The Saugeen Times

Olympic figure skater makes stop in Kincardine
By Liz Dadson

Feature

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Cheryl Goetz (L) of Herbal Magic in Kincardine and Port Elgin, welcomes Olympic figure skater Elizabeth Manley and Keith Moriarty, senior vice-president of marketing for Herbal Magic, to the store in Kincardine

Dreams can come true and Elizabeth Manley paid tribute to that as she visited with staff and customers at the Herbal Magic store in Kincardine Monday morning (March 8).

The Olympic figure skater and now spokesperson for Herbal Magic, made a stop here and at the Herbal Magic store in Port Elgin before speaking to the crowd at the International Women's Day event that evening about "learning through resiliency."

Bubbling with enthusiasm, Manley said she was excited to be in Kincardine and loves meeting people and speaking to groups.

She spent the past month in Vancouver, covering the men's and ladies' figure skating for CTV. From women's day, she was headed home to Ottawa and then to Peterborough next weekend.

"It's the busiest year of my life," she said, with a breathless laugh.

Manley enjoys being a spokesperson for Herbal Magic because, she said, the program saved her life.

"I lost my mom about a year-and-a-half ago," she said. "It was very traumatic because I was very close to my mom. I'm an emotional eater and I ended up putting on about 30 pounds and had high blood pressure."

Thanks to Keith Moriarty, senior vice-president at Herbal Magic, who suggested Manley try the program, she has regained her athlete's body and is happy and confident again.

"I feel so good about myself," she said. "It was so rewarding to go to Vancouver and work for CTV."

Manley said she has had weight issues all her life, even when she was competing in the 1988 Olympics in Calgary where she won a silver medal, and later when she became world champion.

"With Herbal Magic, they don't frown on you for the problems you have with weight, they want to work with you on it," she said. "It's such a joy to be around the people in this program."

In the fall, Manley met her goal weight and immediately agreed to be a spokesperson because she loves meeting people and talking about the program. "This kind of work is very therapeutic," she said. "I'm just a normal person who likes working with people and helping them out. If I can inspire one person per day, then I'm doing a good job."

While she enjoyed working at the Vancouver Olympics, she said it "sucks" being five-feet-tall and trying to get through the crowds.

"There were a lot of great moments," she said, "and a lot of tragic moments. I think the greatest moment was hearing that the Koreans were disqualified on the short track (speed-skating) and the Canadians had won silver. It goes to show you that anything can happen at the Olympics."

She said many people ask how she is doing since losing her mother. "I want everyone to know that I'm doing much better. Herbal Magic was a godsend for me. I'm proud to be part of this company. Dreams can come true."

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Tuesday, March 09, 2010