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| Aroostook Republican photo/TheronLarkins Chris and Debbie Currier stand outside the Caribou High School cafeteria, Sunday night, during a benefit supper to help send the parents of Olympian, Russell Currier, to Sochi, Russia, where they will soon be able to watch their son compete at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. |
By Theron Larkins
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — By now, Russell Currier is a household name for residents all over Aroostook County and Sunday night was a time to congratulate and support his family, as many County residents attended a benefit supper held at the Caribou High School.
The goal of the event was to raise enough money through donations to send Russell’s parents to Sochi, Russia, where they will soon be able to watch their son compete for Olympic gold. Thanks to hundreds, who came from all over Aroostook County to attend the benefit, well over $6,000 was raised to send Debbie and Chris Currier to the Sochi Winter Games.
There were a number of students, teachers and community members who volunteered at the event. Whether volunteers were serving food, taking donations, or playing piano in the background, the towns of greater Caribou were well represented, as citizens came to show their support and appreciation for the pride Russell has brought to the region.
One Stockholm resident, who came out to show his support was Russell’s former coach and director of competitive programs for Maine Winter Sports Center, Will Sweetser. Sweetser coached Russell since junior high, but he certainly recognized Russell’s success was aided by much more than just his coaches.
“They say it takes a community to raise an athlete, and I think you can really see that in this room today,” said Sweetser.
Currier, who is already training for the Winter Games, in Italy, could not be in attendance at the supper, due to the rigorous schedule typical of any Olympic athlete. However, that didn’t hinder the community’s reminiscing. Friends and family stayed well beyond the supper’s two-hour allotted time to eat and share their stories about a young Russell, as they watched a slideshow of photos capturing the native son not only on the slopes, but in a number of candid moments, as well.
“A lot of people I’ve seen here tonight, throughout Russell’s entire career, have given pretty selflessly and everyone is really excited to see him reach this point,” said Sweetser.
As Sweetser pointed out, a large number came out to back the Currier family during this hectic time. The last few weeks have been overwhelming for all of us, as Debbie Currier, told many attendees, but the community coming together in such a way has undoubtedly helped cope with the stress.
“It’s wonderful, it really is,” said Debbie. “I see all the faces who have come out to support us, a lot of the parents who had children that grew up playing sports with either my daughter or Russell, they’ve all just been so supportive over the years. Since this whole thing started we’ve been able to go to all the venues in different towns and meet all the people who are part of the skiing community, and it’s really awesome that so many came,” she added.
When asked how special it would be for Russell to have his parents able to attend such a major event, Debbie’s reply may not have been what would expect.
“Well, in the beginning he didn’t really want us to come, That’s why, originally, we didn’t have plans to go,” she said. “But, I wanted to go so badly. I think he’s kind of worried. We are not travelers. We’ve never been to any of his races outside of Maine and New Brunswick, so are very first event to go to in Europe will be the Olympics, and it’s in Russia at a time when things are so unsettled.”
The concern over the last few weeks in relation to continuous terrorist threats, in Russia, may be worrisome for many, but 10,000 Americans are still expected to make their way to snowy Sochi for the event. A spate of suicide bombings and jihadist threats during the last months have left potential travelers wary of attending the Winter Games, but Russian and American security forces are vehemently working to put minds at ease.
Many precautions are being taken, not only by Vladimir Putin’s specially assigned task forces, but the U.S. will also deploy two Navy ships to the Black Sea to evacuate Americans should an incident occur.
The concerns regarding safety at the upcoming Winter Games is certainly something that neither Russell, nor his parents are overlooking, but for the most part the Curriers have faith in the joint effort, between the Russians and Americans, to keep athletes and spectators safe. Security within the Olympic circle remains extremely tight, yet there’s still concern pertaining to transit points and scanning areas leading into the venue. If nothing else, the terrorist threats have succeeded in creating an atmosphere of paranoia that is tainting what has always been a jovial celebration of sport and country.
Andrew Kuchins of the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington told journalists recently that Russian authorities want to handle security alone, even though the country “has no experience with an event of this magnitude.”
Thousands of tickets have yet to be sold for numerous events in Sochi and there is a growing concern that the increase in security will disturb the very nature of the Games. While no country has yet withdrawn from the Games, many are taking extra precautions, including the U.S. Olympic Committee, which will be providing its own set of protective agents and has advised American athletes against wearing any clothing that may identify them as part of the team.
“I think it worries him, but it worries us that he’s there too,” said Debbie Currier.
Despite the negative publicity and numerous threats surrounding the Games there is a sense that authorities are doing everything possible to keep the event a celebration rather than a tragedy, and Debbie and the rest of the Currier family are confident that everything will go according to plan.
“The U.S. Biathlon Association sent out some information to help guide us and they seem to think it’s safe enough. They believe that Russian and American authorities are doing everything they can to keep us all safe.”
The Curriers are planning to leave Caribou on Feb. 5th and hope to be landing in Moscow sometime late the next day.
