Volunteers are the driving force and heart and soul of the BC Games. Each BC Games volunteer is committed to showcasing their community with pride and delivering an unforgettable experience for participants from across the province. Former BC Games volunteers Dan and Lana Rodlie are great examples of the kind of hard-working people who make the Games a success. The couple from Greater Trail have spent the last 40 years volunteering and have been recognized for their contribution to the community with the Knights of Columbus Trail-Warfield Citizen of the Year award. Although it is unusual for a couple to receive the award, the two have been nearly inseparable in their volunteer work to improve the Greater Trail community.
“Both Dan and Lana Rodlie, with their ‘get it done’ hard work attitude, coupled with enhanced creativity, leadership qualities, significant contributions to visual beauty, historical awareness and cultural enhancement, have added much to our community,” said the Knights of Columbus committee chair Brian Volpatti.
Their heartwarming love story is a testament to their devotion to one another, and has translated into a devotion to their community. After getting to know each other through correspondence, Dan came to Trail all the way from Norway to marry Lana in 1979. He got a job as a steam engineer and immediately joined the United Steelworkers Union, the United Way, the Masonic Lodge, and the Shriners. The couple have since volunteered together on nearly every event in Greater Trail, such as Silver City Days, the Jet Boat Races, the Babe Ruth World Series, and, of course, the BC Summer Games in 1996 and BC Winter Games in 1982 and 2006.
“We’ve both developed this attitude of – you’re in this world, you should be doing something to try and better it,” said Lana.
The Rodlies have raised four children, Tina, Jamie, Chris and Olea, and have eight grandchildren. As they step down from Communities in Bloom they can spend more time with their family and rest assured knowing that together they made the world a better place.
Unifying and giving back to communities is an important part of the BC Games and after each BC Summer or Winter Games a monetary amount is given to the host community to continue the legacy of the Games. In 1996 $142,000 was given to Trail’s and Castlegar’s sports and recreation, and in 2006 $70,000.00 was given to the LeRoi Foundation in Trail to support athletes. The Rodlies too have left a legacy behind them, and we want to congratulate these amazing BC Games volunteers for their important contribution to the Games and their community.
Please find the original article on BC Local News here: https://www.bclocalnews.com/news/trail-couple-awarded-citizen-of-the-year-honour/.