By Rebecca Ryser
Thousands of Utah residents are jumping at the opportunity to volunteer and help make the 2002 Olympic Games a success.
In fact, the Salt Lake Organizing Committee has had to limit volunteer applications because they received three times more applicants for volunteer positions than they had available positions, said Shannon McCarthy of SLOC media relations.
However, all is not lost for those who still wish to be involved in the world-renowned Olympic events.
Nu Skin Enterprises is currently looking for between 1,000 and 1,500 volunteers to help host its Olympic World of Ice.
The World of Ice, an official Olympic event, will consist of seven 20- to 30-foot ice sculptures that represent the seven different continents of the world competing in the Olympics, Welch said.
An ice Statue of Liberty will represent North America and the Eiffel Tower will represent Europe, Welch said.
An ice castle will also be featured at the even, with a throne for people to have their picture taken, Welch said.
Volunteers for the event will work as tour guides, ice-rink staff, crowd-control personnel, parking attendants and other positions, said Telsa Welch, Nu Skin corporate communications specialist.
The purpose of the World of Ice is to give people without Olympic tickets a chance to feel they have participated in the Games, Welch said.
Nu Skin is recruiting BYU students because they have foreign language skills, good availability and dependability, Welch said.
Several factors are appealing to BYU students, including the flexible time commitment and the close location of the World of Ice event, at Tabernacle Park on the corner of Center Street and University Avenue in Provo.
“It doesn”t require as much time as some of the other events and I can still fulfill scholastic commitments,” said Lachelle Hansen, 19, from Oregon, who has not determined a major.
“I want to be part of the magic,” she said.
Volunteers will be required to fulfill a minimum of four four-hour shifts during the 16-day run of Nu Skin”s event, Welch said.
Students will be allowed to pick their own shifts between noon and midnight, Welch said.
Tyler Perry, 24, a senior from Salt Lake City, majoring in sociology, signed up Tuesday to volunteer for the World of Ice.
“It”s interesting to have the Olympics here,” he said. “I”d like to be a part of it in some way.”
Olympic involvement opportunities are also available in SLOC Games-time employment.
Thousands of positions are available in logistics, transportation, security, food service, parking and waste management, McCarthy said.
The United Way of Utah County also has a list of available Olympic positions on their Web site at www.unitedwayuc.org.
