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Stoufiville’s Ruth Patterson rubbed elbows with Canadian politicians, 10C bigwigs and a prince and princess from the Netherlands. all while watching the Canadians win medal after medal in the Olympic Oval. For two-and-a-half Weeks during the Van- couver Games, Mrs. Patterson was a protocol assistant in international client ser- vwes at the Richmond Olympic r Along with escorting VIPs to their select seating areas, Mrs. Patterson also provided French language translation services and Olympic speed-skating information to those who asked. Mrs. Patterson had no problem accom- modating the seating arrangements of taries or providing information in French or Estonian, English, German or Italian for that matter. But when it came to providing information on the intricacies of speed skating, Mrs. Pat- terson was at a loss. “1 know a lot more now,” she said of having to learn the sport while on the job. “What was exciting about the sport was that you weren’t as sure of the outcome because a dark horse could come in." Like most Olympic Games volunteers, Mrs. Patterson got her spot by applying online. That was three years ago. A year afterâ€" she abplied. Mrs. Patterson was contacted by VANOC and went for an interview in Toronto. About six months later, she was told she was going to the Games. The news was met with mixed emotions. “Initially, I was a little disappointed. I’ll be stuck at the oval, I’m not a skater and I know nothing about speed skating," she said. “1"‘V ' National pride spoken during gig at Games BY SANDRA BOLAN 5bolan@yrmg.com COUCH SURFING 3: Volunteer works with royalty, watches medal wins But Mrs. Patterson changed her mind once she landed in British Columbia “It was just unbelievable to be sitting on a bus, walking down the street, doing anything in Vancouver.” she said. “The actual excite- ment of being at the venue and seeing how the athletes and volunteers (interacted) we supported each other and cheered on each others’ teams.” like all Olympic volunteers, part of being accepted was conditional on housing, Mrs. Patterson has a sister in West Vancouver and indicated on her application she would stay there throughout the games. That was the plan anyway. But the one-to-two-hour daily commute to the Richmond Oval was tiring. so Mrs. Patterson did what every good Canadian has done before - couch surfed. This was not Mrs. Patterson's first Olympic emerience. That came in Montreal during the 1976 Summer Games. Mrs. Patterson volun- teered as an athlete village hostess. But the experiences were vastly difierent. “i don’t remember that incredible pride and how it was shown in the way people dressed," she said of the Montreal Games versus the sea of Canadian garb worn by the nation last month. “ Every day I carried my knapsack with me and slept somewhere,” she _ “The way it can bring people together. That whole ideal of why the Olympics started was to celebrate excellence and bring people together it can really be achieved,” she said. “It’s a great recipe for world peace. If you get everybody doing sports, they won’t have time to fight." 'Mrs. Patterson, who is a hiker and cyclist, learned the value of organized sport. Mrs. Patterson also learned something ‘RECIPE FOR WORLD PEACE' Ruth Patterson, who translated languages at the speed-skating venue during the Van- couver Olympics, shows off some of her souvenirs. The Smuflvine resident sensed more national pride than when she volunteered at the Montreal Games in 1976. about herself. a lot of other people, I didn't real- ize how proud I was to be a Canadian,” she said, adding that during the speed-skat- ing events all volunteers inside the oval, - Max:001 a‘lyerlande no matter their country of origin, were to remain impartial. “(But) when the Canadian skaters start- ed winning. we just couldn’t help it,” she Save Time, Save Money. STAFF PHOTO/MCK MANYSHY N