NAME: Victor Huckell

Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Carrying Torch: Whistler Olympic Park
Torchbearer number: OTR099-089           

Torch Relay Segment: February 6^th, 2010

Age: 66

Torchbearer Story:

After years of counseling patients about a healthy heart life, Victor Huckell decided that it was time to practice what he preaches and be a role model for his patients that have heart problems.

Huckell enrolled in a physical exercise program 7 years ago and, after supervised training, began running marathons. Since he started, Huckell has run 15 marathons and lost 40 pounds. He demonstrates the results to his patients to show them it can be done.

Huckell has arranged education programs for patients at gyms and fitness training institutes. He has lectured across Canada about how important life style modification and an active life style are as the bases of good health. Huckell also stresses that medical therapy is always improved by attention to physical activity and a moderate diet.

Huckell helped establish the first Canadian Rehabilitation program for women only in Vancouver and regularly refers his patients to this program. He meets with patients who enter any of the rehabilitation or exercise programs and he recommends and reviews their progress. Huckell has learned that consistent feedback is very effective in encouraging and maintaining a healthy life style for his patients.

At least 20 of Huckell’s patients have run their own marathons, dozens have entered 10 kilometre runs and many more have altered their life styles to maintain a healthy life.

NAME: Alex Read

Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Carrying Torch: Pemberton

Torchbearer number: OTR100-022           

Torch Relay Segment: February 6^th, 2010

Age: 32

Torchbearer Story:

Alex Read believes active living is a critical key to the future health and sustainability of our planet. However, he feels people are far too often distracted with their daily lives and forget to live actively. This became clear to Read through his volunteer activities with Junior Achievement of B.C. Many of the kids Read met through the program did not understand the concept of an active life. From being driven to school, to fast food, to not playing very much outside, it simply was not a big part of these kids’ lives.

With a mission to help younger generations, Read became a kids camp instructor at Cypress Mountain Ski Hill. Every week, he would take hundreds of children out on the mountain to ski and be active. He also showed them how much fun ‘active living’ can be. The kids skied, ran around, threw snowballs, made snow angels and had a lot of fun.Week after week parents would come back to say how their children were all of a sudden now keen on doing things and being active – the first steps on the way to a healthy life. Inspiring kids to become active like this on a weekly basis was amazing and Read would always reward himself afterwards with a refreshing Coca-Cola.

NAME: Jason Beukens

Hometown: Abbotsford, British Columbia

Carrying Torch: Merritt
Torchbearer number: OTR100-099           

Torch Relay Segment: February 6^th, 2010

Age: 35

Torchbearer Story:

Jason Beukens is a lighthouse keeper working and living on the Pacific Ocean in beautiful British Columbia. He lives on a small island, about the size of two football fields. It is home to shorebirds, seals and sea lions with whales and dolphins swimming by on a regular basis. It is a remote side seemingly distant from the environmental issues of the urban city, at least that is what you would think. However with every tide brings floating debris and garbage

After seeing this repeatedly happening, Beukens decided to do something about it. Along with a friend, they collected all the garbage they could find along the shore. Though it may not seem like a big difference, Beukens believes that if all people who live by the sea do the same, it would make a significant impact.

NAME: Lauren Phelan

Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia

Carrying Torch: Logan Lake
Torchbearer number: OTR100-083           

Torch Relay Segment: February 6^th, 2010

Age: 19

Torchbearer Story:

Lauren Phelan believes in living actively, purposefully and with consideration for others. She also believes deeply in the power of mentorship and role modelling. As an international camp counsellor for young adolescents, Phelan has seen firsthand the power and necessity of mentors. It brings her the greatest job to see how her enthusiasm and dedication can translate into helping create empowered young people we are able to make positive life choices.

Phelan believes that thanks to energetic coaches, patient teachers, motivating friends and supportive family members, she has been able to pursue her love for travelling, meeting different people and experiencing new things. Phelan goes forward to pursue her dreams and gives all she has to realize her goals. Living consciously and with passion is something she truly values and aims to inspire others to find their own path and live loudly.