the Volunteers

The Sydney Olympics and Paralympics brought to the world's attention the army of 50,000 volunteers who got the Olympic show on the road. Max Walker, a sporting hero himself, was inspired to make a tribute to their amazing efforts, to coincide with the first anniversary of the Games. There was almost no part of the games that did not rely heavily on volunteer labour. Everything from drivers, to computer engineers, to caterers, to performers in the opening ceremonies, to guides, to physiotherapists, to marshals, to morale boosters and interpreters - if you can think of an occupation or task there was a volunteer performing it. With the help of TAFE NSW who selected and trained the volunteers, Max Walker and Gerry Gleeson have collected over 200 stories from the people who made all this happen. Some of them are famous, like Peter Brock, John Bertram and Tim Fischer, but most of them are extraordinary ordinary people who took leave from their lives to donate hundreds of hours at their own expense, to showcase their country. By turns hilarious and moving, this is a behind-the-scenes look at what it was like for these people to take part in an event of national significance.
They tell of their brushes with fame, their personal triumphs in actually getting there, some scary near-misses, and about the mates they made for life. With a foreword by Juan Antonio Samaranch, and a list of 50,000 volunteers' names, this book is a memento for those who volunteered, and anyone who admired their efforts.