While the Rick Hansen Relay doesn’t come to the Columbia Valley until next year, Accessibility in the Community for Everyone (ACE) is looking for a local person to help bring home the relay leg in Invermere.
ACE is currently accepting nominations from the community for a “difference maker” — someone who has made a difference either in the community, or in the lives of the people around them.
This difference maker will be the final medal bearer for the Invermere section of the Rick Hansen Relay, and will bring the medal home to an End of Day Celebration, which is being organized by ACE.
“(The Rick Hansen Relay) is an exciting way, positive way to draw attention to the issues of inclusion and accessibility,” Invermere district councillor and ACE spokesperson Spring Hawes said.
“It’s also a great way to appreciate and celebrate those people that make a difference not only in the community, but also in the lives of the people around them.”
Difference makers must be nominated by someone else in the community, and will be featured prominently when the Rick Hansen Relay makes its stop in Invermere.
In addition to the difference maker, the group is also looking for a number of other medal bearers to participate in the local leg of the relay.
Community difference makers differ from medal-bearers in that they will be selected by ACE, and in that medal-bearers may nominate themselves online at rickhansenrelay.com. While the difference maker is the last participant in the relay for the day, other bearers carry the Rick Hansen Medal for part of the relay.
As of yet, ACE has not received any nominations for a community difference maker. The deadline for applicants is early November.
Nominations can be sent to info@acevc.com, and Hawes also asks that nominators give a reason as to why they think someone should become Invermere’s community difference maker.
“Ideally we’d like someone who has made a selfless difference in the lives of others,” Hawes said.
“Ideas so far have included motivational speakers, people involved with charity work, or even a local teacher, who maybe spends their personal time helping students — basically anyone who spends their time to benefit people in the community.”
The Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay comes to Invermere April 13, 2012. According to rickhansenrelay.com, the anniversary event retraces the Canadian segment of Hansen’s original Man in Motion World Tour, “but this time one man in motion will be represented and celebrated by many in motion; engaging 7,000 participants from across Canada who have made their own difference in the lives of others.”