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Vancouver 2010 seeks 1,500 volunteers

The organisers of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver have launched a major drive for extra volunteers in Olympics history as their budget tightens. Reuters reports that the event’s organisers are facing a budget shortfall, part of which is due to a failure by the International Olympics Committee to get major sponsors.

The organisers are asking local employers for 1,500 short-term workers for the Games. They said the plan reflected “the realities of the economic downturn”.

The organisers are asking local businesses and government to loan the volunteer staff.

“While the final value and number of loaned employees will not be known for several months, the program will result in significant savings to VANOC's operational budget,” the Vancouver Organizing Committee said.