BNSF News

BNSF Employee Volunteers at 2010 Winter Olympic Games

2010-02-08

When the 2010 Winter Olympic games begin, check out the curling competition!

That's where Gloria Toteda, a sales manager in Industrial Products, will be as she serves as an Olympic volunteer.

Toteda, who has been curling for 20 years and coaching junior curling competitors for the past five years, is one of 20,000 people from throughout the world who will volunteer at the Olympics.As information for those who don't follow winter sports, curling is a team game similar to shuffleboard, played by two teams of four players each on a rectangular sheet of carefully prepared ice.

"I enjoy volunteering especially for sporting events, " said Toteda, who is based in Montreal. She often volunteers to help in local sporting competitions and especially enjoys helping with international events.

When she heard that volunteer opportunities at the Winter Games were available, she jumped at the chance to apply.

"The process started about two years ago with filling out, of course, an online application," Toteda said. Then came the face-to-face interviews. Her preference was to work in press operations. And when the people conducting the interviews found out about her curling background, there was no turning back. She soon learned she would work in press operations at the curling venue called Vancouver Olympic Centre near Queen Elizabeth Park, south of downtown Vancouver.

Toteda speaks English, French and Italian, so her linguistic skills were also a plus in helping land the volunteer spot.

Other BNSF ties to the Winter Olympics

BNSF's ties to the current Winter Olympics began in 2008 with the shipment of spools of special wire cable for the peak-to-peak tramway connecting Whistler's Roundhouse Lodge and Blackcomb's Rendezvous Lodge. (Read the story here......)

"In addition, BNSF is participating in Olympic festivities by allowing British Columbia's Royal Hudson Steam Train to operate over BNSF trackage from Vancouver to White Rock carrying five vintage rail cars with passengers," said Gus Melonas, regional director, Public Affairs. "The following morning, the train will be positioned adjacent to the Peace Arch border, where the Olympic Torch Relay event will occur. The train will be approximately 200 feet from the torch relay festivities and will certainly attract much attention. The train will then travel to White Rock to load passengers for an afternoon excursion into Vancouver."

The train is part of White Rock's Winter Festival and will be present in conjunction with British Columbia's initial week of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games recognition. The Torch Relay is expected to draw hundreds of spectators and Olympians. British Columbia's Premier Gordon Brown and Washington State Gov. Christine Gregoire are expected to attend the festivities, and Canada's prime minister may also attend.

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