In my last post, I reflected on the joys the Olympics brought us, and challenged people to be inspired by the athletes to make small changes in their daily lives to be healthier and more active. Truly, small changes can add up to make a big difference.

What else inspired me about the Olympics? It had to be the volunteers! Some 18,500 indispensible volunteers in bright blue jackets who worked long hours but never lost their big smiles and terrific Canadian pride.

Come to think of it, the Olympic volunteers have a lot in common with Canadian Cancer Society volunteers — we couldn’t manage without them.

So, if your Olympic volunteering is over and you are looking for another meaningful way to contribute, or, if you missed out on the Olympics but can’t wait to start volunteering — please consider signing on with the Canadian Cancer Society (or perhaps another not-for-profit organization).

Here in BC, the Canadian Cancer Society could benefit from your time and passion in many ways. Would you like to support someone on their cancer journey? Consider joining our upcoming Daffodil campaign. Or perhaps you’d like to join the fight by volunteering with Relay For Life. Maybe a chance to help spread the word about our prevention initiatives sparks your interest.

We have volunteer opportunities in communities across the province. Whether you want to volunteer a few hours a year or a few hours a day, our online volunteer centre — www.cancervolunteer.ca  – makes it easy to find the perfect volunteer position for you.

Hasn’t it been a blast? The thrill of the competition and the uncharacteristic Canadian “in-your-face” pride (but still polite, of course)?

I know I won’t soon forget Sid the Kid’s golden goal in overtime in the hockey final against the USA, and Joannie Rochette’s strength and dedication along with her bronze medal-winning performance in the face of personal tragedy was truly inspiring.   

Congratulations to the athletes, organizers and volunteers who made our 2010 Winter Olympic Games so memorable!

The results are certainly worth celebrating — our athletes brought home a record 14 gold medals. The most gold medals won by a single country in the history of the Winter Olympics. Not to mention the 7 silver and 5 bronze.

So, now that the party is literally over, what happens now? What can we take away from the many wonderful stories of athletic achievement that have come out of these Games?

The challenge is to morph from an elite sports contest to embedding the principles of healthy, active living throughout our society. Truly, the heavy lifting starts now.

So what will you do to keep the Olympic flame burning in your heart?

• Walk or cycle to work, rather than drive?
• Prepare a healthy meal at home rather than grabbing an over-sized fast-food fix?
• And if you’re still a smoker, try one more time to toss those cancer sticks for good!

Go Canada Go!

As you can see, I too have caught the Olympic spirit.

And why not? It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for one’s home city to host this high-profile international event.

In my youth, I was never a good enough jock to even dream of competing at this level, but I do find it inspiring to see what we humans are capable of achieving physically.

It also reignites my pride in being a Canadian.

So, how am I going to segue from the Olympics to cancer? Actually, I’m not. I’ll save that for a post in the future.