INSIDE
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Vol. 52 No. 44
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Nhl Alumni Tour Faces Wawa All-Stars In Hockey Benefit
Article by Barb Fisher, photos supplied by Troy Dereski. The NHL Alumni Association is a non profit organization that brings together former NHL players to assist in youth hockey initiatives in raising funds to enhance the quality of life for our youth and to promote the great game of hockey. Scotiabank presents the 2017 NHL Alumni Benefit Tour and this year celebrates 25 years of raising more than $3 million for many worthwhile community organizations, with the current proceeds supporting the Special Olympics of Ontario. The Alumni Tour is a series of approximately 30 games played across Ontario each winter featuring some of hockey's greatest heroes facing off against local teams. Last Wednesday evening to a packed arena, the Ambassador for the games, Walter Gretzky led an impressive roster of
NHL legends: Chris Simon, Tiger Williams, Rick Vaive, Al Iafrate, Mike Krushelnyski, Bryan Muir, Mike Pelyk, Dan Daoust, Mark Laforest, Aaron Gavey, Jeremy Stevenson and Joe Sgro. The opposing force, drawn from an equally well-known (locally) roster of Wawa All-Stars under the coaching expertise of Al Hardy: Scott Carruthers, Chris Buckell, Dylan Buckell, Jamie Robinson, Lindsay Robinson, Mike Laverne, Nick Alexopoulos, Alexis Alexopoulos, Steve Jozin, Alain Bouffard, Blair Mills, Sebastian Castonguay, James Morden, Zack White, Stacey White, Mark Szekely, Donny Davidson and goalies Brett Robinson and Simone Bouffard. Walter Gretzky, NHL Alumni Ambassador and Guest Coach is known as the first father of hockey. In 2007 Walter was awarded the Order of Canada for his con-
tributions to minor hockey in Canada and dedication to helping local, provincial and national charities. He also carried the Olympic Torch during the Torch Relay for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Opening ceremonies featured our stars and the visiting team requiring some escorting by our Timbits, Novice and Atom budding hockey greats. O Canada was sang in English by the Sir James Dunn grade 4-5 class under the direction of Ms. Portis, and again sang in French by Ecole St. Joseph grades 2, 3 and 4. A centre-ice cheque presentation of $2,500 made by Walter Gretzky representing the Gretzky Foundation to Wawa Minor Hockey Association's rep Trudy Dunham was gratefully accepted. And with qualified First Aiders in the building, the ice was readied for the Puck Drop. Now I am no Foster Hewitt and giving a play-by-play description of this game defies sanity, but the entire audience was kept in stitches and awe at the great moves made by both teams in between the shenanigans. Chief ref Hutchison doubled as ref and play commentator in trying to keep those rowdy NHLers in line. The first goal scored, at least recorded, was scored by our own Jamie Robinson and for his penance he had to endure a blast in the face of whip cream. The antics continued with the goal judge behind our net, an audience member, being called on repeatedly for a ruling invariably ruled "no
goal". Several penalty shots by the All-Stars were deemed in order resulting from such no-no's as gum chewing and ponytail pulling, and not to be left out, the Alumni goalie skated down the ice to attempt a break-away on our net, unsuccessfully. Minor hockey players were
Business Directory . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 6 Carol Hughes, M.P. . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 4 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pgs. 9-12 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 11 Crime Scene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 5 First United Church News . . . . . . Pg. 3 Letter to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 4 Library Column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 4 Michipicoten Chronicles . . . . . . . Pg. 5 Pathways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 3 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 2 Storytime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 8 Sudoku . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 9 Viking Voices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg. 5
eagerly involved in the shindig. Before the game, players from the Atoms and Peewees took part in a skills demonstration helped out by Bryan Muir and Dan Daoust. Off ice the visiting players eagerly swapped hockey experiences with the youngsters and many Continued on page 3...
L-R: Chris Simon, Walter Gretzky and Trudy Dunham
61 Mission Road Wawa, Ontario P0S 1K0 Tel: 705-856-2394 Cell: 705-856-5595 Fax: 705-856-4290 alainbouffard@missionmotors.com www.missionmotors.com