Sharon Evers is what you may call a virtuoso when it comes to her knowledge of the Olympics.
"In 1956 I was the sports editor for my high school newspaper and I wrote an article on the Olympics which were held that year in Melbourne, Australia and I just fell in love with the whole idea of the Olympic Games," she said.
Sharon utilized what she's learned over the years, sharing with others the significance of the games. "The honor of the Olympics I think goes back to the whole idea of the Olympics which is to bring people together."
Over the years, Sharon has built up quite a collection of Olympic memorabilia. "One of the first things I got was a mug from McDonald's because they were the sponsors of the swimming in 1984 in Los Angeles."
One impressive part of Sharon's collection is her Olympic pins. "The pin collection probably started in the 1980s, especially in Atlanta, I traded for a lot, but I probably have at least 200 Atlanta pins."In total the number of pins tops 900. "The hardest ones to get though are the winter games from overseas in these small countries. They're just not that readily available."
Sharon's collection even has pieces from some of history's more controversial games. "It's from the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin and it has the swastika on it."
Sharon's collection also includes a flag that was flown at the Berlin games. "Can you just imagine that this flew when Jesse Owens ran and I just think that is so cool."
Sharon's collection spans decades and has many stories to tell, stories that remind us what it means to be part of such a special event. "I just think it's the honor of being an Olympian and I've met so many and whether they win or lose they're always an Olympian. They work so hard and it's a joy to watch somebody so dedicated."
