Local woman picked to carry Olympic torch

NEW GLASGOW - Norma Jean DeCoste is a big winter sports fan, just don't ask her to strap on the blades.
"Me and ice don't see eye to eye," DeCoste said during an interview at the McDonalds restaurant on East River Road, where she works.
Regardless, DeCoste has a role to play in the 2010 Winter Olympics in B.C. She will carry the torch for 300 metres in Truro early in the morning of Nov. 18.
She planned to watch the Games anyway and now has extra reason.
"I love it. Even if I wasn't in it, I would still watch. Hockey and curling are my sports."
DeCoste was nominated, along with a few other local McDonalds employees, to carry the torch after the New Glasgow McDonalds restaurant was chosen to participate in the run. She was the only local employee selected.
As part of her pitch to carry the torch, DeCoste wrote a 200-word essay on active living. She chose that topic instead of writing about the environment.
"I saw what my grandmother and uncle went through with illness and that got me into active living. My six-year-old niece has juvenile diabetes and she's just an inspiration for everybody."
When she opened the email saying she had won, DeCoste experienced several emotions.
"Excitement, I was shocked actually, startled. The other two girls are great people and they deserved it too."
DeCoste said she gets to keep her torch and gets some other swag, including a track suit, red mittens, a toque and a T-shirt made of recycled Coke bottles with the torch run info on the back.
"It's pretty neat."
DeCoste doesn't figure she'll need an extra alarm clock for her 7:40 a.m. run in Truro that day.
"I'll have a lot of nerves and get no sleep the night before."
When she takes the torch, plenty of family, friends and co-workers will be on hand with cameras to capture the moment.
"As long as I don't drop the torch or fall flat on my face I'll be fine."