It Takes a Village
Weds 20 August, 2008
By Kate Johnson
The Olympic Village truly is an amazing case study. Think on it. Over the course of 17 days one of the most talented, diverse and complex communities of individuals descends upon a designated location. 10,500 athletes from 205 countries live together in this place designed for them to call home during the most important time in their life. The Village has its own infrastructure. It has commerce, trade, transportation, healthcare, cultural activities and so much more. For many athletes it is the only time in their life that they will have all these things in one place and so readily available to them.
There are many players who take part in creating this incredible and sustainable community. The Olympic Games Organizing Committee arranges the transportation, the importation of food, and the total day to day business and logistical infrastructure of the Village. The volunteers work around the clock to make sure the Village operates at its peak performance. And it is the sponsors who back this incredible infrastructure and make it possible for the athletes to enjoy this complex and efficient community.
We see trade play out through the exchange of pins at the Coca-Cola Pin trading center. The Bank of China and Visa make it possible for athletes to exchange currencies from around the world. Lenovo provides a full service computer and networking lab for athletes to share the Games with friends and family back home. McDonalds provides 24 hour meals from the athlete cafeteria. Volkswagen shuttles VIPS and athletes around the Olympic Games and throughout the Village. And Johnson & Johnson provides healthcare products, as well as vision and dental care to the athletes through the Polyclinic located in the heart of the Village.
The Polyclinic service was one of the first images that struck me during my stay in the Olympic Village as an athlete in Athens four years ago. Here in Beijing I see the same amazing site. Athletes line up to get their teeth cleaned, their eyes checked and their health tested and for some it is the first and the last time they will receive such services. As a US athlete we were encouraged to use our own medical staff and to let athletes from other countries take advantage of the amazing health care in the Village's Polyclinic. Here in Beijing Johnson & Johnson’s services have been extremely well received. 62% of athletes living in the Village have taken advantage of the Polyclinic’s services to date, and 10% and 16% of those, have gone through the vision and dental service areas respectively.
The Olympic athlete does not get to the Games alone. They have a support network of friends and family back home and sponsors who enable them to be their very best. Here in Beijing in the Olympic Village the same support exists for these athletes during the most important time in their life. From the BOCOG volunteers to the sponsor-supported activities located in the heart of it all, it truly takes a Village to create Olympic success.
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