The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

3 | Thursday, June 25, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com | photo by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver | photo by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver | photos by Riziero Vertolli ­ Oakville Beaver Community rallies behind its torch bearers and Pan Am athletes continued from p.1 campaigns to encourage students and families to walk or bicycle to school, was honoured to be selected as Oakville's community torchbearer. "It meant a ton because I do a ton of volunteer work with schools and the YMCA. Being recognized in this way for something that normally doesn't get recognized," she said, "it's pretty cool when the community rallies behind it and makes me feel that some things I stand for are valued." Tuesday's celebration also included a performance by JUNO Award-winning Canadian aboriginal singer and Oakville resident Susan Aglukark, and the singing of O Canada by Oakville Youth Week Tune Up winner Abbey McCay. Dancing and music by the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton (CCAH) pan band and the Afro-Caribbean Dance Group added to the festive atmosphere in beautiful 22C conditions at the square, located at the intersection of Lakeshore Road and Navy Street. Many of the town's sports organizations had tents set up at the celebration, including the Oakville Soccer Club, Oakville Aquatic Club, Oakville Basketball Club, Burloak Canoe Club, the YMCA of Oakville and Sport Oakville. "We were thrilled to be selected (for a community celebration). We really wanted to work closely with our local sports groups," said Colleen Bell, the Town of Oakville's commissioner of community services. see Pan on p.5 Pictured from left, Lynn Petruskavich carries the Pan Am torch as the local leg of the relay heads into Centennial Square for a community celebration. The torch passes between Maggie Kerr and Mary McLaughlin. At Centennial Square, hundreds awaited for a ceremony that included the singing of O Canada by student Abbey McCay and a performance by Oakville JUNO Award-winner Susan Aglukark, centre right. Of course, PACHI, the Games' mascot, far right, was on hand for all the fun. For more photos, visit www.oakvillebeaver.com. YOUR RINGS AREN'T JUST RINGS SKYWAY JEWELLERS INC. SOUTH OAKVILLE CENTRE 1515 REBECCA ST. OAKVILLE 905.469.0520 FOXCREEK MALL 2501 THIRD LINE ROAD OAKVILLE (THIRD LINE & DUNDAS) 905.827.0700 WWW.SKYWAYJEWELLERS.COM © 2015 Pandora Jewelry, LLC · All rights reserved · PANDORA.NET