RBC announces first Olympic torchbearer

Jason Ruby has been selected by RBC as a 2010 Olympic Torchbearer for making a pledge to create a better Canada by donating to his local foodbank and helping those in need.

"I am excited and honoured to be part of something so extraordinary as the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay and I want to thank RBC for this opportunity," said Mr. Ruby.

"We are pleased to announce Jason Ruby as a 2010 Olympic Torchbearer and to recognize that their commitment will help build a lasting legacy for Orangeville and for Canada," said Bruce Gehlen, RBC's regional vice president.

"Jason is an inspiration to us all and demonstrates how each of us can make a difference. To be part of the Olympic Torch Relay is a unique and exciting opportunity and RBC is proud to offer Canadians a chance to participate in the Olympic celebrations and share in the Olympic Spirit."

Residents of Orangeville are encouraged to come out and cheer on torchbearers as they make their way across Canada in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay. The Olympic Flame will stop in Orangeville on December 28 for a large community celebration that afternoon.

Approximately 12,000 Canadians will carry the flame across the country with millions more cheering and supporting them. The 2010 Olympic Torch Relay began on October 30, 2009 with the arrival of the flame in Victoria following a traditional lighting ceremony in Greece. The Olympic Flame will now travel from coast to coast to coast through every province and territory in Canada - spanning 45,000 kilometers and over 1,000 communities over the course of 106 days. It will end at B.C. Place on February 12, 2010, with the lighting of the Olympic Cauldron, signaling the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.