An Open Letter to 2010 Canada 55+ Games Participants
From: David P. Dargie - Chair Games Organizing Committee
July 27, 2010 - Brockville, Ontario
With less than 4 weeks until the start of the 2010 Canada 55+ Games, our team is working hard to put the final touches on preparations to make your stay here in Brockville and area a memorable one. We have a small staff and many volunteers who have been working for over two years to put together all the pieces of the puzzle that will make the 2010 Canada 55+ Games the masterpiece that we all envision.
On behalf of the Games Organizing Committee (GOC), I am asking for your patience as we put the last pieces of the puzzle together, mainly the transportation and competition schedules. As we have communicated to the Canada 55+ Games Executive and the Provincial Coordinators, we are aiming for August 9th to release the finalized schedules. Telephoning, e-mailing, or otherwise communicating with us before that target date to express your displeasure that these schedules are not available will not help us accomplish our tasks any faster. Thanks for understanding that we are working as hard as we can to get this information to you as soon as we can.
To help us make sure that we have captured the most accurate information for our data base, we are sending out letters of confirmation to all 1500+ of you this week. PLEASE take the time to check your information and respond to our confirmation letters as soon as possible. At the present time we have over 375 participants who have not indicated if they will need transportation to registration on August 23-24. I do not want to see one person stranded at the Ottawa International Airport or any other transportation terminal after you have arrived from your home province. We need this information to be certain that you will be best looked after.
When you arrive for registration in Brockville, you will experience an Athletes Village and "Main Stage" marquee tent that will be the "hub" of activities for the Games from August 23-28. In this Athletes Village you will find food & beverage services; information services; photo developing kiosks so that you can print your "memories" right on the spot; an ATM machine; sales of Games apparel; other vendors; marketing representatives who will be conducting surveys on this important 55+ demographic; and above all, all your old and new friends from across Canada.
Plan to spend as much time as you can at the BOOST Health Zone on August 23-24 when we will have 30 exhibitors from health agencies and organizations, health screening for all accredited participants, and a great line-up of speakers. On August 26, the CIDC Active Living Day at St. Lawrence Park in Brockville will prove to be a unique and enjoyable addition to the Games. We know that you will enjoy the activities, entertainment, and atmosphere of this event.
The Athletes Parade and Opening Ceremonies on August 25th will be an experience that you will long remember, capped by the lighting of our Greenfield Ethanol Fuels Games Cauldron by Walter Gretzky, the father of the "Great One". Remember back to the lighting of the Vancouver Olympics Games Cauldron earlier this year. It was Wayne Gretzky who had the honour of lighting that Games Cauldron. Now the Canada 55+ Games will see at our Opening Ceremonies, Walter Gretzky complete the generational symmetry at what can be seen as our 55+ "Olympics".
Thanks again for your patience while we finalize the competition schedules. Please learn more about the Games by logging onto our web site: www.brockville2010.ca. When you are visiting our web site, link to Brock News and COGECO for video highlights about the Games and the beautiful area of Ontario that you will be visiting at the end of next month.
I wish you all the best as you prepare for your voyage to the 2010 Canada 55+ Games! Bonne chance mes amis! Bienvenue a Brockville!
Positively Yours,
David P. Dargie
Chair - 2010 Canada 55+ Games Organizing Committee
