Day 24 and 25 Cole Harbor to Halifax, Nova Scotia

Okay, hopefully I'm back on track! Day 24 started in Dartmouth, just over the bridge from Halifax,( background)  it was our home base for 5 nights.

many in motion 7000 medal bearers across Canada

Jake is the host again today, we have another awesome group. Doug Wright, 2nd from the left in the back row, was Rick Hansen's wheelchair basketball coach for 5 years

Jordan leading our end of day celebration in Halifax and the Canada Games Center, a building that was built in time for the 2011 Canada winter games. With him is Jeff, the last medal bearer of the day.

The Canada games center

Oh boy!, more hot dogs and hamburgers thanks to Atlantic superstore for supplying the food and the volunteers.

Another inspirational speech from Rick Hansen. I was told he rarely uses notes and everything he says comes from the heart

The crowd listens to Rick, then gets in line for up to 2 hours to get an autograph

Most of the medal bearers for the day came out to the end of day celebration

What would any event be in Canada without a pipe band

Shelley here ran in Halifax today, while her two daughter ran in Porter's Lake the day before.

The wine. When Jeremy, Andrew , and I went to Twillingate, Newfoundland (to be continued) , we went to Auk Island winery for a tour. Well after paying the three dollars, we tried 25 different wines, then decided to have a case sent to Halifax, which seemed like a good idea at the time. Not so much when you are moving all the time. They had some awesome fruit wines, and could not resist. Cheers!

Day 25 started with the drivers on the relay taking all the vehicles for servicing. Some went to honda in Dartmouth, whil the larger vehicles went to a ford dealership in Halifax

Later in the day, about ten of us went to Ronald Mcdonald house in Halifax to cook dinner for the familes that were staying there. What a humbling experience

For better or for worse

Linda, who runs the house gave us a talk about the house, and a tour

Play area for the kids

Huge kitchen for the familes to share

piano

The team plans the taco dinner strategy

Hank and Wendy, slicin and dicin

These picture were on the stairwell wall. They were drawn by a sick girl by the name of Nadia Hache. I was told that she had stayed there for awhile. Now she is in New Brunswick, and unfortunately she will not win her battle. That's what I mean by humbling.

Large family area

Nice welcome sign

This house was big, it had 17 bedrooms, 2 beds per room, shared bathrooms, and family/kitchen area. I believe there is a minimal charge, and everything is provided or the families. The longest stay for family was one year. The children's hospital is very near by.

A lot of milk

Did not take long for Hank to feel right at home

Well, what would a party be without Ronald!

Ronald did a great job, even had a magic act.

Smiley faces, something for the grumpy old men on the relay (not me of course) 

Nick, one of our endurance athletes and me are in charge of burning, I mean browning the hamburger

Ronald schtick

getting a head of ourselves, that was later in the evening, oops

time to eat

when the familes were done, it was our turn

Zuess, one of the voulunteers on the left, with one of the staff, and another volunteer, I apologize, the names escape me. I was told Zuess is in grade 12, and on the week-ends and in the summer he volunteers for up to 12 hours a day. It was a great experience to interact with the familes, their stories were heartbreaking and heartwarming. One dad told me 2 weeks ago he was working on the pipeline in Alberta, now he is staying here for the next six months, while his 16 year old daughter receives treatment for lukemia. There is a huge support network here, and there is a group effort to make everyone feel at home

Okay, later on, to unwind, went to the hockey game. The Halifax Mooseheads against the Moncton Wildcats. They play in the Quebec Majour Junior league. The game tonight was a little lackluster, but it was nice to see some hockey again!

Andrew, Mike, and Jeremy

The best part of the game, the Timbits kids hockey game between periods

it all about the moose

good crowd, about 5000. Just like me, I forgot my phone there, had to go back to the rink, bang on the door til someone let me in, then search in the dark til I found it. C'est la vie!