Hometown heroes will be in the spotlight next week when the 25th Anniversary Rick Hansen Relay walks, runs and rolls into town.
To date, 29 Salmon Arm residents have been selected to carry the Rick Hansen medal on the local leg of the cross-Canada tour that follows the journey Hansen took as part of his worldwide Man In Motion tour to raise awareness, and funds, for spinal cord research.
“While our route plans will respect the original Man In Motion World Tour’s dates and communities, highlighting the progress made over the past 25 years, one of our goals will be to tell the story of everyday Canadian heroes who are making a difference in their communities, their country and the world,” writes Hansen.
Selected for having made a difference in their respective communities, Salmon Arm’s medal bearers include Hannah Baskill, Nora Kennett, Brian Ennis, Nicole Nadin, Patti Brock, Barry Dearing, Petronella Peach, Kate Hiscock, Silken Kleer, Teresa Mckerral, Amanda Jones, Cathy Evans, Donna Flatman, Linda Hlina, Chali Pattison, Wende Winn, Debi Podruzny, Anne Ram, Abby Vandermeulen, Tyler Stefanyk, Marleen Maas, Malaya Wolff, Bert Revel, Debra McDonald, Marci Hyatt, Melanie Kohinsky, Dawn Hughes and Dee Lewis.
Each medal bearer will travel 250 metres before passing it on to the next person.
The medal will stop in Salmon Arm at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 4. Its final destination of the day is the Spirit Square in front of city hall, where an end-of-day celebration marking the occasion will take place from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Event organizer, Coun. Debbie Cannon, says Amy Witt, a teacher who works with special needs youth at Salmon Arm Secondary, has been given the honour of being the last medal bearer of the day.
Paralympic athlete Marnie Abbott of Enerby will be guest speaker at the event, which will include music, dance and refreshments.
The medal stays in the community until April 7, when it will be carried east to Canoe, and onward to Sicamous. In total, the medal will travel through 600 communities on its 12,000 kilometre journey.
