Host Society Names Games Coordinator

The 2010 Power Smart Manitoba Winter Games Portage Host Committee has
hired Paul Harland as its full-time Games Coordinator.

An assistant coach of the Portage Terriers, Harland will start in the newly created
position on December 1.

“I’m pretty excited about it obviously,” Harland said. “With the Games coming to Portage la Prairie, it’s huge for the community, so … I’m really excited about being part of the whole atmosphere that’s going to be involved. It’s going to be a great opportunity and a great challenge.”

As Games coordinator, Harland will act as the resource link for all of the Games partners. He will work closely with the host society, Sport Manitoba, Manitoba Games Council and the event’s Friends of the Games fundraising committee. He will be assisting in the development and implementation of the Friends of the Games fundraising plan.

Harland will hold the full-time position for 18 months, with his contract ending a little over a month after the Games are over.

Portage was awarded the Games in March 2007. The event will attract 1.800 participants between the ages of 10 and 21 from across the province who will compete in 12 events, including badminton, five-pin bowling, figure skating, gymnastics, hockey, volleyball, Special Olympics bowling, cross-country skiing, curling and ringette.

Games Co-Chairman Jim Malenchak was instrumental in choosing Harland for the job and said he knows the Games are in good hands.

“He’s got a sports background and fundraising background, which is a key component of why we hired him,” explained Malenchak. “I think he also knows the community very well and, in turn, the community knows him just as well.”

Currently, the Games executive has 15 managers for the various components of the event and a group of 50 core volunteers already working to organize the Games. Another 1,200 volunteers will be needed to make sure the event goes off without a hitch and Harland will have to coordinate all those people.

Malenchak said Harland’s sports and sales background give him the tools to do the job well.

“He’s got experience and that’s what we’re looking for,” he said. “The Games Coordinator coordinates a lot of the things that need to be done; I think it’s great for all the various committees involved.”

Harland will stay on as assistant coach of the Terriers, which play in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. He starts work at the 2010 Power Smart Manitoba Winter Games Committee’s new office located in the Portage Mall on December 1.