Name :   Jean Belliveau

‍Do you have experience with the Canada Games? Yes, I was a volunteer at the Canada Winter Games in 1999.

‍What is your role in the 2023 Canada Games?  Planning volunteer or Games-time volunteer?  I will be volunteering during the two weeks of the Winter Games and hope to work as a statistician.

‍Why did you get involved with the 2023 Canada Games?  Participating as a scorekeeper at the Games will allow me to do things that I used to do when I was young, as I often did scorekeeping for field hockey.  

‍What does it mean to you to be a volunteer for the Games? Volunteering for the Canada Games is an opportunity to help and contribute to the success of the event.

‍What skills or qualities have you developed as a volunteer and are there any new skills or qualities you are looking to develop at the 2023 Canada Games?  I have a lot of computer knowledge, I am perfectly bilingual and I am very organized.  I am also patient, flexible and tolerant with others.  I want to offer my time and skills to ensure that we have good Games and a good contingent of French speaking volunteers.

‍What are you looking forward to most about the 2023 Canada Games?  I want the 2023 Canada Games to be a great success for the athletes and for Prince Edward Island.

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Name :   Claudette Thériault

‍Do you have experience with the Canada Games? No, this will be my first experience with the Canada Games.

‍What is your role in the 2023 Canada Games?  Planning volunteer or Games-time volunteer?  I am the head of the VIP Services and Protocol committee.  I have 15 to 20 people who will help me with the medal ceremonies.

‍Why did you get involved with the 2023 Canada Games?  The Canada Games is the biggest sporting event to come to the Island.  Since I have a lot of experience with event planning I wanted to help make this event a great success.

‍What does it mean to you to be a volunteer for the Games? I am proud to welcome the athletes and their families. I want them to have a pleasant stay with us and to make the Games a success.

‍What skills or qualities have you developed as a volunteer and are there any new skills or qualities you are looking to develop at the 2023 Canada Games?  As I mentioned earlier, over the years I have acquired a lot of expertise in planning VIP events and all the protocol surrounding these events. I have also been able to develop my leadership skills through my years of work and volunteerism.

‍What are you looking forward to most about the 2023 Canada Games?  I want the 2023 Canada Games to be an opportunity for athletes to not only participate but to do their best, to achieve great things and to make their time here on the Island memorable.

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Name :   Jeannette Gallant

‍Do you have experience with the Canada Games? I was part of the mission team for the 2009 Canada Summer Games in Prince Edward Island.

What is your role in the 2023 Canada Games?  Planning volunteer or Games-time volunteer? I was chosen as an official torchbearer and I am also registered as a volunteer for one week.    

‍Why did you get involved with the 2023 Canada Games?  It is very important for me because I realize that we are very lucky to host the Canada Games in PEI, and we, Francophones, need to be there to welcome the Francophone participants when they arrive and to serve them in their language.  I am very involved with the Jeux de l'Acadie and have been part of the Jeux de la francophonie canadienne on several occasions, so I am very happy to be volunteering at the next Canada Games in PEI.

‍What does it mean to you to be a volunteer for the Games? We are very fortunate to be able to host an event of this magnitude on the Island and I am very proud to be part of it.

‍What skills or qualities have you developed as a volunteer and are there any new skills or qualities you are looking to develop at the 2023 Canada Games?  I became the person I am today because of my volunteer work.  My volunteer work has been mostly with Francophone youth, which has been like free education for me. Through all the events I have been a part of and the people I have met while volunteering, I have learned a lot and made lifelong friendships.  I really enjoy having discussions with people around me to get their ideas, and this allows me to put the new things I learn into practice.  I look forward to making new friendships and I hope that maybe I can step out of my comfort zone, since right now I am not always comfortable in my second language, English.

‍What are you looking forward to most about the 2023 Canada Games?  That participants have unforgettable experiences on the Island and return home with beautiful memories that will last a lifetime. 

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Name :   Colleen Soltermann

‍Do you have experience with the Canada Games? No, I have no experience with the Canada Games.

What is your role in the 2023 Canada Games?  Planning volunteer or Games-time volunteer? I will be volunteering during the two weeks of the Winter Games.  

‍Why did you get involved with the 2023 Canada Games?  The Canada Games are an important event for Canada and for young Canadians! I have a long history of volunteering, including les Jeux de l'Acadie, and I want to live this experience from the inside versus as a spectator.

‍What does it mean to you to be a volunteer for the Games? Being a volunteer is an opportunity to show the youth of Canada that there is an Acadian and Francophone   community in Prince Edward Island and in all the provinces and territories of our country.  It is an opportunity to participate in an important event for youth that they will remember forever. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of volunteerism and that without volunteers these Games could not take place.  The young athletes will see the example and perhaps volunteer themselves one day.

‍What skills or qualities have you developed as a volunteer and are there any new skills or qualities you are looking to develop at the 2023 Canada Games?  My skills and qualities that are already developed are leadership, know-how, public speaking, the ability to motivate others to get involved, time management and patience.  A new skill that I would like to develop during these Games is interacting with youth.

‍What are you looking forward to most about the 2023 Canada Games?  An unparalleled experience for the youth and great memories.

Name: Hervé Poirier 

Do you have experience with the Canada Games? Yes If yes, in what role did you participate? During the 1991 Winter Games, I was a bilingual announcer for gymnastics. It was a big task because I had to translate the texts into French. I understand that for the 2023 edition, the translation will be done for us. 

What is your role in the 2023 Canada Games? Planning volunteer or Games-time volunteer? I will be a volunteer during the games. My preferences are announcer for a sport, working at an information kiosk or helping with award ceremonies and/or medal ceremonies.

Why did you commit to the 2023 Canada Games? For me, bilingualism is what motivated me. I don't want it to be just on the website, in ads and on posters. I want French to be present during the games and that people who participate can be served in their mother tongue. Also, I want to participate in order to contribute to the success of these games. I must also admit that as a retired teacher, getting involved meets a personal need. 

What does it mean to you to be a Games volunteer? It is to have the feeling of contributing to a national event, of committing myself to my community and supporting the youth that these games will bring together. I also hope to see someone (our visitors) leave with a smile. This is the spirit of welcome!

What skills or qualities have you developed as a volunteer and are there any new skills or qualities you are looking to develop at the 2023 Canada Games? If I was 20 years old, I could name some skills and qualities for you… I am patient, I have good interpersonal skills and above all I want to bring my bilingualism to life. I believe that the games will allow me to give as much as to receive and by the same token develop other skills and qualities. And as I mentioned before…my sense of bilingualism. 

What are you most looking forward to from the 2023 Canada Games? Personally, the feeling of having contributed concretely with my bilingualism to the success of the 2023 Winter Games. The feeling of pride!