AccessWDUN readers dug through their photo albums to share their memories of the 1996 Olympic Games with us. Click on the title photo and you can scroll through dozens of photos submitted over the last couple of weeks. We've also shared a few stories from our readers. Thanks so much for the trip down memory lane!
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For one Olympic Volunteer, her journey began four years before the Olympics ever even came to Atlanta. Debbie Morrin started volunteering in 1992. “They were looking for people with nonprofit groups to volunteer to set up things like toy and food drives. I had a girl scout troop, so I signed up with that non-profit.”
Little did she know how far that volunteer job would take her. She helped interview performers for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, sewed their costumes, delivered food and hosted athletes. As a result, she met famous people and athletes; she even changed a light bulb in Stevie Wonder’s dressing room.
One of her favorite jobs was escorting the Olympic mascot, “Izzy.” She had to keep the girl in the outfit hydrated and get her to the right spot on time.
She says she greatly admires all of the athletes and was proud to escort the team from Netherlands Antilles for the Opening Ceremonies. She explains that she had to miss the ceremonies while she stayed with the athletes where they were waiting to walk in.
“There was so much to do. People don’t realize how much goes into it. It doesn’t happen overnight,” she says. “That’s why I started volunteering in 1992.”
Morrin admits that at the end of it all, she was exhausted. While it was a long four years in the making, Morrin says it was all worth it. “I admired everything that I got to do.”
Every time the Olympics comes around, Morrin gets out all her collectibles from her time and reflects on the great adventure she had as a volunteer.
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When the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay made its final passes in Georgia through Athens, Gainesville, Rome and eventually Atlanta, one mother and son were able to get an up close and personal look at one of the Olympic torches.
Trevor Stevens was just two and a half years old at the time of the torch relay and was undergoing treatment for leukemia at what is now Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. His mother, Jan Stevens, now of Murrayville, said doctors would not let Trevor Stevens return home to Gainesville after he received a stem cell bone marrow transplant due to potential traffic issues from the torch relay and the Olympics.
Jan Stevens and Trevor Stevens stayed in the Ronald McDonald house in Atlanta during this time, but this did not stop them from seeing the torch run.
“My husband works at Kubota, and he was going to film the torch run in front of Kubota to bring down to the hospital to show us,” Jan Stevens said.
What Jan’s husband did not know, however, is that the torch relay would pass right by Egleston while Trevor was there receiving treatment. Jan said she was able to watch the torch from the hospital room.
In fact, an oncologist at Egleston was one of the torch bearers for this leg of the relay. Jan Stevens said his name was Dr. Thad Ghim. Shortly after participating in the relay, Dr. Ghim brought his torch up to the oncology ward for patients and their families to see.
Trevor Stevens was even able to hold the torch.
“Since they were all in the hospital, that was a special treat, because that was their way of being able to participate at the Olympics without getting to actually go there,” Jan Stevens said.
Jan Stevens said Trevor recognized the importance of that moment later in life.
“I think he feels like he had a special part in the whole deal,” Jan Stevens said. “We kind of got an inside view, I guess you would call it.”
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When Brian Luders signed up to volunteer for the 1996 Atlanta Games, he was open to doing just about anything coordinators offered.
Luders, a Braselton resident, was living in Duluth at the time, and he and a friend from church decided they wanted to be part of the Olympic spirit that was permeating the city.
Among other duties, he and his buddy ended up as part of the closing ceremonies. The two of them and 158 others donned blue polyester jumpsuits covered with mirrors and rode mountain bikes as part of the spectacular closing event at Olympic Stadium
Luders said they practiced the routine for weeks in the sweltering Atlanta heat. The day of performance was pretty toasty, too.
"It was hot!" Luders said. "We spent the entire day of the closing ceremonies from about 8 o'clock in the morning until 8 o'clock at night - when we performed - out in a tent in the parking lot of Olympic Stadium."
Ultimately, the 160 riders pulled off a flawless performance, but what happened after the choreographed ride was the icing on the cake.
The choreographer and his girlfriend - who was also part of the event - got married at Olympic Stadium.
"The groom - on his bicycle - came from one side of the stadium from up on the upper deck where a ramp started. Then the bride - in a bridal gown - came from the other side of the stadium. Then they came towards the [center] ramp and they rode down the ramp together and rode through all 160 of us up to the front where they were married," Luders said. "As far as I can guess, that was the only wedding that ever took place in Olympic Stadium. Don't know that for a fact, but chances are... ."
Luders said not only did the mountain bike corps witness the wedding, but the preacher was flanked by a host of costumed characters that also were part of the closing ceremony.
By the way, Luders said he still has his blue polyester jumpsuit with the mirrors.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2021/8/1028460/reader-share-memories-from-the-1996-olympics