The Green Jackets Receive Their Due
CEO Anthony Everett tells volunteers they made the Games happen. Photo 250 News
Prince George, B.C. – The people who donated their time, effort and sunny disposition to make the 2015 Canada Winter Games a pleasant experience for everyone who took them in received a big thank-you Friday night.
In fact the gathering was the second volunteer recognition night put on by the games organizers to show their appreciation to the approximate 4500 people who contributed their time to make the games work. Along with several rounds of applause from the crowd gathered at Canada Games Plaza the volunteers received the thanks of the provincial government via Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Mike Morris.
The city’s Mayor Lyn Hall told the volunteers they should be proud of the impact they’ve had on the games, adding “in fact you have really become the face of these games in Prince George. From coast to coast to coast they’ve been talking about the volunteers. We’re not just the volunteer city we’re the volunteer capitals of Canada and you deserve a round of applause.” And then the mayor cryptically let a cat out of the bag. “So I want you to enjoy the next couple of days, I want you to take a rest for a couple of months because we’re going to go after something else in a few months.”
Games Host Society Chairman Anthony Everett told the throng of volunteers “It’s about you. I have a hard time getting the words out about the “green jackets”. You have done this, you’ve made our event way better than I ever expected to happen, and it’s gone so far beyond that. There are people here from across Canada that have volunteered. I’m getting emails now from people across Canada who are watching, who were here, and they’re emailing me about you. And I mean it from the bottom of my heart, I’m equally humbled by what we have done for our community, and all I can say is I love Prince George.”
With that sentiment, it was on to the ColdSnap Festival musical entertainment that filled the night air in the plaza.
Comments
My green jacket is definitly a keeper, this may well be my ticket to getting some freebie coffee,meals, passes , etc
To some city events! I will donate my other jacket! PS Restaurants that did well can offer two for one meal prices for green volunteer jackets Retailers can do the same with store discounts
Remember we made no income on our volunteer hours while you seen $$$$ signs
Businesses that was able to gain from our free volunteer hours should huddle up and make us all loud and proud!
The volunteers should be given a tax break on their property assessments for the time they have put forward. The city couldn’t do this without them. Some of the volunteers contributed enough hours it should have considered a full time job. Does Hall even appreciate how much time people in the IT field put forward ? I know some of them worked 5 days a week the final month, getting the technical end ready.
PG101 & 20142015…..You guys should look up the meaning of Volunteer. Why are you starting a list of expectations for having volunteered? I understand many of you put in lots of hours of your own time (and your own money for gas etc.) and I commend you all for this! But don’t loose sight of the fact that it was volunteer hours, so don’t be lining up for a whole list of perks such as you are suggesting.
Business giving back is the motive here not a perky feeling
The volunteers should be given a tax break on their property assessments for the time they have put forward. The city couldn’t do this without them.
The city also could not accomplish these games without the support of taxpayers (2015 tax)so how about giving every taxpayer a tax break on their property assessment. So at the end everyone who contributed in many different ways are also volunteers.
from everything i’ve read hotels and restaurants suffered rather than prospered. jackets, pins, scarves and 3 meals a day not enough for you? shame on those trying to turn a supposed altruism into profit. i agree with oldman1 – we ought to ALL get breaks on our tax assessment, not just volunteers
Volunteering, it’s not what you get, it’s what you give.
For petes sake, if any business truly SUFFERED they are going to be broke shortly and don’t deserve anyone’s time because they shouldn’t be in business. There are a few rooms available in town most nights and the rates are well above normal so I guess I should cry for the millionaires who own hotels.
If you volunteer don’t look for a freebie. It’s called volunteering for a reason, you don’t get paid nor should you expect to.
So how does one determine who the volunteers are and who just got their jacket from the local thrift shop? Are we suggesting all the homeless wearing the green jackets get free coffee for life. I imagine they will have to implement a waiting list at the Sally Ann for these jackets… LoL
Seriously though thanks to all those who gave their time.
These first two comments make me sad.
“We’re going to go after something else in the next few months”?!!!
Um, can “WE” –the city residents afford another ‘event’??? Let’s pay for something first. Let’s fix the potholes, the dying infrastructure, etc. before we go spending more ‘feel good’ money on some event most of the population doesn’t want or need.
That is the mindset we elected ntkr14
@Vikingnuck my sentiments exactly, we really have some volunteer spirit there.
Why the worry about donating the jackets? If someone wants to support a cause why flip out over it? I am sure they are just shaking their heads at some people’s mentality. Just stick your jacket on kijiji like others have done if you want to get some type of “payment” for your volunteer work.
Note they still refer to the number of volunteers as approx. 4500.
One would think that after all this time they would know exactly how many volunteers they had, so why not state the number rather than play the approximate game???
My guess is they don’t give out the number because it was far short of the 4500 they tried to get, and that one hell of a lot of volunteers had to do double duty just to keep these games going.
Lets for once get away from phrases like approx., almost, close to, etc; etc; and deal in actual facts and figures, and furthermore lets get some real numbers on the cost of these games,.
Don’t forget that in a very short time everyone will have left town, and we the citizens of PG will have to deal with whatever problems are left behind.
“lets deal in actual facts and figures” – says the guy who leads every statement with “my guess is” or “I suspect”…
I am one of those out of town volunteers and totally enjoyed the experience. I am keeping the coat as a memory of the games.
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