www.vicnews.com • A19
SAANICH NEWS - Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Victoria runners recount Boston Marathon chaos Good Samaritan guides athlete to safety as explosions rip through finish line area Travis Paterson and Daniel Palmer News staff
If it wasn’t for a missed subway stop, a trio of Victoria residents would have been at the Boston Marathon finish line when two explosions occurred Monday. Saanich fitness instructor Pam Glover, who teaches at Cedar Hill Recreation Centre, ran the marathon with a target of four hours and was redirected a half mile from the end within minutes of the finish. Her daughter Dana, Dana’s boyfriend Aztec King, and friend Susan Rogers had all made their way to the finish line anticipating Pam’s arrival. But the trio of supporters got off at the wrong subway station and were out of sight of the finish line at the time of the explosions, around 3 p.m. Eastern Time or noon Pacific Time. “They were minutes away and were trying to get to where the bomb hit but got off the train a stop early, and were upset
about that actually, so it’s like a miracle that none of us were there,” Glover said. Glover heard the explosions during the last mile of her race but had no idea what it was. “I heard two bangs like fireworks or some sort of celebration,” she said. “As I rounded the final corner and could see the finish line, there was a barricade with policeman telling people to go away, and I’m thinking, ‘this is not the finish line.’ I know my time was right on, I was about two minutes from finishing.” Police told runners and spectators to head to the nearby river. That’s when a Good Samaritan helped Glover connect with her family and get her bearings. “It was chaos … this woman, she was my angel, all of a sudden she was by my side and said, “I’ll lead you to safety.” The woman gave Glover warm clothes, and let Glover use her cellphone to text Dana. “We connected with my family and friends, and made sure they (Dana, King and Rogers) were safe. The woman gave me food and water – she was my angel.” Glover waited for about an hour before returning to her hotel, the Boston Park Plaza, which is a block away from the
explosion scene. Speaking from inside the hotel on Monday, Glover said the plan is to “hunker down” and wait for more information. The group was going stay until Friday but are now unsure about the trip’s itinerary. “We’re all safe, everyone’s been texting family and friends. We’re told the (local) cellphones are off and to stay in the hotel, and do not join any large groups or congregate with others.” It was Glover’s first Boston Marathon, one she thought would be “a dream come true.” Glover plans to reconnect with her Good Samaritan and send her flowers. “She was a typical person from Boston, she was so supportive. The people here in Boston are so wonderful. The whole event is so positive. The streets are lined with people high-fiving us the whole way. This is terrible.” Katie Munro, a Camosun College business student, spoke with the News from the home of a friend’s mother in Boston. After finishing her run, she left the finish line about 10 minutes before the first explosion. “I hung around the finish line (area) for probably 15 minutes, maybe 20 minutes, and was sitting a block and a half from where it happened for a while after that,” she said.
“Finally I decided to get up and move onto the subway, and I think (the explosions) happened right when I got down into the subway because a whole bunch of people came down the stairs. I was still totally oblivious. I thought ‘Oh, people in a hurry.’” Munro heard comments about an explosion, but she wasn’t aware of how serious the incident was until she arrived back to her friend’s home. “When I got back (my host) hugged me and I thought she was congratulating me at first,” she said. “And then she confirmed, it was all over the news. She said, ‘I can’t believe it. You’re so lucky, you’re fine.’” Munro was the only member of her Peninsula Runners running group to attend the Boston Marathon. She said the atmosphere in the city is tense, and she wasn’t sure if she’d be on her flight back to Victoria, scheduled for Tuesday morning. “I’m assuming lists of the travellers want to get out as soon as possible,” she said. At least 27 Greater Victoria runners were scheduled to attend the Boston Marathon, according to the Boston Athletic Association website. More than 230 British Columbians were scheduled to run the race. sports@vicnews.com
MAY 2013
GENERAL ELECTION The 40th Provincial General Election is Underway. Who Can Vote? You can vote if you are: • 18 years of age or older, or will be 18 on General Voting Day (May 14, 2013) • a Canadian citizen, and • a resident of British Columbia for the past six months Voter Registration is Easy Register online at elections.bc.ca/ovr or call toll-free 1-800-661-8683 until April 23, 2013. If you aren’t registered by April 23, you can register when you vote. You’ll need identification that proves both your identity and residential address. A complete list of acceptable identification is available from Elections BC. How to Nominate a Candidate A candidate must be nominated in writing by 75 eligible voters of the electoral district. Nomination kits are available from your District Electoral Officer or online at elections.bc.ca Deadline for Nominations Nominations must be delivered to your District Electoral Officer by 1 p.m. (Pacific time) on Friday, April 26, 2013.
BC Has More Ways to Vote All voters can:
OTEBC
Vote in any district electoral office from now until 4 p.m. (Pacific time) on General Voting Day, Tuesday, May 14, 2013.
Get our App for iPhones and iPads to find the closest voting place and for information you need to vote.
Vote by Mail You can ask for a Vote by Mail package from your district electoral office or through the Elections BC website at elections.bc.ca
Or, contact your district electoral office.
Vote at advance voting Voters can attend any advance voting location in the province from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (local time), Wednesday, May 8 through Saturday, May 11. All advance voting locations are wheelchair accessible. Vote on General Voting Day Voters can attend any general voting location in the province from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Pacific time), Tuesday, May 14, 2013. Election Workers Required Over 37,000 election officials are required to work at voting places in the province. View the job descriptions at elections.bc.ca/jobs. Please apply in person at your district electoral office. Any Questions? For further information visit Elections BC’s website at elections.bc.ca or call toll-free 1-800-661-8683.
elections.bc.ca / 1 - 8 0 0 - 6 6 1 - 8 6 8 3
Esquimalt-Royal Roads 1195 Esquimalt Rd Esquimalt, BC (250) 952-7833
Saanich South 220-4460 Chatterton Way Saanich, BC (250) 952-7826
Juan de Fuca 108-1016 McCallum Rd Langford, BC (250) 391-2820
Victoria-Beacon Hill 103-1803 Douglas St Victoria, BC (250) 952-4201
Oak Bay-Gordon Head 2780 Richmond Rd Saanich, BC (250) 952-7819
Victoria-Swan Lake 201-415 Gorge Rd E Victoria, BC (250) 952-4509
Saanich North and the Islands 1528 Stellys Cross Rd Central Saanich, BC (250) 952-4100
Hours of Operation Monday - Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
TTY 1-888-456-5448