Olympic torch coming Friday

(Orlando Sentinel)

By George Diaz | Sentinel Staff Writer

It will touch the hands of the famous, the courageous and ordinary on a cross-country journey stretching across 46 states and 13,500 miles in 65 days.

The Olympic torch, an inspirational symbol for the United States in a year of tragedy and triumph, will reach downtown Orlando on Friday evening and will be the focal point of a patriotic ceremony honoring America.

Local resident Mildred Wilkerson, personally selected by Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood, will be the last of four local residents who will relay the torch around Lake Eola Park in a special ceremony around 9 p.m.

Wilkerson, a children's advocate and volunteer in various projects, will carry the torch by boat to the center of the lake, where she will light a floating cauldron.

"This is our first chance [since Sept. 11] as a region to gather and celebrate something as pure as the Olympic Games," said John Saboor, senior vice president of the Central Florida Sports Commission. "It represents all that is good in the world, and comes on the heels of what has been such a tragic time in our country."

Saboor was the point man in a committee that selected 30 local torchbearers, in conjunction with the City of Orlando and the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. The committee received 575 nominations from seven counties before making its selections.

A total of 82 people will carry the torch through Central Florida, with the other 52 selected by Olympic sponsors.

They include Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys, WESH-Channel 2 anchor Wendy Chioji and Dr. Gregor Alexander, a neonatologist at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women.

Prominent torchbearers nationally include Lyz Glick, the wife of Jeremy Glick, one of the passengers aboard United Flight 93 that crashed Sept. 11 in Pennsylvania; New York Yankees Manager Joe Torre; baseball great Willie Mays; and former NFL quarterback Steve Young. The torch run began Tuesday in Atlanta in a ceremony including Olympic gold medalists Muhammad Ali and Peggy Fleming. The relay will involve 11,500 people carrying the 3-pound torches. The torch will reach Salt Lake City on Feb. 8 to mark the start of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Hawaii will not be on the torch route for logistical reasons.

Salt Lake Organizing Committee officials are marking the Olympic Games as a rallying point after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. "Our nation is in prayer," said Mitt Romney, president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, adding that the torch "binds each of us to the family of humankind."

Security is expected to be at a "high level" at places where the torch stops. There will be an average of two ceremonies daily. The torch will reach the Orlanda area from Daytona Beach on Friday. Locally, organizers with the City of Orlando and Central Florida Sports Commission are expecting between 25,000 and 40,000 people to gather at Lake Eola for the event, which is free.

The celebration begins at 7 p.m. with games, children's activities, food and live entertainment. The finale will feature Olympic music, illuminated kites and pyrotechnics.

"This is a truly unique chance for people of all ages to participate in something that has such universal appeal," Saboor said.

Mark Schlueb of the Sentinel staff contributed to this report, which was supplemented by information from wire services. George Diaz can be reached at 407-420-5668 and gdiaz@orlandosentinel.com. Copyright © 2001, Orlando Sentinel

'Geeky girl' rocks as star Krystal

Date: December 5, 2001
Source: Atlanta Journal and Constitution
Submitted by: Tiffany

Pop musician Krystal grew up in a small town in Indiana and was born into a musical family. Her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles all sang or played instruments.

Q: What was your childhood like?

A: When I was 2 years old, I started traveling on the road, singing in churches with my family. It was a good training ground for what I do now. At the age of 3, I started playing piano. Later on, I started playing bass, the organ, flute and other instruments.

Q: How did you become a pop star?

A: That sounds weird! I'm still so much at the beginning of everything, I don't think of myself as that. I still think of myself as a little geeky girl from Indiana. Three years ago, I met my manager, Mookie. It was obvious that we were supposed to be a team because we were on the same road, trying to do the same thing, inspired in the same way. We're like the millennium Sonny and Cher. He knew the Backstreet Boys quite well, having worked with them on their first album.

One night, Mookie was talking to Kevin Richardson from the Backstreet Boys, telling him about the labels (record companies) we visited. Kevin told him that the Backstreet Boys were interested in starting their own label and they wanted me to be their first artist. It was a blessing, because they encouraged me to be myself. That's how I ended up on their label and on their tour as well.

Q: How did you come up with the name of your debut album, "Me and My Piano"?

A: The piano's kind of like my best friend. I used to get frustrated playing it, but my mom told me someday I'd be playing it. I thought I'd just sing. But, of course, mothers are usually right. I could not deny an instrument that was such a part of me and my family. On my album, I actually played piano on every song. Whenever I perform live, I always have a grand piano onstage.

Q: If you could be anyone you want, who would it be?

A: Since Prince is my hero, I'd probably want to be him. He rules when it comes to stage, music. He plays about 26 instruments. I play six; I'm on the way. He's been a big teacher to me when it comes to performing.

Q: Do your songs have anything to do with your life?

A: Absolutely. A lot of my songs are inspired by things that happened in my life and made me feel awesome inside. And, of course, things that haven't made me feel awesome inside. One of the biggest inspirations in my life is Christ, so my songs have to do with my life with Christ and being able to be the superhero I want to be.

Q: Who are your favorite music artists?

A: I love Prince, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Elton John and Billy Joel because they are piano players. Now I listen to Lighthouse and Limp Bizkit, as well as soul singers like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.

Q: What other careers would you like to pursue?

A: I graduated high school in 1999, and I had plans to go to college. I wanted to go to a serious music college that would really kick my butt, that was not easy, like Berklee in Boston or Juilliard. But life is really a great college. I still want to go to college. I also wanted to be a hairdresser, because I think that's fun.

> ON THE WEB: To learn more about Krystal, visit her Web site, www.krystalthesupergirl.com

Home/ News/ BSB fics/ BSB Chat/ BSB Board/ Guestbook