Coca-Cola Torchbearers – January 15th
NAME: Kristie Derkson
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 30
Torchbearer Story:
Last summer, Kristie Derkson suffered a tremendous personal setback when she broke her fibula and tore all the tendons in her right foot while skydiving. After scaring her family, a week in hospital, 2 surgeries, a metal plate, 5 screws, 2 casts, 10 weeks on the couch and 6 months of physiotherapy, she says she had had enough. Her surgeon suggested she take up swimming. Now Kristie goes twice a week and her physiotherapist told her she has made leaps and bounds because of swimming.
Kristie is proud to be chosen to be a Coca Cola Olympic Torchbearer. She says she is doing it for her father’s honour. Kristie’s father is always encouraging her to be active and his bout with stomach cancer has taught Kristie how precious life is. She intends to continue his legacy.
NAME: Elenita Torres
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 55
Torchbearer Story:
Elenita Torres’ favourite activity, walking, gives her great pleasure. Fifteen years ago, when she began helping her children with their newspaper routes, she began to realize that walking is a great way to stay active. Every morning, they would get up at 5:30 and walked the route for over an hour. The result of their activity was that they became physically fit and began to see the benefits of living a healthy, active lifestyle.
Now that her children have grown up, Elenita continues to walk everyday as part of her daily routine. Instead of taking three buses to work, she skips the last bus and walks for 15 minutes to her workplace and back again at the end of the day. She finds this is a simple way to exercise for 30 minutes a day. She is proud to live active and be a Coca Cola Olympic Torchbearer.
NAME: Janet Adams
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 56
Torchbearer Story:
Janet Adams, and her husband, have always been concerned about protecting the environment. For years they have been recycling, composting, riding the bus to work, planting trees, and more. Recently, they made their biggest “green” accomplishment yet! They built an energy-efficient dream house. Their home contains has low-flow toilets, shower-heads and water taps; the windows face east and west to take advantage of the sun; the windows are energy efficient and tinted to hold in the heat in the winter and release it in the summer; they have bought energy-efficient appliances and have used LFC energy-efficient bulbs. Their house also has top-of-the line insulation and a Styrofoam basement, which eliminated the need for framing with lumber.
Over the years, Janet and her husband have used their house to spread awareness of how building green is both good for your wallet and for the environment. Janet hopes the steps they have taken in their lives will inspire others to do the same.
NAME: Kevin Claerhout
Hometown: Red Deer, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 43
Torchbearer Story:
Kevin Claerhout was inspired to live an active by his sons. His boys love sports and he wanted to be involved to have an influence on their lives. Kevin volunteered to help coach their hockey teams. His coaching commitments led him to being on the ice 5-6 days a week. Kevin learned the names and faces of the 32 kids that hopes to inspire to live active.
By participating in the drills with the kids, Kevin has noticed improvements with his own health. The satisfaction he has received from coaching hockey has inspired him to coach soccer. He is looking forward to spending another season of sports with his sons and to continue to show them the importance of living active.
NAME: Shauna Filtz
Hometown: Devon, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 37
Torchbearer Story:
2009 is the year of Shauna Filtz’s 20th high school reunion. From a sassy cheerleader in high school, years of bad eating habits and sofa surfing, Shauna had jumped from a size 9/10 in 1989 to her current size 20 clothing in what seemed like a blink of an eye! After years of being relatively inactive, in July of 2008, she started with a personal trainer. She began doing yoga, belly dancing, jazz and meditation as well as one and a half hour spin classes. She says it hasn’t been easy but it is worth it! She found out how performance athletes eat (not so much cheese) and began to fuel her body with whole foods.
Shauna’s journey has inspired many of her friends and family to make similar lifestyle changes as they follow her journey. Today she is healthier, stronger and fitter than she has been in years, and with the support of her trainer and the network of people she has met, she is confident that she will reach her goal of running (not walking) with the Coca Cola Olympic Torch in 2010 and participating in her first sprint triathlon too.
NAME: Jen Tucci
Hometown: Morinville, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 17
Torchbearer Story:
Jen Tucci is proud to be a Coca Cola Olympic Torchbearer. She has always wanted to be a part of this once in a lifetime event. Jen lives Olympic in many ways through being physically active and environmental friendly.
Jen loves spending time with her family at the gym. As a family, they do a lot of cardio work and like to try new things. They usually end off there gyms visits with a swim. This has inspired Jen to become a lifeguard. As of now, she only have one more course before she is officially certified. Jen is also a Morinville Fire Department student trainee. Jen loves this work. She has fought a few fires and assisted in several collisions. Jen’s dedication to fire fighting has inspired her to stay in top physical shape and live a healthy lifestyle.
Jen also have a passion for the environment. She has convinced her family to recycle and change their light bulbs to CFLs. They now use reusable shopping bags and have purchased energy efficient appliances.
Jen believes that living active and being environmental friendly is something all Canadians should take part of to make Canada even more amazing!
NAME: Steven Cox
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 44
Torchbearer Story:
Steven Cox has chosen to live actively and is an avid runner. He trains daily and has completed several half and full marathons. Wanting to contribute, he has volunteered as a group leader at several running clinics. Last year, he trained over 20 people who successfully completed the Las Vegas Marathon.
Steven’s healthy and active lifestyle motivated his teenage son to begin working out on a daily basis and to be health conscious. This led him from being self-conscious and overweight to being lean, well built and confident. Steven just completed training his coworkers to run in a 25 km relay race for Kids with Cancer. They had two teams and raised over $2000. His coworkers loved the event so much that they all want to do it again next year. Steve truly loves running, staying active and living healthy. He says it is even more fulfilling when he knows that he can provide leadership that inspires and motivates others to do the same.
NAME: Chris Lacher
Hometown: Drumheller, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 17
Torchbearer Story:
Chris Lacher is honoured to be part of the Coca Cola Olympic Torch 2010 Relay. He has always dreamed of being a part of the Olympics; now that dream has come true. Chris says that he is proud to be Canadian!
NAME: Christie Dominiuk
Hometown: Ardrossan, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 18
Torchbearer Story:
Christie Dominiuk has been an Irish dancer since the age of three. She has been an Open Champion since she was nine years old. Over the years, she has competed in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Nashville, San Diego, Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Victoria and Vancouver. Since she was nine years old, she has qualified every year to compete at the World Championships in Ireland and Scotland. Christie hopes to become an Irish Dance teacher and adjudicator in the future.
NAME: Richard LaLacheaur
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 61
Torchbearer Story:
Richard LaLacheaur was invited to be a Coca Cola Olympic Torchbearer because he is President & CEO of the Edmonton Eskimo Football Club and he was the past President & CEO of the Edmonton 2001 World Championships in Athletics. He has inspired many people to live active and healthy lives.
NAME: Meagan Carroll
Hometown: Camrose, Alberta
Torch Relay Segment: January 15th, 2010
Age: 19
Torchbearer Story:
Meagan Carroll is a university student who is trying to qualify for the 2010 Jump rope World competition. Meagan has been competing in Jump rope for 11 years and hopes that one day it will take her to the Olympics! She is proud to be a Coca Cola Olympic Torchbearer.
