In 1988, Jamaica sent a bobsled team to the Calgary Olympics. Very much the underdog, the sunny island nation managed to capture the hearts of fans around the world. It was an amazing tale that famously inspired the Disney film, Cool Runnings, and brought the story to an even wider audience - helping to sustain the winter sport back home in the Caribbean. While the team has competed and carved out their own historic path since that fateful tournament, the bobsled crew will forever have a deep connection to the city of Calgary. When the crew landed in Alberta this week to train for the next Olympics, they were shown that Canadians haven't forgotten about their special connection.
On route to another leg of their Canadian tour, the Jamaican bobsled team found themselves in a bit of a pickle. Their van had broken down, and the crew were stranded on the side of the road. When the reality sunk in, they began to troubleshoot, and even turned to social media. Thankfully, they didn't have to do anything to get some much-needed help.
After sitting idle on the road, a passerby named, Dave Schnerch, pulled over to help out. “I’m driving down Beddington Trail and we see a white van, very large passenger van, on the side of the road, no flashers on. I was like, ‘That’s not good.’ And a whole bunch of people out front. As we’re passing, I noticed the Jamaican symbol on their jerseys", Schnerch told Global News. Dave came to the aid of the team, charging their van with a car battery. When that didn't work, the good samaritan drove the whole crew to the racetrack himself. After a few trips and calling on others to start a car pool, Schnerch got every member of the squad to their destination, and even lent his own vehicle until their faulty van was repaired.
The support didn't stop at the complimentary ride, however. The Jamaican bobsled team began to receive donations through their Indiegogo campaign, which was started to help keep the team running (pun definitely intended). The funding helps with the bobsled crew's touring, and allows them to fuel the racers with meals and proper accommodation - something that's challenging for the small organization. A testament to their challenges, is that the team's coaches couldn't join them, as it would put them over their reserved finances. Their budget is getting a bit of a boost now, however, and has raised over $3,000, almost a tenth of their goal. In the meantime, a car rental service, Driving Force, is sending the Jamaican team a new vehicle and a bit of funds for food and gas. That's very cool indeed.
