She used to be the voice of the Merritt Herald, now Marelle Reid is vying for the chance to be the voice of the Vancouver International Airport.

To celebrate the airport’s 80th anniversary, YVR is searching for someone to live at Sea Island for 80 days and share the airport’s countless stories with the world – and Reid wants to be that someone.

“The day the contest opened, there was an article in the Vancouver Sun about it and as soon as I read the headline, I was like, OK, I have to do this,” says Reid. “It seemed like a very fun, very creative opportunity.”

Ninety-six others thought so too and created three-minute videos telling the story of a person, place or event in their communities. Reid’s video about the Vancouver Circus School earned her a place in the final five and now she needs votes to win.

If she wins, Reid will be provided with hotel accommodation at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel, a camera and editing equipment and be given the charge to report, direct and produce behind the scene stories of Vancouver’s busy airport.

Besides the opportunity to live, sleep and shop at the airport, the winner will also receive a $15,000 honorarium and complimentary meals three times a day.

“There are countless stories at YVR with thousands of people passing through everyday – I wouldn’t run out of material,” says Reid. “There are cargo planes that bring in produce, celebrities that arrive and leave, people that smuggle things and bring drugs in, volunteers that work there, 50 different restaurants, a wildlife conservation area and more.”

Eighty days is a long time, but Reid says it would be an adventure, adding that she would be perfectly happy staying 80 days in a four and a half star hotel.

Since Reid left Merritt in Sept. 2010, she has been living in Coquitlam doing freelance writing and has had articles published in Canadian Magazine and several local newspapers, however, she says she would love to make the shift to videography from print and sees this contest as a great launching point.

“I like performing, making people laugh and getting to tell a story in a quirky way,” she says. “In print you try to keep yourself out of the story but in video you can be a part of the story and make it entertaining.”

Now, the former resident is hoping Merritt will get behind her and help her win this opportunity.

“I’d just like to ask for the support of everyone in Merritt,” she says. “Having lived in Merritt, I got to know a lot of people and it was my home for a year.”

“If everyone in Merritt voted just once, I could win and that would mean a lot to me.”

To vote for Reid, log on to the contest website www.liveatyvr.ca and click on vote now. Supporters will have to register the first time and then will be able to vote once a day until Aug. 5 when the contest closes.