 pm but rather than commuting near the end of the big hockey game I headed off downtown as soon as I returned from the airport. I'd miss a little of the beginning of the game but I wanted to be there for the ending.

I watched the first period on the street in Yaletown. The LiveCity Yaletown site was getting full and the lineup was too long for the time I had available so I watched a large screen that had been set up on the street for folks in line. There were about a hundred people doing the same thing. There was a great cheer and lots of car horns when Canada scored first. 

During the first intermission I walked over to Concord Place. As I walked through Yaletown, the streets were quieter than I have seen them since the Games began but I could hear the hockey game broadcast on the street coming from shops, bars, and homes.

I watched the second period on the large screens outside Molson Canadian Hockey House. There were lots of rabid hockey fans there.

They were a pretty well-dressed bunch. We watched excitedly as Canada scored again, and anxiously as the U.S. scored.

For the third period I decided to check-in and watch in the break room at the Plaza of Nations building where the VCC is located. (My favorite lady at Workforce Check-in welcomed me by name and wished me well on my last day.)

These types of important, close hockey games drive me crazy. I just can't watch. It was a very anxious time as I watched with a few of my colleagues and an assortment of other volunteers, security staff, and law enforcement officers from across the country.

If you don't live in Canada you won't understand what it would have meant for Canada to have lost the game today. Despite all our other successes as a nation at the Games, the memory would be tarnished because of men's hockey. The post-Games analysis on what went wrong would go on for ever and be a psychiatrists worst nightmare.

When the U.S. scored in the last minute of the third period to tie it up all the oxygen left the room. The national angst started. We tried to keep ourselves occupied during the intermission but it was no use--everyone was having doubts that we could do it after the way the Canadians played during the third period.

Of course when Sidney Crosby scored in overtime, the room and building erupted. There was hugging, high fives, screaming and a giddy look on everyone's face. I can take credit for the win as I had in my backpack the Canadian flag that we took to the short-track speed skating last Friday when it helped Canada win two golds. It was obviously the difference in overtime although Crosby will take credit.

The timing of the win was perfect as it was time to start my shift. We started the shift by watching the medal ceremony. Everyone stood up and sang O Canada when the flag was raised.

We had lots of volunteers in the VCC today for the Closing Ceremonies. The first shift said that things had been steady.

Of course the hockey game was causing problems on venue.There were workers who were late or absent because of the game. The spectators for the Closing Ceremonies arrived late as they stayed home or elsewhere to watch the game. (This despite the fact that VANOC opened the doors early and showed the game on the screens in the Stadium.) Canada Hockey Place was egressing late which caused issues for the ingress into the Stadium. As there were lots of VIPs at the game who would also be attending the closing, they were late moving between the venues.

It was pretty steady for the hours before the Closing Ceremonies and the first hour of the ceremony. We had our usual issues to help with:

• Intoxicated spectators (likely coming from the hockey game).
• Two pregnant ladies requiring a trip to the hospital at the same time.
• Protein spills (I'll let you figure out what that is the code phrase for. Think about what happens when people drink too much.)
• Lights not working.
• Buses needing to move from point A to point B.
• Thousands of athletes to move from the village and get staged for the ceremony.

We watched the Olympic Broadcasting System feed for the Closing Ceremonies which had no commercials and no announcers. I didn't get to see as much of the ceremony as I had hoped as people kept talking on the radios. You would think that they would know that we were trying to watch.

After the sadness of the flame going out we needed to deploy some people into the stadium to help with the movement of people. I was assigned to one of the athletes' sections to help guide them onto the floor and to keep other spectators off of the floor. I saw the last half hour or so of the ceremony in person. I also managed to secure one of the spectator kits and the cool program for the ceremony.

By the end of the evening things got quiet again in the VCC. We cleaned up the room as it would be unused for a while until the Opening Ceremonies for the Paralympic Games.

After the spectators had left the Stadium, they kept some of the Olympic souvenir stands open for volunteers to go back and shop at 50% off. While I was there I poked my head into the bowl. It was like the end of a good party; all that was left was the massive cleanup.

As we left the VCC for the last time I debated walking downtown. I could hear the noise and knew how wild it would be after the end of the Games and the hockey win. I decided I could pass. The past few weeks have been pretty tiring and I wanted to get home and write this post.

So the Games are over and my Olympic Experience has come to an end. I am going to spend the day on Monday cleaning the house and packing. I will then drive back to Kelowna during the daylight hours on Tuesday. I don't think any of that warrants a blog posting so tonight will be my closing ceremonies as well. (I promise no beavers or moose.)

After watching many Olympic Games on TV in my lifetime, I will never be able to watch one again the same way after attending events and working behind the scenes. It has definitely whet my appetite to do it again someday.

Some memories and observations:

• The friendliness of everyone in Vancouver. (If you want another opinion, read this review from the Los Angeles Times.) 

• The incredible display of Canadian nationalism. It is not something we normally do except perhaps on Canada Day. Canadian flags were everywhere: shops, condo balconies, cars, cheeks, clothing.

• I fell in love with Vancouver. The style of the city, its people, their spirit, its walkability, the beauty and the weather.

• Spontaneous singing of O Canada on the SkyTrain.

• The incredible spectacle of the Opening Ceremonies. I still can't believe I was there.

• I have been so impressed by VANOC for the training, gifts, teamwork, logistics, responsiveness, sense of humor, talent.

• The Smurfs (volunteers): both the wonderfully memorable relationships developed over four weeks with my managers and colleagues and the service with a smile by all the others I encountered and with whom I interacted.

• The spirit of the people on the street characterized by the red mittens worn by everyone--from the average hockey guy to well-dressed businesswomen. Everyone wanted to be a part of the Games and show their support.

• Once the games began I wanted to be at events. You will have to tell me how the TV coverage was; I saw very little except the late night news.

• An umbrella is an indispensable item in Vancouver. The standard issue of clothing in Kelowna is the fleece vest. In Vancouver it is the GoreTex waterproof jacket with a hood.

• Perhaps the world has learned a bit more about our vast country. I know we educated our Boston-based manager in the VCC. (Example from tonight: "Neil Young is a Canadian?" he asked.)

• I learned that the Olympics is far more than just a set of sporting events and ceremonies. The other attractions--mostly free--have been a marvelous treat.

For me this has been an experience on many levels: worker, spectator, guide, storyteller, husband, Canadian, host. I have sincerely appreciated the feedback in the blog comments and the e-mails I have received. Writing this blog has greatly enhanced my experience as I found myself observing things in a different way, keeping notes during the day on my BlackBerry, and considering different ways to tell a story. It drove me to see and do more than I would likely have done without an engaged audience. I am astounded by the fact that over 900 different people read this blog at least once.

Finally, there are some people I need to thank.

Thank you to my colleagues at XAP for supporting me, filling in for me, and letting me escape for an amazing month. 

And thank you to the love of my life for letting me have this dream, plan for it for almost two years, leave home to have fun on my own, and for coming for the last week to share the incredible experience with me. She shares my belief that these are the kinds of experiences that we need to enrich our lives.

I feel a personal sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that I have played a very small part in bringing the Olympics to the World ... to Canada ... to Vancouver ... and to you.

Until next time.