There are no red mittens in VANOC volunteer land.
VANOC workers and volunteers outfitted at the uniform and accreditation centre in the Pacific National Exhibition Forum are warned in a dress code poster that handwear must be "navy or dark coloured mitts/gloves suitable for your assignment."
Few, if any, should be feeling blue about not receiving the hot-selling, red $10 keepsakes in their eight-piece Hudson's Bay Company kit. The outfit includes a jacket, vest, pants, two long-sleeve shirts, toque, tote bag and welcome kit with a mug to keep coffee or tea warm.
An estimated 52,000 people - mainly workforce, but some athletes, sponsors and media - will go through the old Hastings and Renfrew hockey barn by the end of the Paralympics. Some will pick up a made-in-China "Bonjour" pin to tell Games visitors they can speak French.
Allen Vansen, VANOC's workforce operations and integrations vice-president, said 15 per cent of the workforce will be fluent in French and English. He said volunteers were also recruited to satisfy other language needs, but he did not have statistics.
Vansen said VANOC continues to search for volunteers or free accommodation in the Sea-to-Sky corridor.
"The more people that we can recruit from the local area that have their own accommodations, it reduces the number of people that we're looking to put on a bus each day," Vansen said.
VANOC expects 1,500 people to visit the Forum for uniforms and 3,000 people for accreditation daily during the Feb. 4-11 peak period.
