Sports

McKenzie brings light to the Winter Games

Brady Stark
Team Member

Aw McKenzie is one of the 150
Northern BC residents who has been
selected to be a torchbearer for the 2015
Canada Winter Games. Remarkably, McKenzie
is 94 years of age (although she doesn’t look a
day over 75).

McKenzie has lived in Prince George for over
68 years, and has witnessed a number of
different transformations to the community
in that time period. Andrea moved to Prince
George from Manitoba in 1946. She chose

to live in Prince George because her late
husband, Dr. John McKenzie, was born in

the city, and he had convinced her that the
city, then populated by only 3500, would be
a good place to start a family. After living

in PG for close to seven decades, enjoying
66 years of being happily married, and
raising six children in the city, McKenzie is
convinced that she made the right decision.

Aside from being a torchbearer for the
games, McKenzie will also be busy as a
volunteer translator. McKenzie was raised in
a French-speaking household and is fluent
in the language, which makes her a valued
team member for the Canada Winter Games
(which will host a number of different
athletes and spectators from Quebec).

As McKenzie will be very busy with the games
in the coming months, I was interested in
understanding where her energy comes from.
McKenzie told me that she is fueled by a love
for her family and the community of which
she is a part. McKenzie plays important roles

within a number of local organizations: she
is a communications officer for the Elder
Citizens Recreation Association, and she is
actively involved with Sacred Heart Church.

of good people and has positive things to
offer. McKenzie emphasized the positive and
charitable nature of Prince George’s populace
by making note of how Prince George raised
more money than any other city in all of
McKenzie was asked to describe the Canada during the last Relay for Life event.
importance of the games as they relate

to Prince George. She stated that Prince
George is often perceived as having a

rough reputation to outside observers;
people in different parts of Canada have a
tendency to give Prince George a number of
negative labels. However, McKenzie is firm
in her belief that many of these negative
perceptions of Prince George are unjustified.

After having met Andrea McKenzie, I was
left feeling inspired. Her dedication to her
community and her faith in the city are
admirable qualities. I believe that McKenzie
embodies all the ideal qualities expected
from a torchbearer for the Canada Winter
Games. I would like to congratulate Andrea
McKenzie, as well as the other 149 torch-
bearing representatives in the North,

and I wish all them the best of luck in
bringing light to the upcoming games.

She is confident that once Canada has had a
chance to spotlight Prince George during the
2015 Winter Games, the country will come
to realize that this community is comprised

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