By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
The temperature may have been chilly but the hearts of
Nephi's residents were warm as they welcomed the Olympic
Torch for 2002 to Nephi on Tuesday, Feb. 5.
At Nephi City Park, a large crowd gathered, as did
newscasters and their equipment, a news helicopter,
Chevrolet interactive display and Coke traveling
exhibits.
"I want you all to know that those carrying the torch
are heroes to someone else," said the SLOC
representative.
He said, in past Olympics, sports heroes were honored.
Others who carried the torch had nominated themselves for
the honor.
"This Olympic Torch Run is different," he said, "those
who are carrying the torch were nominated by others, by
those who considered them heroes because they are people who
have touched the lives of others and lighted the fire
within."
Chad Brough, mayor, also spoke at the park and said
the community was happy to participate as a host city for
the torch run.
"This is our opportunity to participate in the
Olympics," he said.
The city council approved the purchase of flags that
hung from every light post on 100 North and all along Main
Street. Festivities and expectations were high.
Many decorated their homes and businesses with flags
of many nations and with the colors of America.
Olympic flags were handed out by Coke and Chevrolet to
spectators. There were family parties.
There was singing at the park and there were speeches
of joy and celebration from city fathers and from SLOC
members accompanying the torch from city to city.
There were fireworks and there was the crowd who
turned out to cheer runners as they made their way along
city streets.
And there was fellowship.
Earlier, there was a welcoming program where
torchbearers who would carry the torch through the streets
of Nephi were welcomed.
During the program at the high school that afternoon,
there was even a presentation to Juab High School.
"My mother in-law was a cheerleader at Juab High
School," said Reese Stein, newscaster. "This is her uniform
and my wife and I thought there was no more fitting place
for it than at the school."
He presented the uniform to the current cheerleaders
to be placed in the school's archives and to be, hopefully,
displayed there.
Opening remarks at the program were made by Iris
Tolley, a torchbearer from Nephi, and R. Clark Greenhalgh,
an athlete from the high school and a retired educator,
served as master of ceremonies.
Cheyenne Howarth sang "God Bless America," and the
Nephi Olympic Children's Choir conducted by Keith Rawlinson
and accompanied by Margaret Thomson, sang Olympic Chorus
selections.
The mayor and city council were introduced.
"I am proud that Nephi had the opportunity to
participate in the Olympic 2002 Torch Run," said Brough,
mayor. "This gave us the chance to show the rest of the
world what we have always known&emdash;that Nephi is a
pretty great place to live."
Tolley then presented each of the athletes, or their
families, she has been able to contact with a certificate of
accomplishment for their contributions to the world of
sport.
She has written a book, which can be ordered for $20
each, paying tribute to those athletes from Juab High who
have continued to participate and contribute to sports even
after their high school careers.
The seven Olympic Torchbearers from Nephi were then
introduced and were asked to step forward. The torchbearers
from Nephi were: Iris Tolley, Gina Taylor, and JaNell
Stephenson, all selected by the Salt Lake Organizing
Committee; Mariann Gibson, selected by Chevrolet; and
Leonard Trauntvein, Kate Bates and Mike Brown, all selected
by Coca-Cola.
In addition, 11 other torchbearers, some of whom were
present at the program, were all honored and asked to come
forward.
The torch visited Central Utah on February 5 when
runners carried it through Cedar City, Parowan, Beaver,
Centerfield, Richfield, Gunnison, Ephraim, Manti, Nephi, and
Provo.
"This was a great chance, not only for the runners but
for the people of Nephi, to participate in the excitement of
the 2002 Olympics." said Holly Young, representing the Juab
Travel Council and serving as chairman of the Nephi Olympic
2002 Torchbearer Task Force.
The difficulty of obtaining tickets to events, the
expense, and the crowds have kept some from participating at
venues. But the torch race was an opportunity for the
average citizen to participate.
"Nephi was the last foot of the race before a venue
city" said Young.
Crowds lined the streets of Nephi, some of them going
from spot to spot, to watch a community member run.
People came from Utah County, Millard County, and
other areas of the state just to participate as
spectators.
"Each of these torchbearers carried the Olympic Flame
approximately 0.2 miles or the equivalent of one lap around
a track or one city block," said Young.
Each of the torchbearers were honored as those who
have lived the Olympics 2002 theme: "Light the Fire
Within."
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