Tony Batista, Osoyoos’s multiple-medal winning Special Olympian, won the hearts of the more than 2,000 people who came out to Gyro Beach on Jan. 24 to celebrate the Olympic Torch’s arrival in Osoyoos when he lit the Olympic cauldron and gave emotional thanks to the community, his family and event organizers for granting him the honour of helping to bring the Olympic flame into his home town. Photo by Laurena Weninger - Click on picture for larger image

OSOYOOS TIMES-January 27, 2010

“Here it comes!” rippled through the crowd of roughly 2,000 people that filled Gyro Park on the evening of Jan. 24.
The masses had huddled together, fending off a tolerable January chill, to take in the spectacle provided by local entertainers, VANOC and presenters from RBC and Coca-Cola.
But they were all awaiting one special moment.
Nine torchbearers were charged with delivering the Olympic flame from the base of Anarchist Mountain to downtown Osoyoos along Hwy. 3.
The last torchbearer was Tony Batista, who had received the flame from Chantelle Gilbert, and he made his way through the crowd to the stage, where he lit the cauldron.
“It was awesome… I was tearing up,” said Osoyoos’s Shannon Miller, about how she felt when Batista came into view. “The way this unites the whole world.”
Miller is a Grade 7 teacher in Oliver, and she said she has been focusing on the relay in her classroom.
“The power of fire, and the way fire unites people,” Miller said. “To think that it’s been all over Canada – it’s amazing.”
The festivities kicked off at 6 p.m., but the crowd really started rockin’ when Batista arrived.
The crowd went wild when Batista climbed up the stairs to the stage, hoisted the Torch above his head and strutted back and forth.
Osoyoos has likely never heard “O Canada” sung with quite as much gusto as when Batista paid tribute to his home and native land after taking the Olympic stage and lighting the Olympic cauldron.
“He was probably the most enthusiastic singer of the national anthem I have ever heard,” said Osoyoos Mayor Stu Wells when he got his chance at the microphone on stage during the celebration.
VANOC’s host for the show, Randy Ferguson, took some time on stage to outline Batista’s achievements, including his participation in Special Olympic sports.
Ferguson said that there needs to be more people like Batista in the world and even offered to take him along for the rest of the relay.
Batista gratefully turned him down but had an emotional few minutes on stage describing how happy he was that his family was there to cheer him on.
After the event, Batista said the Torch really wasn’t all that heavy.
“I liked it! I liked to carry the torch,” he said, with a smile that just wouldn’t stop. “All my family cheered for me. I feel perfect.”
After the songs were sung, the dancing came to a halt and the drums fell silent, Osoyoos’s Frank Zandvliet lit up the sky over Osoyoos Lake with a brilliant fireworks show.
The next morning, after resting at the Spirit Ridge Vineyard and Resort, the Torch came into the hands of Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie.
Band elder Modesta Stelkia-Betterton blessed the Torch before Louie headed out to start a new day of sharing the flame.
He was accompanied by several young band members, an escort of horses and the sounds of native drummers.
By 8:30 a.m. the Torch had reached the edge of town after passing by hundreds of people that had lined highways 3 and 97 to catch a glimpse of the flame before it left the area for Kelowna.

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