Tony Overman/The Olympian

Kallenberg

Hasson

Tales From the Torch's Trek Through South Sound

Olympian staff

Originally published Thursday, January 24, 2002

Coca-Cola kid

Tumwater Middle School eighth-grader Thang Tran watched as his Olympic-themed artwork was unfurled on a 17-by-22-foot canvas mural Wednesday morning at the Olympia Farmers Market.

"It feels kind of special to be part of a world event," said Tran, a member of the Boys & Girls Club of Thurston County.

Tran was one of 115 youths in the nation selected by Coca-Cola to represent the Olympic spirit through art. Tran's mural urged the 2,000-person crowd to end war and share the Olympic warmth.

The corporation donated $1 million to the national Boys & Girls Club as part of the contest.

"I originally didn't want to do this, but my teacher, Ms. Gage, made me promise to do this," Tran said.

After Sept. 11, Gage said she and her students discussed war and peace in depth.

"I kind of picked him out and urged him to do this because I thought he'd win," Gage said. "He's creative and thoughtful."

Gage isn't Tran's only fan.

"He's a good boy, and I feel happy for him," said his mother, Ngyet Nguyen.

Making a statement

It was hard to tell if they were serious or not, but several Tumwater students took a shot at torch sponsor Coca-Cola's rampant advertising during Wednesday's event by taking sides with its rival.

Tumwater senior Travis Pennington was one of several students holding homemade signs touting the power of Pepsi.

"I like Pepsi," said Pennington, a standout on Tumwater's football and basketball teams. "They support our teams and our school."

Pennington spent most of his time as the torch rolled by trying to get on camera with his "I Love Pepsi" sign, sending a not-so-subtle message to the torch's sponsor.

"It's pretty commercialized," he said. "It's kind of one-sided. There wasn't any Coke at the original Olympics."

Keeping it flowing

Tumwater Police School Resource Officer Johnna Stevens spent most of her time Wednesday morning making sure nothing would detract from the arrival of the Olympic flame.

By keeping the streets clear beforehand and helping direct traffic afterward, Stevens helped the torch maintain its tight schedule through South Sound.

"It went really smooth," she said. "We worked with the state patrol, talking on the radio, so we would know where the torch was."

Even though she was busy keeping order, she made sure she kept an eye on the flame as it passed her by.

"It was absolutely awesome," she said.

Olympic history

Wednesday's visit by the Olympic flame had special significance for Gordon Kallenberg.

Kallenberg's father, Sune, was an Olympic swimmer for Sweden in the early 1900s.

"Because of my dad, I have a special tie to the torch," Kallenberg said. "It brings back a lot of memories. We still have my father's trophies and medals and every once in a while we bring them out and look at them."

Opportunity knocks

Among the hundreds at Lacey City Hall was Sarah Shea, who drove 21/2 hours from Port Angeles to be a part of Olympic history.

"I just wanted to see it," she said, frantically snapping pictures and handing a reporter her camera to take a picture with one of the torchbearers. "I just want to experience the spirit of seeing this. I think I'll remember it forever. It was worth the gas."

As the torch hit the road, so did Shea.

"I have to hurry, or I'll be late for work," she said.

Patriotic pastry

Visitors at the Shell gas station on Capitol Boulevard got a special treat early Wednesday in the form of red, white and blue doughnuts.

"Our baker made these for us," Andrea Hasson said, pointing to the rows of pastry topped with the patriotic icing. "We've been trying to get people to eat them."

Writer by day ...

Who says journalism doesn't have its perks?

The torchbearer given the plum job of carrying the torch through the Capitol Campus was Kimi Puntillo, an MSNBC reporter based in Seattle.

Salt Lake Olympic Committee officials hand-picked journalists throughout the country to bear the torch so they could write about it firsthand, said torch relay spokesman Burke Olsen.

"But we also select people who are inspirational," Olsen said.

Puntillo received the flame from Lacey's Sean Pugh, who carried the torch for a regional Special Olympics game in Chehalis in 1991. Puntillo passed the flame to Holly Gadbaw, who served 19 years on the Olympia City Council.

Speaking of inspirational

Paralympic track and field coach and Chinook Middle School teacher Bryan Hoddle carried the torch onto the stage at the Olympia Farmers Market on Wednesday, but his guest-in-tow garnered just as much attention.

Hoddle introduced Jeff Skiba, a 17-year-old from Sammamish. Skiba, who was born without a fibula in his lower left leg, tied the world record of 6 feet 5 inches for the Paralympic high jump last summer at the International Challenge track meet in Chula Vista, Calif.

While competing on his high school track and field team, Skiba said he jumped 6 feet 6 inches. Hoddle is helping Skiba train for the 2004 Paralympics in Athens, Greece.

Hoddle also has applied to coach the U.S. Paralympic team at the summer games. After exiting the market stage Wednesday, both were mobbed by young and old seeking photos and autographs.

"It's great to be out here for the torch ceremony," Skiba said.

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