A Drumheller man’s Olympic experience hit close to home when he made a connection with a co-worker at the event who has special memories of the valley… and he has the paper to prove it.
     Bruce Thompson, a retired corrections officer from Drumheller, worked at the Vancouver Olympics as a security supervisor at Whistler. This was a ‘working holiday’ and he met people from all over the country and the globe.
    Being proud of the valley, he brought along a collection of Town of Drumheller pins to give out at the Olympics. Often he would give these pins to some of the crew that he worked with, especially when they performed a good job.
    He presented a man named Maurice Escobar, one of his co-workers, with a pin.
    Escobar was elated. Originally from Costa Rica, Escobar came to Canada more than two decades ago. Not long after he arrived, he visited the valley.
    His visit made an impression on him, because shortly after Thompson gave him the pin, Escobar went home to Burnaby and came back with a copy of The Drumheller Mail from October of 1990. He has been saving the paper as a souvenir for 20 years.
    “He was so happy to show me the paper,” said Thompson.
    Thompson said beyond his experience with Escobar, he was surprised at how many people he met were aware of Drumheller, and what the entire valley has to offer.
    “It was interesting how many knew of Drumheller and had visited,” Thompson told The Mail. “If they hadn’t seen it, they wanted to come and see it.”
    Thompsons says his Olympic experience was amazing, made even better by his experience with Escobar. The pair struck up a friendship and Thompson told him the next time they meet, Escobar is to bring the paper.
    Interestingly enough, Escobar, who was working in security, is interested in going into corrections.

    It has been confirmed there will be a running road race in Drumheller this fall, and it has Community Futures' name written all over it.
    Community Futures in Drumheller is the naming sponsor for the event, officially called the Community Futures Big Country Dinosaur Valley Half Marathon. It is scheduled for Sunday, September 12, and is the first of what is planned to become an annual event.
    “In celebration of our 25th year of operation as Community Futures, we are more than pleased to be able to help launch this first annual road race.  Our goal is to create yet another event that will attract athletes and spectators to the area in our shoulder season,” said Wayne Hove general manager of Community Futures.
    The tag line for the Dinosaur Half is “Run Drumheller…It’s in your backyard.”
    The challenging, but scenic 21 kilometre race is open to all runners of all abilities. It starts at the Little Church and heads directly north up the gravel hill to Fox Coulee, and then will head east past the airport. It will proceed down into the valley where it will join up with Highway 9, travel down the “North Hill” into Drumheller, and then head back west to end at the Royal Tyrrell Museum. Spectators will have a great opportunity to view the race along Dinosaur Trail.
    Coordinating chair and avid runner Colin Kloot said the event is long overdue. 
    “I have been dreaming of staging a race in Drumheller for some years,” said Kloot.  “Thanks to Wayne Hove and Community Futures, this dream will become a reality. The course is very challenging and highlights all aspects of our community, of fering views of the valley, grain fields, the oldest oil jacks in the area, The Handhills and of course, Dinosaur Trail.”
    He adds, all profits will be donated to the Badlands Community Facility.
     There are categories for all ages and prizes will be awarded to the first three runners in:
• Male and female runners 18 and younger
• Male and female 19 through 39
• Male and female 40 through 49
• Male and female 50 through 59
•Male and female 60 and older