Volunteer profile: Logan Wowk, Official Languages co-chair
With less than six months to go until the Opening Ceremony, the 2019 Canada Winter Games are quickly approaching. Canadians from coast to coast are coming to Red Deer in February 2019 and the Games is responsible for delivering the event in both of Canada’s official languages: English and French. Logan Wowk is the co-chair of the Official Languages committee for the 2019 Games and he’s excited for the opportunities that this once-in-a-generation event brings to central Alberta.
In his role, Logan promotes bilingualism within the Games, assists with volunteer recruitment and identifies opportunities to raise the profile of the Francophone community. Once a month, you can find Logan teaching basic French language terms and sayings to the 2019 Games staff and planning leadership volunteers to prepare them to welcome the nation in February 2019.
Logan was born and raised in Red Deer. After getting a degree in psychology through Red Deer College, Logan headed east to Quebec to become a teacher. In his five years there, Logan learned French and now works as a French Immersion teacher at Mountview Elementary School.
Though this is the first time Logan has been involved with the Canada Games, he is no stranger to volunteering in the community. He’s an active member of the Piper Creek Optimist Club and passionate about creating a difference in his community. Logan sees the Games as a new kind of volunteering opportunity.
“This is the biggest thing to hit Red Deer. It is better to be a part of it than passive observer,” Logan says. “I’d rather be a part of the lead charge.”
So far, Logan has learned a lot. He says he’s learned just how much planning goes into an event like this and how much things can change. He enjoys the fast pace of the role and how the staff and volunteers work together to leave a legacy for the community.
Logan explains that he’s grown an appreciation for the different provinces and territories and he’s excited to meet people from all across Canada and show them his hometown. Most of all, Logan sees an opportunity for the Games to promote multiculturalism in central Alberta community.
“We want to show both of Canada’s languages, both languages living next to each other, not just parroting the other,” says Logan. “We want to make it organic, so that it is not just a direct translation.”
As an Official Languages volunteer, Logan encourages other bilingual central Albertans to get on board to be a part of our moment.
“The Games lets us get out there and show that there are people right next to us that are speaking the language, living the language,” Logan says.
For all the excitement about the opportunities for the French community in Red Deer, Logan doesn’t think twice about what he’s most excited to see in February 2019. He says that he wants to put the focus on the athletes and all the hard work they’ve put in to be at the Canada Games. He also hopes the major arts and cultural festival could be a launching pad for Red Deer and lead to more events coming to town in the future.
Join Logan on Team 2019 today and help create a life-shaping Games experience! Visit canadagames.ca/2019/volunteer to learn more about the opportunities available and start your application.