Dressing the Part

Today was my uniform and accreditation day. When the VANOC web site for volunteers invited me to book a day and time for this months ago I thought the first hour of the day could be smart as there would be few lines. Good move on my part.

Once again, as has been my consistent pattern when having to travel around Vancouver and be somewhere at an appointed  hour, I was seriously early. So once again, I went to the neighbourhood Starbucks for my morning coffee and to do e-mail.

Even the Starbucks stores in Vancouver are in the Olympics spirit. The stores are decorated with international "Welcome" signs and I overheard two baristas today say that during the Games they would be wearing special Olympics shirts. Now if only the coffee was free for volunteers.

Today I had to travel to the VANOC Uniform and Accreditation Centre. In my instructions I was told to drive if I could as there would be lots of stuff to take home. The centre was located in a hockey rink (how Canadian!) at the Pacific National Exhibition grounds in the same building where I had my first Olympic volunteer training back in the fall of 2008. Of course the ice was out and the building was set up to efficiently process thousands of people. It was apparent that my arriving early was smart as there were ropes set up for long queues at the various stations through the building but there was no waiting this morning.

As with most of my VANOC experiences so far, it was all well run by lots of cheery, smiling people (today again, primarily middle-aged women.) VANOC must have learned from Disney how to move and process people efficiently. There were coloured lines on the floor. "Follow the red line for accreditation and the yellow line for uniform." It was kind of like the current TV ads for Fidelity Investments.

The first station was for check-in. Using my passport I was located in "the computer" and my identity was verified. The RCMP had performed by security check back in the fall of 2008. I was given a numbered form and sent off to the cameras. Much like today's passport photos, no smiling was allowed. After having my grim photo taken I was off to the printing and laminating station where my accreditation card was printed, laminated and attached to my lanyard. These cards are huge. It is like wearing a billboard around your neck. Unfortunately it needs to be highly visible and convey a great deal of information about the venues and areas to which you are allowed to have access. I will get over it because my accreditation now allows me to ride the buses and SkyTrain in Vancouver for FREE. Now it was off to wardrobe.

At the next station I was told to take a number like at the butcher but I only had to wait for 30 seconds. My number was called and I was escorted into the "shopping" area and was introduced to my personal shopper Mimi. Sizing me up and down, Mimi ushered me into one of  the dozens of changing rooms in the area and proceeded to hand me a stack of clothes to try on. I guess by now Mimi has seen all body types and sizes and is getting good at her job as her selections for me were pretty good. If I needed to try something else, I just asked and Mimi got it for me. She also knew the ins and outs of the uniform and made helpful suggestions. These were just samples that I was trying on. At the end, when Mimi was satisfied with my size choices she filled out a form with my sizes for each item and I was off to the "warehouse" area.

In the warehouse, I handed my form to a very friendly lady and she proceeded to fill my custom order. Behind her were racks and shelves full of pants, shorts, vests and jackets. First she opened a large, reusable Vancouver 2010 tote bag to hold my stuff. (My instructions for today had told me not to bother bringing a bag.) As she was the motherly type and I guess after having lived for a week on my own I obviously look like I need some mothering, she proceeded to make lots of useful suggestions on washing and caring for my uniform--much based on her own experience with her uniform. "It's so easy to just throw the shirt in the wash when you get home." The last item added to my bag was my Welcome Kit.

Following the line once more I was directed to the next station where a woman was standing at what appeared to be a checkout computer. She proceeded to unpack my just-packed bag and scan the bar codes on everything. Had VANOC changed their mind about giving volunteers a free uniform? Obviously the checkout lady had heard the question about a thousand times before since she answered my question before I could ask it. "It is just for inventory control." My bag packed again I was off back on the line.

As I was approaching the exit, a nice young man (for a change) greeted me with "Bonjour" as I passed. I responded with "Bonjour" which caused him to reply, "Parlez-vous français?" It turns out he was there to give out "Bonjour" buttons to be worn on the uniform of bilingual (speak both English and French) volunteers. I explained to him that while I had lived in Ottawa for many years my French was from back in high school. It turns out he went to school in Ottawa so that led us into a volunteer to volunteer discussion on Ottawa and French-immersion education. Everyone is so friendly here!

My last stop was at the Official Merchandise counter where I purchased an official Vancouver 2010 knapsack. They have warned us at training that we should not bring personal things to work as there is no place to store them. A backpack, as it has a zipper, has been recommended. HOWEVER, like everything you wear and use while volunteering, it cannot display the label of any company that is not an official Olympic sponsor. Rather than trying to cover up all the Eddie Bauer labels on my backpack it seemed easier to buy another. I will be applying black electrical tape to the "Reebok" on my black shoes.

Now that I was processed I drove back home and had a chance to open my bag. The Welcome Kit included and very nice hot/cold travel mug (branded by a sponsor--"You must only use this one on venue"), a welcome and thank you message from John Furlong the CEO of VANOC, a Team 2010 Pocket Guide full of helpful information and pages and pockets to record and save things, a bottle of Cold F/X (a cold prevention medicine), an Olympic hockey pin, a coupon from General Motors for $1,000 off a car (are they still in business?), a gift card from Petro-Canada for $0.05/litre off gas for the month, a coupon from the Hudson's Bay department store (suppliers of the uniforms) for 15% off one day of my choice during the Olympics, a pack of Wrigley's Spearmint, and a pack of Olympic postcards from the International Olympic Committee. I feel suitably welcomed.

The uniform consists of a pair of dark navy pants (loose fitting with spandex in the mix), two long-sleeved t-shirts in Vancouver 2010 teal (one patterned; one plain), a teal fleece vest, a teal jacket (a subtle pattern with lots of pockets and convenient ventilation zippers) and a teal Vancouver 2010 toque (hat).

My last uniform stop of the day was the local tailor to get the pants hemmed. I had been warned by other volunteers that, although there were waist sizes to choose from, all the pant lengths were long. I'll include a self-portrait of Don the Olympic Volunteer once I get my pants back.

Now I feel equipped and ready. It will be rather thrilling to put it all on and walk out the door for the first time in a few days.