Jennifer Gavin

2009 Mission Staff, Communications Nova Scotia

Cell: 902-219-1137

Email: gavinjm@gov.ns.ca

Mission Staff Named for 2009 Team Nova Scotia – Canada Games

Friday, August 22, 2008 (HALIFAX, NS) – The Mission Staff of 16 volunteers has been chosen to support Team Nova Scotia for the 2009 Canada Summer Games.

The Games will be held from August 15-29 on Prince Edward Island. Nova Scotia athletes, coaches, managers, and artists will be competing in 18 sports. Leading and supporting the teams will be a well-organized, experienced group of volunteers known as the Mission Staff. The Mission Staff liaise with the host society, and work prior to, during and after the Games to ensure that the athletes, artists, coaches, and managers can concentrate on their competitions and performances while at the games.

"As Chair of Sport Nova Scotia’s Canada Games Management Committee it gives me great pleasure to announce the Nova Scotia Mission Staff which will assist with the overall organization of Team Nova Scotia for the upcoming 2009 Canada Summer Games," said Kevin Cameron. "Our selection committee was highly impressed with the number of very qualified applications. The Mission Staff are important to the success of Team Nova Scoria and we feel we have selected a qualified team. Many of these volunteers have served on a mission staff, coached or competed in previous Games."

Mission staff co-ordinate the participation of Team Nova Scotia in each Canada Games. They help prepare athletes, coaches and managers, assist with registration, arrange transportation and provide support throughout the event.

"Nova Scotia has a reputation for recruiting talented and experienced volunteers for the Games. This group is no exception," said Ron O’Flaherty, Chef de Mission for Team Nova Scotia. "Our mission staff is key to our team's success and I know that this group will work hard to serve our athletes and coaches well."

Leading the Mission Staff, Ron O'Flaherty, of Hubbards, former executive director of the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation, will assume the role Chef de Mission. O’Flaherty was Assistant Chef de Mission of the 2007 Winter Games held in Whitehorse.

Glenn Johnston joins the Mission Staff as Assistant Chef de Mission. Johnson is the former executive director for both Rugby Nova Scotia and Ringette Nova Scotia.

O'Flaherty and Johnson will lead 14 Mission Staff from across Nova Scotia:

Sharon Daikens, Halifax

Ann Dodge, Falmouth

Paula DeLorey, Pomquet

Trevor Doyle, Sackville

Kathy Spurr, Halifax

Donna White, New Waterford

Selena Davidson, Mahone Bay

Tamara Stephen, Halifax

Michelle Aucoin, Antigonish

Shawn Smale, Halifax

Darrell Dempster, Sackville

Paul Long, Guysbourough

Jennifer Gavin, Halifax (Communications Nova Scotia)

Janet Lynn McNeil, Halifax (Communications Nova Scotia)

The Canada Games is the country's largest amateur multi-sport event. More than 4,400 athletes, coaches and managers will gather on PEI to compete in 18 sports.

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