Volunteer Profiles

Diane Nielsen

Diane Nielsen has been a volunteer for almost 40 years. She has held every position in the British Columbia/Yukon Territory Section of Skate Canada, been a member of the Skate Canada national board of directors, and worked at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino.

This week, Diane’s happy to be adding the 2009 ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Vancouver to her very long résumé.

“I want to do my part to make the event a positive experience for the athletes,” Diane says. “I always put the athletes first.”

There are perks to volunteering, like getting to see the athletes in person, but according to Diane, “the best part is being there to support the skaters through their successes, and to support them when they need you.”

That goes double in her work as team leader for British Columbia. She’s held the position for the last 20 years, working with young skaters throughout the province and travelling with them to competitions. Diane says, “It’s wonderful to see them grow up and share their experiences, both in figure skating and in life.”

As a veteran volunteer in the figure skating community, Diane has some great advice for other volunteers: “Enjoy the moment and treasure the memories.”

More volunteer profiles...

• Shirra Kenworthy
• Dinah Hampson
• Yumiko Hiebert