Crowds drawn to a single flame

The Olympic torch relay was in Bear River as part of a cross-Canada journey that started Oct. 30 in Victoria, B.C., after being lighted Oct. 22 in Olympia, Greece.

After stopping first in Annapolis Royal on Thursday, where it attracted a crowd of about 2,000 people, the torch arrived in Bear River about 11:30 a.m.

Fifteen-year-old Cruzer Meuse, dressed in white Olympic clothing, had a crowd of excited adults and youth gather around as the torch was lit.

Meuse led everyone up the road to the Bear River First Nation Heritage and Cultural Centre for a blessing of the torch.

“I’m very happy to be carrying the torch,” Meuse said. “I watched it on television last night and it looked pretty cool. Everybody was all walking behind him, it made me nervous.”

Among the children in the crowd excited to see the torch were Michael LeBlanc, Felicia Gaudett and Sherry MacDonald, and they all found it memorable to walk with the torch as well.

“It’s definitely a once in a lifetime thing,” said Gaudett.

Paul Hammill and his wife, who moved to Bear River just over a year ago, came out to see the torch.

“I think it’s pretty cool for such a small community to see something so global, it’s brilliant,” he said.

After the blessing, Meuse and the crowd finished their walk back down the street before the Olympic torch relay crew packed up for the torch’s next appearance in Yarmouth.



ldelong@digbycourier.ca