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McDonald's crew rubs shoulders with Olympic athletes By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF 15 · Friday, March 19, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com After experiencing a ton of fun at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, two Oakville McDonald's employees are calling the return home bittersweet. McDonald's Assistant Managers Patti Quigley and Teresa Desjardins were chosen in August from approximately 77,000 Canadian McDonald's employees to be members of the McDonald's Olympic Champion Crew. What that translated to was an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2010 Olympics. "It was out of this world," said Quigley. "I still can't believe I'm back here -- that it's over. It went from six months of preparing for it and then, after three weeks, it was like, `That's it? We're going home now?' It was an experience that I will remember forever." Desjardins said the experience was double fun for her because she had never been to British Columbia and was able to experience it VIP-style through her Olympic adventure. "It was a lot of fun," said Desjardins. The Olympic experience took on different forms for both Desjardins and Quigley. Desjardins was selected to work at the McDonald's Restaurant at Vancouver's main media centre where she served members of the press from all over the world.. MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVER. LOVIN' IT: McDonald's managers Patti Quigley (left) and Teresa Desjardins returned home from the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games with a lifetime of memories and stories to tell. "It was neat because when the athletes won their gold medals they would come in to be interviewed at the media centre," said Desjardins. "I didn't really know who the athletes were, but it was cool just to be able to know that they came into the store. Everybody thinks athletes don't eat McDonald's, but they do." Quigley, whose posting was at the McDonald's Restaurant in the Athlete's Village, got a close-up look at what the world's finest athletes eat, with parfaits and salads ranking among the top choices. The McCafé specialty coffees were also a big hit. "It started off where the athletes were coming in slowly, a few at a time, and then once the opening ceremonies came we were seeing more and more. The (Canadian) girls' hockey team came in and the guys' hockey team didn't come in until just before they were playing. In and around that, you were seeing athletes constantly," said Quigley. "The athletes would be coming in with their medals on and a lot of them would stop and get their pictures taken with some of the (McDonald's) crew people." One highlight was when Quigley got a close look at famed hockey player Alexander Ovechkin when the Team Russia star apparently chose the wrong door and strolled through the McDonald's kitchen area. Many of the athletes who visited McDonald's also took the time to sign a lifesized Ronald McDonald statue, at the prompting of Quigley and others. "They had to start signing the bench he was on because he was getting so covered," said Quigley. "There were also a couple of hockey sticks they were getting the athletes to sign and all of this is probably going to be auctioned off for the Ronald McDonald House. They also had guest books that we had the athletes sign." See Return page 16 2010 Ford Market Value ptions: Charcoal premium cloth, engine block eater, cruise control, air conditioning, fog mps, daytime running lights, satellite radio/6 mos. serv., 2.5L I4 engine, 6 speed auto Escape XLT up to 60 months Additional offers**: $26,178* 0% $430 SYNC Credit $2000 "Recy $1000 $1000 Orpha xes and licensing e Every customer who purchases from FREE SIRIUS Family Owned & Operated for 40 Y ears! Oak-land Ford Lincoln · Join us ton ight at Joshua Creek Are na for Oak-la nd Night at the Oak ville Blade s game WWW.OAK-LAND.COM