Shania donates torch

Posted By CHELSEY ROMAIN, THE DAILY PRESS

During a special, invitation-only event Saturday at the Shania Twain Centre, Twain donated both the torch she carried during the New Year's Day Olympic Torch Run, as well as the torchbearer outfit she wore. Both will now be on display at the centre.

Laughren thanked Twain once again for participating in the final leg of the Timmins portion of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay.

He called the hometown superstar an inspiration of what hard work and perseverance can mean.

"Shania, since your rise to fame, you have be a tireless ambassador for our community," Laughren said. "Your generous participation during the Timmins leg of the Vancouver Olympic Torch Run, has again allowed the spotlight to shine on our community while we profiled our pride in the Olympic spirit."

Twain, dressed casually in Roots Canada gear, thanked everyone for allowing her to be a part of the ceremony and, as she handed the torch over to Laughren, explained why she decided to put a piece of hockey tape on the torch itself.

"I put some hockey tape around the base of mine so that it wouldn't slip out of my hand," she laughed. "I thought it would be rather embarrassing if I dropped the torch."

Both Laughren and Twain agreed the hockey tape was fitting for a community that had so much pride in the sport itself and the mayor joked that it would be the only torch in Canada complete with the addition.

"It was a real great honour to be able to hold it for those few minutes and it's my pleasure to pass it on to you," said Twain.

The outfit to be displayed will include the toque, shoes, jacket, pants and mittens Twain wore as she ran the torch to the stage to light the ceremonial cauldron. She said it was a pleasure to be able to donate items to the centre and called it an honour every time she visited the centre.

"Every time I come into this building, I am very moved by the fact that I am able to do a very, very small part in trying to represent what it is for a small town girl to come from here and live out her dream," Twain said. "It does bring me back, and it's always nice to come back here to the centre.

"I hope the community enjoys it."

Laughren also took the opportunity to thank the local committee for their work in making the event such a successful one. Organizers now estimate a total of about 10,000 people watched the torch make its way from Porcupine to Hollinger Park.

"Jan. 1, 2010 will go down in history as a special and historical day," said Laughren. "It is a day that the residents of Timmins and the region welcomed the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay to our city, while welcoming back our hometown superstar Shania Twain."

In addition to the donations made by Twain, a portrait of Twain carrying the torch during an RBC sponsored performance at the celebration, will also hang in the centre. An artist created the portrait in just a couple of minutes, using paint on her hands and a spinning canvas.

"It was fantastic coming back to Timmins -- I love my hometown and I love the people," said Twain wrapping up the press conference. "The true spirit of Timmins was alive and well, even out in the freezing cold weather.

"I was proud to be a small part of it, but I think Timmins in general can be proud that it came to our town."

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