On March 2, Tara Wells will be living out a dream and achieving her goals.
Having taken up running this year, Wells was shocked and honoured to be chosen as a medal bearer for the Rick Hansen anniversary that will come through Penhold in March.
“It was definitely a shock when I found out,” said the smiling Wells. “I gave up smoking seven months ago and took up running. It’s really amazing how well this award has fit in with the personal decisions I’ve been making in my life,” she said Saturday morning at the community breakfast in Penhold where she found out.
“There were seven nominations,” said Coun. Heather Klein, and member of the Rick Hansen relay nomination committee to the public Oct. 18. “We went through three rounds of voting. It was not an easy decision,” she said of having to choose a community builder to carry the medal for 250 metres.
“She’s been such a big part of the community,” said Tyrone Mullen, a member of the nomination committee, of Wells. “She’s never shielded from taking on more and always goes above and beyond.” Wells, who is the community services manager for Penhold, has expanded the current youth club and jumped right into her position as if she’d always been a part of the community, he added. “She’s an active person and is making healthy choices for herself … these (attributes) made her stand out.”
Other nominees included Brenda Mahoney, Garrioch Crites, Greg Kaiser, Julia King, Phil and Rose Townsend and Wiltom Romney. Mahoney is the alternate. The remaining nominees’ names were cast in an online competition for a chance to be a medal bearer as well.
The Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay kicked off in Cape Spear, N.L. Aug. 24.
The relay will travel through more than 600 communities on its journey, which will last for nine months and stretch over 12,000 kilometres.
