Olympic torch arrives in Summerside

SUMMERSIDE - Heather Moyse had two rare experiences last night.
The 31-year-old Summerside native carried the Olympic torch onto a stage outside Credit Union Place to complete the 24th day of the cross-country relay.
Shortly after, the Olympic bobsledder found herself at a loss for words when she tried to address the hundreds of people gathered to watch.
"For anyone who knows me, speechless is not a way I get very often," Moyse laughed after lighting the cauldron. "It was more incredible than I thought it was going to be. These are my people, and they're the ones I'm running the torch for. When I think about it, it makes me choked up."
Many residents gathered at the celebration site beginning at 5:30 p.m. in anticipation of the torch's arrival in the western capital at 7 p.m.
The onlookers at Credit Union Place erupted as Moyse ran through the middle of the crowd and lit the cauldron.
The relay, which will culminate in February 2010 at the Vancouver Games, is the longest domestic torch run in Olympic history.
Jeff Zidichouski of Charlottetown ran a leg of the relay near Flamingo Drive in Summerside. Afterward, he had a chance to reflect on the torch relay's ability to unify a community.
"There was a lot of camaraderie on the (torchbearer) bus and everybody told stories about their experience and what brought them here so we had a little community there," he said. "I tried to go as slow as I possibly could on the run because they told us to savour the moment and my family was taking pictures."
Throughout the day, hundreds of runners helped carry the symbol of the Games from Charlottetown to Summerside, with stops in the aboriginal community of Lennox Island as well as the Evangeline Region.
"It was amazing, I was very excited for this moment to get here but I wasn't prepared for it to be as emotional as it was," said Shelley Lilly, who ran in the Acadian community of Abram-Village. "I had lots of friends and family and some co-workers came out, so it was great."
Sean MacDonald of Summerside, who ran with the torch along the city's MacEwen Road, was in awe of the experience.
"I haven't had many moments like that in my life," he said. "The torch relay just blew me away. It's a moment I'll always remember for the rest of my life."
Zidichouski also ranked the experience highly.
"It's one of the highlights of my life. After the birth of my kids, it's right up there, believe me."
see photos Page A10