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Steven Noble
Editor, Internal Publications
p. 403.440.5692
e-mail: snoble@mtroyal.ca

Fred Cheney
Media Relations Officer
p. 403.440.5195
e-mail: fcheney@mtroyal.ca

 

Clearly, Mount Royal University carries a torch for the Olympics.

When the Olympic torch crossed the Saskatchewan-Alberta border last week, a Mount Royal University librarian, business student and a journalism alumna each carried it part of the way on its journey west.

To view photos of the torch run while it was making its way through Cagary with the help of Barb MacLeod, Fadwa Kourieh and Chelsea Cook Davidson, click photo gallery.

Barb MacLeod: Mount Royal librarian

If not for Mount Royal, Barb MacLeod might never have even thought about carrying the torch. After graduating from the University of Western Ontario with a master’s degree in Library Information Science, the native of Calgary was just hoping she could find work in her field.

An employment opportunity with the Mount Royal Library brought her home. Once here, the avid Olympics fan was intrigued to learn about an online contest to become a torch bearer.

“I love the Olympics. When it’s on TV, I don’t do much other than watch the Olympics,” says MacLeod.

“I’m thrilled because I’ll never be good enough at any sport to actually make it to the Olympics so this is the next best thing.”

MacLeod admits the mystique of the 1988 Olympics influenced her desire to be a part of the moment again.

She remembers going to the torch ceremony downtown with her family as a little girl.

They watched an unveiling of special Olympic edition stamps before heading to her grandmother’s house to celebrate the elder MacLeod’s birthday.

“We bought a cake and we were going to light the candles when they lit the torch but we decided to eat the cake because they took too long,” she recalls laughing.

Last week, as she climbed out of the shuttle bus marked “Vancouver Olympics” all these memories flashed through her mind.

The memories were quickly replaced by the crowds of smiling, cheering faces. She took a deep breath and stepped out onto the sidewalk to wait for her fellow torch bearer.

“Can I take a photo of you with my parents,” one excited Calgarian asked. MacLeod nodded and smiled as the woman’s parents edged close, putting their arms around her.

Before she knew it, Macleod was instructed to move out into the middle of the street for the hand-off.

As her fellow torch-runner tipped her own torch to light MacLeod’s flame, the librarian looked around and took it all in before starting her run. With only a 300 metre distance to carry her torch before it was all over, she didn’t want to take a second for granted.

“The whole experience was amazing but also kind of surreal,” MacLeod said after the run.

“The two things that stand out are my two co-workers who came out and shouted things like ‘Go Barb —torchbearer-slash-librarian,’ and my family surprising me with a banner that said, ‘Hey Barb, Got A Light?’ and they all signed it.

“I really did feel like a rock star.”

First year business student, Fadwa Khourieh helped carry the flame from on its leg from Lethbridge to Calgary.

FADWA KHOURIEH: First-year Business student

As Fadwa Khourieh tipped her torch towards her fellow runner in the middle of a packed street in downtown Claresholm she heard a boom.

Fortunately there was no sinister plot to interrupt the Lethbridge-to-Calgary leg of the torch run.Rather, it was a big brother with a sense of humour.
“As I lit my flame my brother yelled out, ‘boom baby,’ Khourieh recalls with a chuckle.

“It was a great moment. When my torch connected with the other runner’s torch, it was like a big ball of fire in the sky.

“My family and friends drove out to Claresholm to support me and they all ran along with me. It was something I’ll never forget it.”

Khourieh, also a native Calgarian, wasn’t alive in 1988 but she didn’t need any historical inspiration. She was struck by the idea to apply to carry the torch when she visited an Olympic exhibit at the 2009 Calgary Stampede.

“I went in there and they told me I could register for a chance to be a torch runner in the Olympics coming up. I thought, ‘this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.’”

Journalism alumna Chelsea Cook Davidson was only the fourth person to carry the Olympic Flame since it last came to Calgary 22 years ago.

Chelsea Cook Davidson: Journalism Alumna

Chelsea Cook Davidson, a freelance writer who graduated from the Journalism stream with a Bachelor of Applied Communications in 2000, had the honour of being only the fourth person to carry this year’s torch in Calgary.

As exciting as it was seeing all the people lining the streets, waving flags and cheering as she jogged along Macleod Trail south of Southland Drive, there was nothing like finishing her leg and picking up her 22-month-old son.

“He was my inspiration for running. The Olympic flame will be in my heart forever as well as my family and the children who were able to touch my torch and take pictures with me.

“I am so moved by this experience of a lifetime and so filled with national pride for our country.

“It was one of the top, most amazing experiences of my life,” says Davidson proudly.


— Steven Noble, Jan 28, 2010