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Motion medal bearers sought

More prospective participants are needed for the Many in Motion tour’s Nelson leg next spring.

More prospective participants are needed for the Many in Motion tour’s Nelson leg next spring.

Kim Palfenier of the Nelson Regional Sports Council, who is part of the organizing committee, says so far they have about 15 applications, but need closer to 40.

Each person will each cover 250 metres — running, wheeling or hopping — while carrying a silver medal specially crafted by the Royal Canadian Mint.

Medal bearers are needed when the tour arrives on Thursday, April 19 and as it leaves for Castlegar on Sunday, April 22. The deadline to sign up online at rickhansenrelay.com/en is December 28. You must be at least 13 and available for three hours.

The relay, currently winding through Ontario, marks the 25th anniversary of Rick Hansen’s Man in Motion world tour. It began in August in Newfoundland and will cover 12,000 kilometers by the time it reaches Vancouver on May 22. Hansen has been present at some stops, but not all.

The Nelson portion begins on the orange bridge, follows a route downtown along Front, Ward, Baker, and Vernon Streets, and ends up at the community complex for a special event.

The committee gets to decide the final bearer. Palfenier says they have someone in mind, but it’s being kept secret, as it isn’t official yet.

The next day will be devoted to school visits, and although the Saturday is scheduled as an off day, it’s possible there may be another event anyway.

“The whole purpose of this is to educate a new generation,” Palfenier says. “It’s gone from Man in Motion to Many in Motion. [Hansen] really wants to honour and pinpoint the community people that make a difference.”