Gowanda Physical Education Teacher and Modified Cross Country Coach Dave Bolen said that Gowanda is one of the first stops of this torch’s journey, though it is one of two torches.

“We have the Buffalo route,” said Bolen, “which is among one of the first stops. There are two that they use, one of which starts on the west side of the state for us and the other one starts closer to New York City. They both make their way toward the Adirondacks where the games take place.”

Gowanda’s involvement in the relay became an option in 2018, when Middle School Principal Todd Miklas reached out to let the staff know of the event. Bolen volunteered since then, and has helped with each relay that has been through Gowanda since 2019. Although the relay did not take place last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bolen said it was welcomed back this year and he was once again happy to fill his role.

“I volunteered to take the lead back then and they’ve been coming back every year except for last year,” said Bolen. “So, this is the third year out of the last four we’ve participated in. Ralph Swanson, the bank manager at our Community Bank, reached out to me and let us know they were coming back, so I reached out to Chris Mayer, the person in charge of the torch relay. I consider myself the liaison between the district, Community Bank, and the relay itself.”

Submitted photos From left are middle school students Brayden Lee, Dustin Mohawk, Nate Warrior and high school students Miranda Kaminski, Seth Kaminski and Aaron North.

The Gowanda High School students, who include Miranda Kaminski, Seth Kaminski, Aaron North, began the relay at 8:15 a.m. Monday where they jogged to the Middle School. There, students Brayden Lee, Dustin Mohawk, and Nathan Warrior were met with the torch. The six of them then set off from the Middle School, taking turns carrying the torch to the elementary school. At 8:45 a.m. the torch arrived at the elementary school, and was taken through the school until 9, when they departed to the bank and arrived at 9:15 a.m. Thanks to a police escort organized by Gowanda School Resource Officer Ben Shields, Bolen said the day went off without a hitch.

“Everything was great,” Bolen said. “The weather was cold, but it was good enough… We had a lot of fun. The little kids had a chance to see the torch going through hallways by their classmates and the applause they got was nice.”

The torch had a brief stay in Gowanda however, as it immediately departed for the second stop on its route, the Community Bank in Orchard Park. All told, the torch will stop in Waterloo, Oneida, Cazenovia, Potsdam, Lake Placid, Ticonderoga, Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Kinderhook, and Valatie before getting to the site of the games.

Community Bank is the title sponsor for the 2022 Empire State Winter Games, which will be held Thursday to Sunday in Lake Placid, where more than 2,000 athletes of all ages are expected to participate.