Although Rick Hansen will not be coming to Thunder Bay for the 25th Anniversary Relay of the Man in Motion World Tour, the city events supervisor says he still believes the local celebration will be a success.
“I think it would have been nice to have him here, absolutely,” said Doug Henry Tuesday at city hall. “That would have been a bigger draw for us, but it will still be a great celebration.”
Henry said Hansen was originally supposed to stop in Thunder Bay as part of the relay, but had some unfortunate schedule changes and will no longer make it.
The relay is set to hit Thunder Bay on Jan. 8.
The medal will leave the Terry Fox Lookout at 1:15 p.m. and arrive at the Auditorium around 3 p.m. Festivities will begin at the Auditorium at 2 p.m. with music and then a presentation from the Rick Hansen Foundation.
Three-time Paralympian Andrea Cole will carry the Rick Hansen Medal into the auditorium and she said it’s a task she takes to heart.
“It means everything to me because I didn’t think I would be able to call myself an athlete, let alone a role model or any sort of leader,” she said. “It just proves to me I can achieve whatever I want to achieve and so can anybody else.”
Cole has brought home a few medals as a Paralympian and said the relay stopping in Thunder Bay is a statement the city has athletes that matter and people that can make a difference.
“I think also Thunder Bay has wonderful facilities and has the potential to do incredible things as athletes have done in the past,” she said, adding the relay will give it that extra push the city needs to believe in itself.
The relay also shows people you don’t need a disability to relate to someone living with a disability, she said.
“I think everybody at some point feels like they’re not good enough at something; everyone at some point feels like they need to do more, they could do more in their lives,” Cole said. “I think I’m an example of believing in yourself and setting your goals high and not taking no for an answer.”
On Jan. 10, the relay will continue through the city to various schools and organizations and end at Kakabeka Falls Public School.
The Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay started on the East Coast in August and will end on the West Coast on May 22, 2012.
