The Special Olympics B.C. Winter Games are coming to Vernon this weekend, and when they leave, they will be bringing along something from the host city.
A local business has created a cauldron to use for the opening ceremonies in the years to come.
In the past, organizers of the games have had to borrow a cauldron to light for the opening ceremonies, creating logistical challenges.
However, that will no longer be an issue, as Special Olympics B.C. commissioned Vernon’s A1 Machine and Welding to design and create a custom cauldron to be used during the game’s opening ceremonies for the foreseeable future.
“We love it. We’ve been around for almost 40 years in British Columbia and never had our own cauldron,” said Dan Howe, president of Special Olympics B.C.
“This is the first time we’ve been in Vernon for our provincial games, and to have a legacy like this is fantastic.”
The bulk of A1’s business is structural steel so this project was a little outside the company’s norm.
Watch: Global Okanagan coverage leading up to the Special Olympic B.C. Winter Games in Vernon
The project has helped the shop to realize what its workers are capable of doing.
The lighting of the cauldron is often a highlight of the opening ceremonies.
“It is a magical moment where our law enforcement partners…bring in the torch, and they help open the games with an athlete,” said Howe.
“It is a moment of pride for the family members that their child is here to compete and it is a moment of excitement for the athletes who have trained so hard to get here.”
The Special Olympics B.C. Winter Games run from Feb. 21 to 23 in Vernon.