Olympic News: The Last Post

[Barbara Braxton <barbara@DYNAMITE.COM.AU>]

Hi folks,
The Governor General is the representative of the Queen in Australia; the
Prime Minister is the head honcho of the Government; Bob Carr is the
Premier of New South Wales, Michael Knight is the Minister for the
Olympics, John Coates, the president of the Australian Olympic Committee -
none of them will see 45 again, I suspect.  And they have just provided me
with the summary of the Olympic Games.

On television at the moment, there is a special tribute to the Australian
athletes and the presentation of the Edwin Flack Awards (he was our first
Olympian, our first medallist way back in 1896) and John Farnham (who sang
with Olivia Netwon_john at the Opening) is singing 'The Voice" and everyone
of those dignitaries (and a whole lot of other usually staid personages) is
on his feet, clapping and singing along and joining in!!!!

These Games have truly brought a nation together and there is no
discrimination between a homeless person who might have volunteered (and
gained some valuable work skills) and the Governor General who has just
presented an award to our women's hockey team and is wondering if he gets
to kiss them all!  (Good job it wasn't the men's swim relay team!)

There was footage tonight of the happenings at the live sites around Sydney
last night which showed the partying continuing in very long queues for the
toilets (amazing what you can do with your legs crossed!); of the 110 000
passengers passing through Sydney Airport today being entertained by all
sorts of bands just busking through the terminals; cleaners who had removed
140 tonnes of rubbish from the city centre before 10.00am when many were
still making their way home; crowds singing our national anthem so loudly
they drown out the 'official' singer when weeks before many did not know
the words; the cheeky volunteer directing the masses leaving the Ceremony
last night to 'just follow the blue line to the city' referring to the blue
line which was the shortest route home for the marathon runners.

My personal highlights? - seeing 'my' kids perform at the Torch Lighting
and Opening Ceremony at the football, knowing how hard they had worked; the
dignity of Jane Saville, the walker disqualified 120m from the gold medal;
the auction of  Fatso the wombat, the unofficial mascot who gained a cult
following which raised $80 000 for Olympicaid because 'every child has the
right to play'; being able to send these messages to this list and knowing
that I was able to contribute something to this national effort; being able
to help a first grade boy in Nebraska (I think) learn about the apples we
have here and the hundreds of other inquiries that have had me hopping; and
the building of bridges and bonds between the members of our profession
around the world.

My last words?  What else could they be?

Aussie Aussie Aussie Oy! Oy! Oy!


Cheers
Barbara




Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
Palmerston District Primary School
PALMERSTON ACT 2913
AUSTRALIA

T. 02 6205 6162
F. 02 6205 7242
E. barbara@dynamite.com.au
W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
"Together, we learn from each other."

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