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www.oakvillebeaver.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, February 12, 2010 · 18 McHappy days ahead for restaurant employees at Games n By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF SERVING OLYMPIANS: McDonald's restaurants assistant managers Patti Quigley (left) and Teresa Desjardins are in Vancouver this month to serve McDonald's food to Olympic athletes and media. The two were selected from approximately 77,000 McDonald's employees across Canada to be part of the McDonald's Olympic Champion Crew. NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER The Olympics have yet to begin, but two Oakville McDonald's restaurant employees have already found that the world's athletes love a parfait in the morning. Patti Quigley and Teresa Desjardins have just completed their first shifts at two McDonald's restaurants set up to serve athletes and media attending the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. The two are assistant managers at McDonald's stores in Oakville and were chosen in August from around 77,000 Canadian employees to be members of the McDonald's Olympic Champion Crew. What this translates to is an allexpenses-paid trip to the Olympics. "It's been great," said Quigley, from the Cascadia Hotel in Vancouver where the pair is staying. "It's been a whirlwind experience and it's been overwhelming as well." "I'm just speechless," said Desjardins. Quigley said she and Desjardins were welcomed to Vancouver earlier this week with an amazing meal at the Kobe Japanese Steak and Seafood House, where the chefs cooked the meal right in front of them. Day two was all about getting ready for the task ahead of them, which entailed receiving their special Olympic uniforms, getting their security passes and learning what shuttles they needed to board to get to the venues they need to be at. While the job Desjardins and Quigley are doing is largely the same as back in Oakville, their clientele are very different. Desjardins has been assigned to a McDonald's at the Olympics main media centre where she serves members of the media, who are covering the games for countries all over the world. "Not everyone speaks English, but we do have counter cards that actually show pictures of what we're selling," said Desjardins. Monday, February 15, 2010 "So if they can't say it, they just point to the mat and we punch it into the till." While Desjardins has been serving those who will cover the games, Quigley has been serving those who will compete in them from her McDonald's within the Athlete's Village. The experience has been unimaginable, she said. "When you walk through the village you see the flags hung on the buildings and it's just amazing," said Quigley. "I don't know a lot of the athletes, but we have seen a lot of the Canadian women's Olympic hockey team come in. We're looking out for that maple leaf." n See Parfaits page 19 * FREE DAILY SERVICE Morning and afternoon departures to Fallsview Casino *After $10 Casino Rebate Government Photo ID required Take your family on a trip around the world in just one day! Register your family for the World Drum Circle at Discovery Landing to experience percussion instruments from Africa, the Middle East, India, China, Russia, Europe, South America, and the Caribbean to name a few. Suitable for everyone aged 4 and up, don't miss this opportunity to: · Learn about the construction and origin of these unique drums · Explore drumming techniques on a variety of drums · Participate in a drum circle to celebrate diversity and family day Register everyone in your family today using RecExpress, or in person at City Hall or Tansley Woods Community Centre. $5.00 per person. Spaces are limited! Sessions will run for approximately 1 hour: 11am-12noon ­ TTR# 212299 12noon ­ 1pm ­ TTR#212338 Morning & Afternoon From Hopedale Mall WEDNESDAY & NOW SATURDAY EVERY From Carpool Lot Guelph Line, North Service Rd EVERY SUN, TUES, THURS, FRI & SAT Minimum 5- hour stay required. Valid government-issued photo identification and Players Advantage Club Card required to redeem offers. Offers subject to change without notice. Offers cannot be combined/substituted. Must be 19 years of age or older to board coaches for casino. Void where prohibited. The Waterfront at Downtown Burlington, 1340 Lakeshore Road, Burlington www.burlington.ca, waterfront@burlington.ca, 905-335-7766 1 -800-8381789 T.I.C.O. #50007535 OMCA Member FOR RESERV ATIONS CALL www.casinocoach.ca · www.frontlinetours.ca 168 CLARENCE ST., PORT COLBORNE, L3K 3G5