As athletes travel here from across Canada, Niagara-on-the-Lake residents are participating in the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, volunteering and sharing their knowledge of the town.

Jim Collard, a lifelong NOTL resident, is volunteering and using his own boat to help manage the sailing events happening Aug. 17 to 20 on the waters off NOTL.

He was asked by John Vanderperk, who is a member of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Sailing Club, to help volunteer and Collard stepped up.

His job will include taking people, including media, “out to the race course and to potentially tow the sailers in when they have to work against the current.”

Collard said he thought it would be a “pretty easy” job and wanted to help out his friend and get involved.

“You know, we are a community of folks who have long been involved in welcoming people to Canada and to the town in particular,” said Collard, a former town councillor.

As a former teacher, he said he is also happy to be able to teach people about Niagara-on-the-Lake.

“I’ve always been a booster of our little town.”

While out on the water next week Collard was unsure if he would receive compensation from the Summer Games toward his boating costs but said, “I think there is a memorandum of understanding that they will supply some gas, but I don’t suspect I’ll use very much because the course is just off of Ryerson Park. So we don’t have to go very far.” 

Collard has been looking forward to this opportunity since last fall and noted, “I’m certainly eager to become involved.” 

To check schedules and watch the Summer Games online, go to niagara2022games.ca/watch.