2001 Reunion of the 1980 Olympic Torch Team

Article and column that appeared in the Lake Placid News and the Adirondack Daily Enterprise following the reunion weekend

Article by Lee Manchester - December 28th -Lake Placid News

Torchbearers and families who attended:
Steve Simon with wife Paula, son Kyle and daughter Carolyn
Bob Lopez
Maureen Sullivan DeRobertis with sons Trevor and Ryan and daughter Amanda
Mary Ellen Williams with husband Bob
Richard Soaper
Meg Walworth
Shirley Durtschi
Andrea Harris
Dot Helling
Beverly Johnson with Daughters Vika and Darya and son Dennis
Ed Jepson with wife Mary Jo
Suzy Mink
Nancy Cloughen Caswell with husband Fred
Chris Ownes
Cindel Stewart Johnson with husband Mike
Vickie McCormick McKenney with husband Ed
Sandee Norris with husband David Allen

Following photos supplied by the Johnsons, Jepsons, Andrea Harris and Lee Manchester:

FRIDAY - December 28, 2001
6 pm - North Elba Show Grounds - Rededication ceremonies of the Rev. Bernard Fell 1980 Olympic Flame Tower

Chris Ortloff and Steve Simon before the rededication ceremony

Steve Simon, representing the torchbearers giving a brief speech

Tower and flame the day after the dedication

Bob Lopez

MaryEllen, Suzy and Meg

Andrea

Members of the 1980 Olympic Organizing Committee and guests including Jack Shea

Ed and Mary Jo

Andrea and the flame!

Harts' home on Friday evening, with Chris Ortloff and Lee Manchester center front.

7 pm - Olympic Center Museum - 1980 Torchbearers Reception

SATURDAY - December 29, 2001
8:30 am - Hall of Fame Room, Olympic Center - "Breakfast with Snoopy"

Dot Helling with the Berlin Torch which is what her father carried in the 1936 Torch relay!

with Snoopy in front of the museum's torch collection

Vika, Dennis, and Darya with 1980 Silver Medalist Linda Fratiani

Dennis and Darya with Sidney Torch

9:30 am - Complimentary Mt. Van Hoevenberg bobsled rides - Most of the torchbearers and families took the jouncing 1/2 mile ride (Darya and I opted to not stress our necks)

Left - Mary Jo and Ed Jepson

Suzy, Dot and Richard

Vickie celebrating her ride To the right Maureen trying to get the helmet off with her earing stuck in it. Finally they had to move the bobsled off the course to remove the helmet and take the picture (below)

Maureen, son Trever, daughter Amanda, Bev's daughter Vika

Maureen's son Ryan and Dennis to the right

Dennis, Bev and Vika	Cindel
	Mike, Ed and Chris

Noon - Complimentary Lunch - then the USA Women's Olympic Hockey Team vs. Russia

USA team beat Russia 11 to 0 - Later at the next arena we watched some of the Dartmouth vs. Germany

2:30 and 3:30 - Group splits into two groups going to the 2002 Olympic Flame reception at Mt Hoevenberg Bobsled and Intervale Ski Jump Lodge. The flame will take a run down the bobsled and then a jumper will take the flame down the ski jump. Two of our Torchbearers, Chris Owens and Sandee Norris had the honor of running with the 2002 flame in the relay.

Sue Ortloff (Chris' sister) was the first 2002 torchbearer who took
the flame from the bobsled at the end of its run.

While waiting for the flame to arrive we took a few pictures in front of the jumps. Chris and Sandee were out along the route running the flame!

Sandee Norris and Chris Owens, the two 1980 Torchbearers who were tapped
at the last minute to fill in for 2002 Torchbearers who weren't able to make it.

Jim Rogers had the honor of carrying the flame up the chair lift near the top of the jump.

	2002 torch relay preparation

The Johnsons (Stephen stayed home to care for the animals)

5:30 pm - North Elba Show Grounds - Salute to the 2002 Torch and flame!

Salt Lake Torch being passed down the line of 1980 Torchbearers
Ed Jepson is handing it up to Linda Fratianne, the 1980 silver-medal figure skater,
who was the 2002 Torchbearer who carried it into the North Elba Show Grounds,
where the Lake Placid Olympic Flame Tower is located.

Chris and Sandee with their 2002 uniform to the right

Passing the 2002 flame

7:00 Speedskating Oval - 2002 torch lights cauldron on stage

Jack Shea "I am a peacemaker as an Olympian" 91-year-old 1932 double-gold medalist Jack Shea was killed by a drunk driver January 21, 2002 in Lake Placid. He was so looking forward to attending the SLC games and watching his grandson, the only third-generation Olympian in history, compete. Click here to see more photos of Jack taken by Jonathan Ortloff.

Picture from Lee of Sandee Norris, her 1980 uniform on top of her white 2002 Torchbearer uniform, in the audience on the Lake Placid Olympic Speedskating Oval on Saturday night, Dec. 29, just after two-time 1932 Olympic gold medalist Jack Shea lit the Olympic Flame Cauldron on the stage, which you can see behind her. "Great illustration of the old and new flames that came together that weekend -- so many kinds of inspiration!"

7:30 Olympic Center - Supper with Salt Lake Torch road crew

We had dinner with the 2002 Olympic Flame in these miners lamps

We all had the opportunity to hold one of the 2002 Olympic Torches!

8 pm - 1980 rink, Olympic Center - Coronation Ice Spectacular ice show

SUNDAY - December 30, 2001
10 am - US Olympic Training Center - "Breakfast of Champions" with the USA Women's Hockey Team!

Carolyn, Trevor, Ryan, Amanda, Vika, Darya, Kyle and Dennis

Above Andrea Kilbourne -Forward USA hockey Team hometown Saranac Lake Left - Chris Bailey No. 24 - hometown Marietta, NY

Breakfast with the USA Women's Hockey Team

Sunday morning breakfast group just before departing - Lee Manchester in back row under the Olympic rings

Steve Shoup with Paula Woods who had just run with the 2002 flame on Central Avenue (aka Route 66) in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

January 12, 2002  Steve Shoup couldn't make the reunion but he was in New Mexico when the flame came through January 12, 2002 and he sent a couple of pictures.