ESG Torch Tour 2010

7/21 Family Village

We wrapped up the Torch Tour today, setting up inside the Empire Family Village at the Opening Ceremonies with 25 other vendors! It was an afternoon full of giveaways, food, and music, and hundreds of athletes and their families stopped by. 

Besides holding the torch today, visitors could also wear a real Olympic Gold medal! Steve Mesler, Olympic Gold-medalist in the 2010 Vancouver Four-Man Bobsled, joined us for photos. Mesler is a Buffalo native and former Empire Games competitor. 

We had crowds all afternoon and took over 150 photos! Watch the WKBW coverage! 

(Below) Steve Mesler (Below) With Steve's Olympic Gold Medal!      (Below) Kiss 98.5's Janet Synder    (Below) Opening Ceremonies Torch Bearer with Western Basketball teammates!

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

7/18 Bisons Game

It was a hot one at the Bisons Game today! We set up in the Concourse, outside the Gift Shop and caught people entering the stadium and getting souvenirs. It was an Empire State Games themed day at the ballpark as First Niagara CEO John Koelmel made the opening pitch of the game. We took over 90 photos today!        

  (Below) With Sportscaster John Murphy   
 
 
   
 
 
 

7/17 Delaware Park

Mayor Brown joined Ralph Galanti and some Western athletes today in Delaware Park to proclaim "Empire State Games Days" in Buffalo! It was another event for the media and we had coverage and interviews again! We set up right near the Boy and Dog Statue and stayed around after the press event for some photos with people passing on the bike path. We met Little Loop football teams and families biking. We took over 50 photos! 

WKBW Buffalo Channel 7 coverage! Plus, our TV interview on WNY Living!

(Below) With Ralph Galanti and Mayor Brown  (Below) Western swimmers being interviewed with WKBW   

   

 

 
 
 

7/16 Italian Heritage Festival, Buffalo

We spent a sunny afternoon at the Italian Heritage Festival in Buffalo's "Little Italy!" The festival has grown to be the second largest Italian street festival in the country, and we could see why! There were crowds all afternoon enjoying the food and stopping for photos with the torch; we took over 90 photos! We even got some people to sign up to volunteer at the Games. It was a long day, but it flew by! 
 (Below) Miss Italian Festival herself!
  
 (Below) Fellow East Aurorans!

   
   

7/16 WKBW News 7

We had an early start today and joined Mike Randall at WKBW News 7 with our full setup! It was a great promotion for the Games with multiple appearances on the news all morning. Watch the coverage! Congressman Jack Quinn also spoke on the Games' behalf, along with organizers and sponsors from First Niagara. There were one-on-one interviews and plenty of shots with the torch. It was a really fun morning! (Below) Jack Quinn being interviewed

 

     

 

 
 
   

7/15 New Era Cap Classic

Later today we joined baseball players and their families to kick off the 3rd Annual New Era Cap Classic at the Opening Ceremony Party at New Era Cap Headquarters! We set up outside, joining other interactive areas including baseball speed pitch, basketball court, hockey shootout, and PIN trading zone. Teams from over a dozen states and Canadian provinces stopped by. We took a lot of fun photos and enjoyed talking to other athletes!     

  
 
 

7/15 Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo

Ice cream sundaes anyone? There were smiles all around as we joined the Stone's Buddies for treats, bead making, and photos! Stone's Buddies provides support to and recognizes the courage of seriously ill children and teens who are patients at Women & Children's Hospital. We had a lot of fun and the kids loved holding the torch!     
 
(Below) First Niagara CEO John Koelmel also came and donated 100 Opening Ceremonies tickets to Stone's Buddies!     
 
 

  

 

7/14 BlueCross BlueShield of WNY Headquarters

We spent the morning at the headquarters of one of the Games' sponsors, BlueCross BlueShield. A large atrium near the front entrance set the stage for a full setup, allowing us to catch everyone entering the building. It was busiest around lunch time and we took some great photos! 

People mentioned seeing us on the news! Check out coverage in the Buffalo News.  
   




     

7/13 ESG Press Event, The Hatch

It was an exciting day for the Torch Tour with the Western Region athletes being introduced today by Empire State Games representatives. Media from local news stations also joined proud parents, family, and friends for the event at the Hatch, on the Erie Basin Marina.

Check out the news coverage! Channel 4 News | Channel 2 News  

(Below) Empire State Games LOC Chairman Ralph Galanti speaks

 

(Below) Local Media    
  (Below) Members of the Western Field Hockey team!

 (Below) More Western athletes!
 
 
   
 
 

7/12 Niagara Falls Visitor's Center

We found the crowds in Buffalo once again, this time at Niagara Falls. Today we set up inside the Visitor's Center and had a steady stream of people coming to our display from the nearby movie theatre and gift shop. Hundreds of tourists passed through and stopped for photos. We took over 150 today! 

It made our day when a couple people asked, "Weren't you on TV the other day?"   

 
 

(Below) Volunteer group from Israel