Despite the blustery weather outside, the spirit at the first-ever national MNP Canada Games Torch Relay that went through Rimbey on Jan. 23 was buoyant and enthusiastic.

Rimbey Mayor Rick Pankiw, one of the torchbearers, said the event was “absolutely phenomenal.

“I was honoured to join Myron Feser, Donna Hateley, Jason Nixon, Mark Groves and Tracy Brittain

Loyek, as the Roly McLenahan Torch traveled through the Town of Rimbey. It served as an inspiration for us all.”

Pankiw said he was pleased with the crowd that showed up, noting that the inclement weather did nothing to dampened the spirits of everyone who showed up for the event.

Val Browne, who photographed the event for the Review said she enjoyed her role.

It was an amazing feeling to be a small part of the torch relay. The camaraderie and the high spirits was not diminished by the cold and snow.

“The MNP Canada Games Torch Relay is an exciting opportunity to share the spirit of the Canada

Games across the nation,” said Lyn Radford, Board Chair of the 2019 Canada Winter Games Host

Society. “We are proud to partner with MNP to deliver the first-ever national MNP Canada Games

Torch Relay and celebrate sport and culture in communities across the nation from now until the

Opening Ceremony of the 2019 Canada Winter Games in Red Deer.”

“For MNP, the opportunity to participate in the coast-to-coast Torch Relay is a real honour and a

wonderful way for us, as a ‘Made in Canada’ firm, to celebrate our 60th anniversary,” said Jason

Tuffs, Chief Executive Officer of MNP. “We wish all the athletes, their families, Games organizers,

leadership and volunteers a fun and successful 2019 Canada Winter Games.”

As part of Canada Games tradition, the Roly McLenahan Torch was lit from the Centennial Flame

on Parliament Hill with guest of honour the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and

Sport, on October 4, 2018. From Ottawa, the torch journeys across Canada for the first time in the

52 year history of the Canada Games.

The MNP Canada Games Torch Relay visits almost 50 communities across Canada through a

series of torch relay and community celebration stops before arriving in Red Deer for the opening ceremony of the 2019 Canada Winter Games on Feb. 15.