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Natasha Boyes to light Olympic cauldron

Natasha Boyes – the final Torchbearer, who will light the Olympic Cauldron Sat. Nov. 7. Electra Charles the Torchbearer, who will represent the Town of La Ronge in carrying the Olympic Torch. Tanner Cook, of Stanley Mission – the Olympic Torchbearer, who will represent the Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Nov. 7 by carrying the Olympic Torch.

Natasha Boyes will light the Olympic cauldron in La Ronge, when the Olympic Torch comes to town Nov. 7.

Chief Tammy Cook- Searson, of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) and Tammy Fiske, chair of the organizing Community Taskforce announced Boyes name at a VANOC 2010 Recognition Banquet at the Jonas Roberts Memorial Community Centre Oct. 23; the names of two other young people chosen as Olympic Torchbearers for La Ronge: Tanner Cook, of Stanley Mission and Elecktra Charles, a LLRIB member living in Saskatoon, were also announced.

Boyes, Cook and Charles were chosen from among nine nominees from the community to participate in the Olympic Torch Relay festivities when the Olympic Torch comes to La Ronge Sat. Nov. 7.

All nominees were presented with gifts on behalf of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) and the Town of La Ronge; they were: LLRIB nominees - Leandra McLeod, of Grandmothers Bay; Kristian Cook, Little Red River; Morgan Bird and Sonja McKenzie. Nominees for the Town of La Ronge were: Ron Fiske and Eric Bell.

Natasha Boyes, 16, a Grade 11 student at Churchill Community High School (CCHS) will carry the Olympic Torch and light the Cauldron at the Mel Hegland Uniplex Nov. 7.

“I’m a bit nervous, but I’m excited – what pressure,” Boyes said.

She starts to run at the Health Centre and will “run to the Cauldron, which, I hope, will be outside. I haven’t heard too much about it yet,” she said.

Boyes is an active member of the La Ronge Air Cadets; In March 2008 in Valcartier, Que., Boyes participated in the Cadets’ National Junior Female Championships in Biathlon winning the Top Junior Female Cadet - the Nikki Keddie award - against 10,000 competitors.

In 2009, again in Valcartier, Boyes won a bronze medal, while competing as a senior. Biathlon involves a combination of crosscountry skiing and shooting; Boyes competes in both cadet and civilian Biathlon, which, she said, are quite different.

Cadet Biathlon focuses on safety, Boyes said. The Biathlete doesn’t carry his or her own rifl e while skiing, but in civilian, as a senior, she would.

The Biathlon usually begins and ends with skiing and in between each ski the biathlete shoots fi ve times. In the civilian Biathlon the competitor carries their own rifl e and ammunition; they are responsible for themselves, she said.

In civilian Biathlon the person shoots from both standing and prone, or lying on their stomach. In Cadet Biathlon the person shoots from the prone position only.

Boyes received the Top Cadet in her Flight award during a Cadet Athletics Instructor camp in Kingston, Ont. last summer.

Boyes’ hobbies include cross-country ski racing; she’s a member of the La Ronge Nordic Ski Team.

Boyes volunteers with the La Ronge Ski Club coaching young skiers; she organized and leads the Club’s Jack Rabbit program.

In school she participates in Track and Field and Cross-Country Running.

“Natasha has a positive outlook on life and is a great ambassador to all the youth in La Ronge showing that with hard work and determination you can do anything,” quoted from background information.

For Elecktra Charles, running with the Olympic Torch means coming home.

“It feels great being able to share this spectacular moment with my home town,” Elecktra Charles said following the announcement.

Charles received fi ve gold and one bronze medal at the North American Indigenous Games in British Columbia in running and javelin events; she is the winner of the Saskatoon City Championships in the Girls 800 and 1500 meter races and has been involved in volleyball, basketball, cross country running and track and field.

Elecktra is described by one of her school councillors and coach as a “very personable young woman who cares fi rst and foremost about those around her.”

She maintained a 93 per cent average since Grade 9, participates in school life.

She received the Tom Longboat Award for Saskatchewan, the Congress of Aboriginal Peoples Youth Achievement Award for Sports and the SaskTel Aboriginal Youth Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Both LLRIB and the Government of Saskatchewan nominated Elecktra; she will run as a Torchbearer for La Ronge.

“It’s really a huge honour for me, I can’t even express how grateful I am to be able to do this.” For Tanner Cook, he’s speechless.

“I’m excited … I’m honoured that I got picked. I’m kind of speechless.” Cook balances his life between hockey and homework throughout the winter.

He also plays volleyball; his team won a gold medal at the North American Indigenous Games in British Columbia and the FSIN and PAGC junior championships last fall.

“He is a quick learner, loves computers and completes his school work on time … He is the fi rst to volunteer,” quoted from background information.

Cook said he loves hunting and fi shing with family and friends on the trapline, using a snow machine in the winter and boat in summer.

“Tanner assists with cultural and community activities, such as setting nets with his Grade 9 class to catch fish for Elders in his community.

Anyone attending the Torch Relay festivities may pick up an Olympic Torch passport at the information kiosks Nov. 7 on the grounds of the Mel Hegland Uniplex, said Brandi Bell, a member of the Community Taskforce, who is planning the event.

The Passport is one of the ideas put forward to the committee as a vehicle to put as much information as possible in one place of people attending the event, Bell said.

Included in the Passport is a map indicating the location of each station and a place for a stamp.

The Passport was created as a way for people to fi nd their way around and have a souvenir of the event, Bell said.

Handicap Parking passes are available for anyone who needs one until 4 p.m. Fri. Nov. 6; people may get a pass by phoning Tammy Fiske at 420-8229.

The list of local entertainers for the event include: the La Ronge Gymnastics Club, The New Dawn Drum Group, Mme Pascalle Chabot’s Grade 2 and 3 Class from Pre-Cam Community School, the Churchill Community High School Chargers cheerleaders and the Grandmother’s Bay Square Dancers.

Valerie G. Barnes-Connell