Recent heroes
Read Their Stories, Be Inspired...
Lucy Scott
"This lifestyle I've moved towards feels so much better. I feel so strong."
Lucy didn't always walk or run five miles a day and work out tow or three times a week like she does now. A health scare at age 50 was the wake-up call that changed her life.
Since then, she and her husband have rafted the Grand Canyon, kayaked the open seas of Belize and hiked 200 miles from the Irish Sea to the North Coast of England. “I was totally amazed that I did it!”
The strength, stamina, confidence and courage from her training and adventures prompted Lucy to run a half marathon in 2009. She finished second in her age group! “It's very exhilarating feeling just to finish. I've signed up again!”
What could be next for Lucy? “As a kid, I always wanted to tap dance. I've decided now's the right time to try.”
Rick Harris
"The Ride to Conquer Cancer is 260km. I have always wanted to do this."
"My big passion is mountain biking," Rick declares. "I love to ride the North Shore," and to go camping, skiing, biking and hiking with his wife and eight year old son Nolan.
Rick lost a friend to cancer and has watched his mom survive cancer 3 times. So in December, he signed up to join over 1500 riders in the 260 kilometer Ride to Conquer Cancer from Vancouver to Seattle. "I renewed my fitness membership, started riding the bikes, using the treadmill, doing some weight training, and even ice skating on my lunch breaks."
"At 41, I started off the mountain biking season in the best shape I've ever been in for biking. The support of the recreation centres, this big ride as a goal, and raising money for a cause are super motivating. It's taken me to another level."
Update - 1701 riders took part in this years Ride to Conquer Cancer, and Rick and his fellow riders raised 6.9 million dollars! Congratulations to Rick and all of those who took part in the event.
Barrie Street
"Learning to swim was a dream come true"
Barrie is 73 years old, but you'd
never know it. With a youthful
smile, he proudly tells how he has
finished four Ironman
competitions, even though at age
48, he didn't know how to swim.
”I had been running marathons
and I saw clips of the Ironman”
with its trademark grueling
triathlon legs of running, biking
and swimming. With the support
and encouragement of Tom and
others at the William Griffin pool,
Barrie faced his
greatest challenge of all.
"It took me months to swim a length. I had no confidence. Without the skill and dedication of the North Vancouver Recreation Commission staff, I would not have realized my dream.”
Barrie's message to others? "Be
disciplined. You are going to do it! I've been to 50 countries and have
never seen the kind of programs
we have here. It's just amazing."
Kate Condon
"I like acting. It's my sport."
"I really like being on stage and singing," says Kate, age 12. "I want to get better, to train. That's why I love taking these programs."
Kate is passionate about acting. One of her favourite programs was the Uncle Randy Productions spring break drama camp at Centennial Theatre. Every day for a week they worked on singing and acting skills, and even got to write their own script. Then at the end of the week, they put on a performance. "My mom said it was really amazing, that it looked so professional for how little time we had," says Kate with pride.
Jeff Torres
"I believed I could be anything."
At the end of high school, Jeff realized he needed to move his life in a positive direction. With no triathlon experience and sheer determination, Jeff signed up for the Penticton Ironman. "I wanted to convince myself it was possible." says Jeff.
To complete the gruelling swim, bike and run, Jeff trained for a year and was the youngest male finisher that day.
The experience has changed him. Jeff's raised close to $10,000 for charity and now spends his time working as a lifeguard at our northvanrec pools and plans to travel to Africa to help others.
Pat Hadley
"My idea of life is that if you keep moving, you add years to your life. I do something every day."
Not may people would guess that pat is 83 years young. His face lights up when he talks about his active life and how he has run 32 marathons and logged over 70,000 miles!
"When I was 18, I was 220 pounds. Then I started eating right and being active. No smoking or drinking. " Still busy in the real estate market, Pat says his work is sometimes stressful, "but an hour at the gym and it all goes away."
"John Braithwaite Community Centre is super for me. " Pat lives close to the centre, and works with the free weights every Tuesday and Thursday.
Susan Benavides
Most of the users of the William Griffin Centre know Susan's smiling face. This busy mother of three has been working at the William Griffin front desk for over 2 years. Susan's favourite part of her job is interacting with the members and finding out their stories. "Everyone has a story to share," she says.
Susan's favourite ways to stay active are walking and attending aerobics classes at Memorial Gym. "I like walking. It's time for myself, away from the daily grind. It relaxes me and makes me feel good."
Susan and her family moved to Vancouver from the Philippines three years ago. She loves how accessible recreation is to the community.
Brooke Spence
"I think about it now and it makes me enjoy what I can do even more."
In her last semester of university Brooke tore her ACL. This competitive rower refused to let the injury sideline her; she was determined to keep competing. " I worked with a trainer for 4-5 hours a day for a month and a half and I had an awesome semester!"
At the end of the semester Brooke had her ACL operated on and though that should have been the end of it, a serious infection after the surgery sidelined her again. But Brooke was determined to stay in shape. "I was going to the gym and doing all of the rehab myself. I was definitely committed to getting it better."
Brooke celebrated her complete recovery by running the Vancouver Marathon in May 2008.
Do you know an Active Hero?
Nominate your active hero by using our on-line nomination form. Once a month we will draw from all of the nominations that we receive, and your nominee could be the the lucky winner of a one month fitness membership.
