Holly Benson

thinks that her husband, Rick, embodies the Olympic spirit.

She can be

excused for being biased, but apparently she's not alone, and next week

Rick will get a moment on the world stage to prove it.

A pilot instructor

and a 28-year veteran of Delta Air Lines, Rick Benson is one of 100 Delta

employees who have been selected to participate in the Olympic torch relay

leading up to the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. Holly, also a Delta

employee, nominated him.

Benson will

take the torch Dec. 18 at approximately 7:21 a.m. in Covington, Ky., just

across the Ohio River from Cincinnati and home to that city's international

airport. He will likely be one of the very first to hoist the torch that

day, since it is carried from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during most of the relay

until it enters Utah in the final days before the Games.

More than 1,000

Delta employees were nominated to be torch bearers. The relay began Dec.

4 when the torch arrived at Atlanta's Hartsfield International Airport.

Benson was there when it was brought off the plane which he called a "very

emotional moment" and captured it on videotape.

The Bensons,

who have lived in Fayetteville for more than a decade, have spent a couple

of exciting weeks preparing for next week's event, having already made

a trip to Salt Lake City and another to Kentucky as part of their preparations

for the relay. Benson recently received a complete torch bearer package

that includes an official warmup suit that will be his uniform as he carries

the Olympic flame.

"Rick

never hesitates to share his knowledge and Delta spirit with others,"

Holly wrote in her nomination letter. "As a 777 instructor, he has

hosted the Ashford Park Elementary School Discovery Program which included

fifth- and sixth-grade students in an on-campus field trip. He also hosted

a Georgia State University class on aviation at the request of Fred Elsberry.

"He never

runs out of patience or time, with any age group. He is not finished until

the last question is asked and the last answer is understood."

According to

Delta's Web site, a cross-divisional team of employees was formed to review

the nominations. All employee information for the nominee and the nominator

were removed for the review process.

Each "Moment

of Greatness" was rated on the degree of impact it had on the customer,

fellow employee or community. Selecting just 100 torchbearers was a tough

job, according to spokespeople for the airline.

Among other

things, Benson was recognized for "providing help to those in need

throughout the community."

After being

nominated, he was required to write a short essay about someone who has

inspired him in his own life. He chose his father.

"In keeping

with the Olympic spirit, he instilled in me the patriotism and respect

that I now have for this great country and all countries from around the

world," Benson wrote. "He spent many days away from our home

serving his country and protecting those freedoms and liberties we have

and are fighting for, even today. Truly an inspiration in my life."

A total of

210,000 people were nominated to be among the 11,500 torch bearers. Those

who were chosen will follow a route that winds 13,500 miles through 46

states, the most ever covered by an Olympic torch relay in the United

States. At least one local Delta employee will be among those participating

in the first-ever Alaska leg of the relay, Benson said.

Each torch

bearer will carry the flame approximately .2 miles, or the equivalent

of one lap around the Olympic track. Benson plans to jog a little and

walk some as well, to take full advantage of the special moment.

This is not

the Bensons' first exposure to the Olympics. Both served as volunteers

during the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. Rick was a chauffeur, and Holly

helped with the positioning of automobiles for Olympic officials before

the Games began.