people who came here from all over the world and built an extraordinary city.' By Henry Adderley Chief Reporter Joining "ordinary people'' from around the world at a massive party in the Windy City this New Year will be Bermudian Andrew Crick.

The beach manager at Southampton Princess Hotel's Whaler Inn has been selected to represent the Island at the City of Chicago's Millennium party which will be attended by at least one person from every nation in the world.

Mr. Crick yesterday talked about how his lucky break came.

"My girlfriend Donna read about the event in The Royal Gazette and went ahead and sent in an application in about me.

"I was kind of surprised when she told me what she had done and thought I had no chance of winning.'' Organisers had originally lined up a Bermudian to participate but arrangements fell through prompting them to issue an appeal in The Royal Gazette asking for suitable candidates to be put forward.

Mr. Crick revealed that he and Donna were planning a vacation for the two of them and her three children -- Angela, Maria and Todd -- when a courier package arrived at their door.

Inside was an invitation to the five-day event from the Mayor of Chicago, Richard Daley.

"They are going to send more stuff to us,'' he continued, "but by the way they describe it they pay for the whole thing -- the flight, ground transportation and accommodation. They even provide clothing,'' said Mr.

Crick.

The highlight of the five-day event will be an International Millennium Dinner which will be hosted by Mayor Daley.

This will be held on December 31 at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center and will bring the international guests together with a representative cross-section of Chicago's diverse population.

Mr. Crick and his girlfriend Donna will fly to Chicago for free on American Airlines on December 28 and stay for free at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place until at least January 2.

Organiser William Spain noted: "This unique gathering is designed to further an important goal for the coming Millennium: fostering greater knowledge of our world and bettering communication between its many and varied peoples.

"A unique aspect of this undertaking is that we are not inviting celebrities or dignitaries, but ordinary people -- just like the ordinary people who came here from all over the world and built an extraordinary city.'' Joining Mr. Crick on the guest list are a Guatemalan mechanic, a Vietnamese bird trainer, a South Korean musician, a teacher from Bangladesh, a Haitian secretary, a prison chaplain from Cote D'Ivoire, a Slovenian farmer and a Liberian relief worker.

The Island's newest ambassador said he would try to do the Island proud at the event.

"I will do my best to represent Bermuda and show that we are a good natured people. "Donna and I decided to take the mayor a gift from Bermuda -- maybe some beach sand -- and invite him back to Bermuda.'' Bermuda ambassador: Andrew Crick will join ordinary people from all over the world who have been invited to Chicago for a Millennium 2000 New Year's party.