By Tammy Raycraft,
Bruce Peninsula Press
Peacock’s Foodland welcomed Olympic Para snowboarder Tyler Turner to Tobermory on March 7, for a meet and greet with the Foodland staff. Peacock’s competed in the “Feed the Dream Olympics Contest”, a National campaign designed to cheer on athletes and support Team Canada. Customers had a chance to win grocery-related prizes and rewards. Grand prizes included a chance to win 1 million Scene+ points.
Performance for the individual stores was measured by the percentage of participating products that were sold with Scene+ card in each store. Peacock’s won with a staggering 14.93%, 6% higher than the next highest store in Canada.
Turner, a double amputee, lost his legs at 29 in a skydiving accident. He had always been a snowboarder but didn’t race competitively until after his accident. Growing up in a small town in Northern Saskatchewan, he had to be creative to learn his craft.
“My mom would tow me behind the snowmobile or the ATV,” he said. “We would build jumps, so even out here in Tobermory, you could still become a professional snowboarder, you just have to think outside the box a little bit.”
Turner plans to continue snowboarding professionally, focusing on moments when it “feels fun and feels awesome,” as he enters the next four-year competitive cycle.
He says there is an idea that being in the Para Olympics is easier to achieve, but that is not the case. “It is everything and anything elite sport is, and it’s possible, but it takes full commitment. If you want it put your head down and go get it. Don’t think it’s going to be handed to you, you have to earn it,” he said. “France is in 4 years, and France would be a really cool spot to go to a Para Olympics” he said.
Turner enjoyed his first visit to Tobermory saying he grew up in a town just like it. He said the people he met are awesome and it has the perfect small-town vibe.
“I love Tobermory!” he exclaimed. “It is the core people that live here that keep it alive and keep the vibe what it is.”
