Why I joined Team Darfur

Growing up in Kitchener, Ontario I was blessed with an amazing family, stability, and support. It was through this amazing support network that I was introduced to a different world, a rough world that kids face everyday. When I was in Grade 7, my teacher Mr. Covey who is also an activist, showed a bunch of 13year old kids that their voices had power. We learned about child labour, mostly focused in the Philippines. In that class, we formed a coalition against Child Labour, one of my classmates made it all the way to Parliament to speak on behalf of this group. Our voices were heard, awareness was raised, and pressure for change turned into action.

Since that time I have always known I wanted to be a part of positive change in the world. As an Olympic Athlete I have been given an opportunity to inspire and lead in Canada and around the world. Last year I joined Right to Play as an Ambassador and I am extremely excited about that relationship. Teaching the world’s children how to play and learn through sport is a simple, pure, and perfect initiative, one that I am proud to be a part of.

However, I felt there was more I could do. It was then that I was approached by Team Darfur to ask if I would be interested in joining their cause. Team Darfur is an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan. I am extremely excited to represent this movement. Team Darfur have affiliations with Right to Play so I spoke with Right to Play to get a better sense of this organization. Obviously, I was impressed with Team Darfur’s mission and the people running it.

I have been told Darfur is a political issue and therefore I’ve seen people back away from this cause. Often organizations and individuals back away from topics of a politically-motivated nature. However, when I thought about what a politically motivated topic was, I usually fell on issues where both sides made valid points. However, with regards to Darfur the issues are simple. You are either for or against genocide.

Like many people I had a vague understanding about the Darfur Crisis. From the news, the Oprah special, etc. I had a generalized picture of what was going on in Darfur. The ethnic based violence began in 2003, and it’s still happening. It is estimated that 400,000 people have been killed as a result of this conflict and 2.5 million have been pushed out of their homes. Sadly, causes come in and out of popularity with the public, my hope is too help keep Darfur in the public eye, giving this cause voice and strength.

The mantra of Team Darfur is to Learn, Fight, Lead, and Unite. Currently they are working towards influencing the Chinese government to put pressure on Sudan and evoke real and lasting change for Darfur. China purchases two thirds of Sudan’s oil and sells weapons to them. China has a lot of pull in Sudan, and hopefully in the spirit of Olympic Ideals China will use their weight to evoke lasting change in Darfur. If you are interested in supporting an Olympic Truce for Darfur sign this letter at:

http://teamdarfur.org/truce

I believe in the power of one, I believe in the power of voice, and I hope the addition of my voice will help this coalition of athletes move towards peace in Darfur.

Summer Training and Adventures

Summer training is now well underway with many hours already logged on the bike, in the gym, and jumping around. I enjoyed May because I got a chance to get into a regular routine at home. Although I wasn't there all month, it was a great block of time to unwind. I loved the change of pace and the chance to just be home. Amazingly, it took me two weeks just to get over feeling like I had to leave soon. Once I finally realized I was truly home for a block of time I settled in beautifully.

Near the end of May I made a quick visit to Ontario for my sister's Bachelorette party which was amazing! It's not often I get to be a part of big events with my family and friends, so I really cherished getting to share this evening with my sister. It was also a surprise for Laura, she didn't know I was coming for the weekend's festivities! Other than the bachelorette party my weekend in Kitchener was full of family and a few close friends. I enjoyed an amazing dinner with my brother and their girlfriends, a rare chance to connect with them and just hang out. The weekend finished with a wedding shower that was held by Laura's soon to be mother in law - Jean Lanktree. They were a fun group of women, I'm sure the wedding will be amazing!

After my time in Ontario I got another solid week in of training before hitting the road again, this time to Beijing with David. We stayed in a district called Shunyi which is about 45min from downtown Beijing. It's a quiet area that is very 'westernized' and rather wealthy. We were lucky enough to be invited to two local BBQ's with people living in the villas around the hotel. This was a rare opportunity to talk with extremely worldly people about their experiences living in Beijing. An interesting insight into their worlds and different aspects of China.

Our time in Beijing was mostly spent training. I helped David out at the river as much as I could and did my training in the hotel gym (which was fully equipped - a huge bonus that made my life easy). We were using town bikes to get around our area and to go to and from the river. We fit right into the Chinese culture - although I think many of the locals found us quite humorous on our bikes! The venue David will be racing on is spectacular. The club house is massive, the river is monstrous, and the stands that were being built will create the most amazing amphitheatre for the Games. Sadly I will be unable to join David at the games since my team's training camps recently got changed which put me in New Zealand during his competitions. Still, having been there I know he's in good hands and my heart will be with him for every stroke.

Other than training, we did get in a few adventures. We visited the Silk/Pearl Market in Downtown Beijing (pictures below). This was quite an experience to see the pollution in Beijing, barter for deals at the market, and eat dinner out in town. It wasn't the China I had expected though, the city wasn't a sea of bicycles, rather, it was a modern core with a typical flow of beautiful cars (most of them brand new since many were likely bought in the last 5 to 10 years). However, if you looked closely enough you'd see another side of China, for example, in the horrible lodging conditions for the construction workers on building sites.

Another adventure was my trip to the Great Wall. This truly was a highlight in my life, it was spectacular. There aren't many tourist attractions that you can experience, touch, climb, and feel alive on. We hiked for just under 2 hours, much of it running because we were so excited and into the experience. The way up and down from the wall in Mutianyu were interesting as well, with a chairlift ride up and a luge ride down! I was in my element on the chairlift and with the speed going back down! Heading back to the hotel I found myself once again in my element as we checked out the indoor ski hill! I had just bought a massive fur hat in the markets, so I sported that for an impromptu photoshoot...lots of laughs I can assure you.

I'm now back home for a short stay since I leave on Sunday for a training camp in Calgary. The next four weeks will be busy since three of them will be spent travelling to lift weights in a gym as a team in either Calgary or Ottawa.

I'll keep you up to date as the summer continues.

Many Smiles,

Kelly