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The 2012 Lake Lure Olympiad Torch will be lit by Miss Lake Lure Teen USA Nichole Stoehrer.
The Lake Lure Olympiad, presented by Rutherford Regional Health System and Rumbling Bald Resort, will be held Aug. 24-26 in Lake Lure and neighboring Chimney Rock. The family-friendly sports festival is for all ages and athletic abilities and raises money for area non-profits – in its seven year history, the Olympiad has been able to raise more than $220,000 for local charities.
Friday night begins the weekend festivities with a beach barbeque starting at 5PM. Opening ceremonies begin at 6:00 with the lighting of the Olympiad torch, after which the Lake Lure Ski Club will present a water ski show, athletes can gear up for the bigger races by taking part in a 1-mile family fun run/walk and everyone can enjoy free ice cream sundaes. Once the skies have darkened, a fireworks display will light up the night sky.
Choosing Nichole to light this year’s Olympiad torch seemed to be a natural one, said Linda Turner, a member of the Olympiad planning committee.
“Nichole was chosen because she has the opportunity to promote the Town of Lake Lure in the Miss North Carolina Teen USA pageant, just as the Olympiad promotes the Town every year through its annual sports festival,” Turner said. “She’s young, fit, attractive and a good role model for younger kids.”
Nichole, 15, is a rising junior at R-S Central High School, where she maintains a 4.5 grade point average and is a member of the Marine Corps JROTC. She is an active member at Second Baptist Church, Rutherfordton, and has been a volunteer at Bright Beginnings Soup Kitchen in Rutherfordton. She has made donations to Locks of Love and recently took mission trips to Pownal, Vt., with Main Street Baptist Church in Spindale and MFuge in Mississippi with her church. She has also volunteered for the Dragon Boat Festival in Lake Lure, Hands of Hope for Life Pregnancy Center in Forest City, Habitat for Humanity, Make a Difference Campaign, NC Baptist Men’s Disaster Relief Team, Green River Baptist Association Outreach Team for the Western North Carolina Fair, Samaritan’s Purse and Operation Christmas Child.
Following Friday night’s opening ceremonies, major races of the Olympiad include the 10K Dam Run, Lake Lure Triathlon and Race to the Rock, which is either a 25-mile bike or 5K run to the top of Chimney Rock. Other events include the National Championship 1 mile Open Water Swim, Junior Olympiad and the golf, pickleball and tennis tournaments.
For more information on the 2012 Lake Lure Olympiad, visit www.lakelureolympiad.com or call 828-429-9011.
