I remember back in 1969 when the Games first opened in Halifax, Nova Scotia, my home town. I was 15 years old and excited because I was performing in the Opening Ceremonies. Our costumes at that time were all white as jolly rogers complete with a hat. I had never participated in anything so important and I can still remember the butterflies and the excitement I felt on that day. For some reason I wanted to meet Mr. Trudeau and I remember him waving to the crowds as he was driven in an open car and me running up to him and offering him my jolly roger hat. Later that night on the news, there I was being announced as a unknown person giving Mr. Trudeau my hat. I remember my mother laughing and saying, “leave it up to my daughter to get her face on TV”. This was the most memorable part of my childhood and I will cherish it forever.
Tell us about yourself
I was born as Brenda Arsenault in Halifax, Nova Scotia 1954 and raised there for my entire childhood. I have travelled around and lived from one end of Canada (Newfoundland) to the western end (British Columbia) and now am with my present husband and living in Ferndale, Washington, USA. I recently came home in 2008 to show my husband where I grew up and showed him the sights and what beauty Halifax has to offer. He loved it and wants to retire in Canada. I will always cherish my life in Canada and today still cheer for Canada in the 2010 Olympic games while my husband cheers for the USA and sometimes we cheer for each other’s teams. There is no place like CANADA.
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