Volunteers: The people powering the B.C. Winter Games

PENTICTON — They’re the friendly faces answering questions, providing first aid and feeding the athletes. The volunteers of the B.C. Winter Games take on many crucial roles, helping to power the event.

When the call went out for volunteers, tenth-grader Hailey Sargeant wanted to lend a helping hand so she signed up to be an event photographer.

“I have a passion for photography, so I thought that if I can help out and still do something that I love then it would be the best of both worlds,” she says.

Bill Bidlake, the 2016 B.C. Winter Games President, says there are about 1,900 volunteers.

“There’s no way the games would go on without the volunteers,” he says. “We haven’t done a winter event of this magnitude, so typically our volunteers come out in the summer time. But Penticton always comes through.”

Peggy Nicholson, a security volunteer, says the experience has been rewarding.

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“We volunteer a lot. We get back just as much as we give.”

The volunteers come with varying exertise and are of all ages.

But Helen Little, 87, is likely the oldest. She explains staying busy is the secret to her longevity.

“I’ve been volunteering ever since I moved to Penticton in 1986.”

She is a hostess at the gymnastics event and says she enjoys seeing the young gymnasts up close.

While this is a perk some volunteers enjoy, that’s not the case for those working in food services.

The volunteers have the important job of making fresh lunches for the athletes and it’s not a task they take lightly.

“I thought that the sandwiches would be pre-made and we’d just be stuffing them in boxes — nope, not the case. We’re actually making these sandwiches and I hope everybody enjoys them,” says Gerald Bernard.

Just down the hall, the competitors are chowing down their sandwiches with two important words for all the volunteers: thank you.