Utah gets thumbs up from South Sound visitors

FARHANAZ KERMALLI, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published Sunday, February 24, 2002

SALT LAKE CITY -- Serving hot dogs and chili while listening to the sounds of an Olympic medal ceremony isn't such a bad gig for Braden Ellis.

"You can always tell when an American athlete wins a medal, especially a gold, because the crowd goes crazy," said Ellis, 21, a college student from Lacey.

He is one of several South Sound people lending their skills to the Winter Games.

Some are attending colleges and universities in Utah, while others went there to work or volunteer at the Olympics.

Ellis works in one of the main refreshment tents at Medals Plaza, feeding the cold and hungry -- gold-medal figure skater Tara Lipinski among them.

"The spirit around here is pretty amazing," he said. "It's just a spirit of camaraderie and friendliness, and people in general seem to be really happy."

Even though he hasn't had the chance to watch any events, Ellis is soaking up the environment. "I'm really glad I'm here. It's a once in a lifetime experience."

The upbeat atmosphere spreads all the way to The Canyons resort in Park City, the base of NBC's "Today" show and the site of some rowdy but manageable nighttime concerts that draw about 500 people.

"It's fun. Everybody is walking around in a good mood," said Derek McClellan, 24, a Lacey native.

As a security guard patrolling the grounds and the NBC facilities, McClellan has firsthand experience with the Games' stringent security. After leaving his car to warm up unattended one night, he was stopped and interrogated by the FBI for 20 minutes.

"The Olympics are fun, but I'm excited for them to be over," he said. "I'm kind of tired of the extra security that we've had here. It's just a hassle."

The past couple weeks have offered McClellan, a full-time guard at the resort, the added bonus of meeting celebrities, including actor Kevin Costner, "Today" show hosts Katie Couric, Matt Lauer and Al Roker, and the king of Norway.

The crowds make for some wacky stories, like the time two shirtless men with painted chests waited in below-freezing temperatures for attention on the NBC morning program.

"I don't think it worked," McClellan said.

Not all of the volunteers have witnessed such wild incidents.

Rachel Johnson, 23, of Olympia said she appreciates the family atmosphere.

"I've seen so many families come together to watch their children compete," said Johnson, who volunteers as a Temple Square tour guide as part of her mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Whatever events in the United States allow families to be closer together, it's a great thing."

As a student majoring in exercise and sport science, "it's been really interesting to work with some Olympic athletes, like the Swedish hockey team and a crew from China," she said. "I might miss that."

Johnson said visitors seem to especially appreciate the history of the buildings that occupy the 35-acre Temple Square, home of the Tabernacle and Mormon Temple.

"They just want to walk around and have a good time and take pictures," she said.

The long lines to pass security checkpoints have not caused crowds to turn away.

"Even if you're a missionary, you still need to go through security," she said. "There are a lot more procedures and precautions."

Fellow missionary and tour guide Kathryn Corier, 23, of Olympia has noticed the diverse crowds are pleasantly surprised at what the city and its residents have to offer.

"They say, 'The Mormons are very nice,' " she laughs. "They love Salt Lake; they always remark on how friendly the people are."

She acknowledges that the city's role as a center of Mormon life draws the curious and the skeptical.

"For the most part, they're all really friendly," Corier said. "But there's a little bit of tension."

For Corier, one of the greatest advantages of being involved in the Games is not related to celebrity or fanfare.

"It's really neat that the Olympics are breaking down cultural barriers," she said.

"There are people from all over. It's a wonderful opportunity to learn how to speak people's culture as well as their language."

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